Management of Innovation Work: A Case Study of Technology Development for the Community Health Innovation Network

Summary:

The Community Health Innovation Network is a multi-actor project funded by Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. It was established as a project embedded within a broader set of organisational processes within Medic Mobile. Innovation projects differ from traditional projects in that they are highly exploratory and the metrics of success cannot be represented purely by the iron triangle of schedule, budget and scope. These projects have a high degree of uncertainty and variability and require an approach that is flexible and adaptive to change, specifically, because of the focus on creating maximum value through novel approaches. For innovation projects, there exists a bias for documenting project success and outcomes while not investigating the role project management approaches play in these outcomes. There is a need therefore to separate project success from the project management success and provide guidelines and recommendations for similar projects. This is an investigation of the project management success of the technology development of the first 3 initiatives of the Community Health Innovation Network. This includes the role of existing organisational processes, team culture, trust, co-location and product development acumen as factors that influence the success or failure of the project management approach. Additionally, we explore the tension that exists between the desire for control in traditional project management approaches that are highly predictive and innovation work that is exploratory and adaptive to change. This is a starting point for building organisational capability for exploratory project management.

Background/Objectives:

The Innovation Network, so far, has tested and demonstrated the viability of 3 initiatives so far Closed Loop Existing, Closed Loop HIV Self Testing and Predictive Analytics. These initiatives focused on generating breakthroughs in the delivery of healthcare work and therefore need a process that is focused on delivering value over meeting constraints. Medic Mobile as the technology partner sought to implement a tailored approach that can address the traditional constraints of schedule, scope and budget while supporting value creation and value delivery for the above initiatives. The project identifies a replicable and scalable approach for innovative product development work.

Description of Intervention and/or Methods/Design:

Hybrid methods were employed during the project phases, with traditional stage-gated processes for the predictive phases and agile methods for the exploratory phases. These complemented the already iterative and incremental Human Centred Design and Action Design Research processes employed by the design and research teams.  A highly collaborative approach that involved the entire team was taken in setting team dynamics, ways of working, culture, transparency, predictability and explicit process policies.

Results/Lessons Learned:

• Traditional Project Management processes and policies with the iron triangle metrics of schedule, scope and cost fall short for Innovation Work Organisational processes, team culture and dynamics, co-location and trust play a critical role in project success and project management success. 
• Processes and policies should serve the work and not vice-versa. 
• Teams closest to delivery require agency and autonomy to contribute and to change process and policies to maximise value delivered.
• Contextual conditions are a key factor in determining a management approach for innovation work.
• There is need to maintain a balance to ensure creativity and innovation is not affected by bureaucracy.
• The success of a project is independent of the success of the project management approach.

Discussion/Implications for the Field:

• Project Managers need specific skills for Innovation Management that differ from the traditional ones that contribute to the iron triangle metrics.
• Highly collaborative approaches that involve the entire team in delivery contribute greatly to project management success and project success.
• It is possible for a project to be successful with an unsuccessful project management approach.
• Teams should strive to meet the traditional constraints of schedule, scope and cost, but as secondary to the value derived from the innovation project.

Abstract submitted by:

Mercy Deche
Maryanne Mureithi - Medic Mobile
Bernard Kagondu - Medic Mobile
Beatrice Wasunna - Medic Mobile