Future Workforce Skills of Innovation Master Class [virtual]

Our Future Workforce Skills of Innovation Master Class is a hands-on, experiential workshop consisting of 3 three-hour sessions held over one week (with practical “fieldwork” between all sessions). It provides participants with foundational skills and mindsets that they can immediately apply to help their organization create and launch new initiatives and develop lasting competitive advantage. Participants will learn tools drawn from the latest innovation methodologies, including from design thinking, creativity research, lean startup, and strategic communications.

This upcoming session will be taught by GIANT’s senior facilitators, Joshua Cohen and David Dabscheck, seasoned entrepreneurs who have delivered large-scale innovation projects and trained teams in the underlying skills and mindsets in a wide range of Fortune 500 companies, such as Citi, Roche, Exxon Mobil, Allianz, and Walmart.

Master corporate innovation with global experts—wherever you might be.

What will you get from the virtual Master Class?

• Develop a solid foundation for driving behavioral and mindset change in your organization.
• Gain a practical innovation toolkit consisting of the latest skills from lean startup, design thinking, creativity research, and strategic communications.  
• Receive continual personal guidance from GIANT senior facilitators, as well as one hour of post-workshop coaching to help you implement what you have learned back at the office.
• Connect with L&D professionals and corporate innovation practitioners from around the world who can serve as an important resource to leverage your efforts.
• Get a copy of our Innovation Essentials, a short, user-friendly guidebook that provides you all the frameworks used throughout the course, glossaries, and further suggested readings.
• Receive certification as a GIANT “Innovation Practitioner,” which is a prerequisite for becoming a certified GIANT “Innovation Facilitator.”  

When does it take place?

There will be four sessions as follows:

• Mon, Apr 24th, 9:00 EDT - 12:00 EDT
• Wed, Apr 26th, 9:00 EDT - 12:00 EDT
• Fri, Apr 28th, 9:00 EDT - 12:00 EDT

Ideally, participants will be able to devote an additional hour outside of these sessions to practical “fieldwork” so that they can immediately apply the skills they have learned. There will also be an optional Innovation Roundtable and Participant Happy Hour organized during the length of the course.

Who should attend?

• Professionals in traditional companies who are looking to increase the innovative capabilities of their teams, departments, and organizations.
• Learning & Development or Human Resources team members who want to develop the skills and confidence they need to teach core innovation skills in their organizations.
• Innovation practitioners and managers who are passionate about improving their skills and bringing more innovation into their organization.
• Those interested in building a foundation in design thinking, lean startup, and creativity skills that they can apply to their organizational challenges.

What is the agenda?

SESSION 1: REFRAMING AND DESIGN THINKING

(Mon, Apr 24th, 9:00 EDT - 12:00 EDT)

• Ethnographic interviewing and observation techniques.
• Opportunity spaces and “How might we” questions.
• Jobs-to-done theory of innovation to understand customer needs.        
•                                

SESSION 2: CREATIVITY & LEAN STARTUP

(Wed, Apr 26th, 9:00 EDT - 12:00 EDT)

• Myths and facts around where good ideas really come from.
• Divergent thinking tools to help generate ideas.
• Solution testing and MVP design.

SESSION 3: MORE LEAN STARTUP & STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

(Fri, Apr 28th, 9:00 EDT - 12:00 EDT)

• Running experiments and launching concepts.
• Messaging techniques to convince and build support among key stakeholders.
• Case studies and discussion around practical application.

Find out more about our “Innovation Everywhere” slate of offerings here.

If you’re interested in a tailored online Master Class in Corporate Innovation for your organization, contact us here.

‍