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The Innovation Process
Module 3.3

Organisational Adaptation

Map out necessary changes to your organisation

In almost all circumstances, adopting a new solution will require some adaptation of your organisation. Anticipating and mapping out what adaptations will need to happen is critical for any adopted innovation to be a success.

This is often the area of greatest difficulty in relation to adaptation, as it will affect people’s jobs, how work is carried out, and may even challenge norms and power relationships. You need to identify which areas of your organisation and work will need to adapt to enable you to absorb and use the new solution. These can be considered across three dimensions:

  • Policies: What policies might need to change, or be developed?
  • Processes: What processes will need to change, or be developed?
  • People and Power: What roles will need to change, or be created? Who are the ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ if the solution is successful?

For each of these three dimensions, you will need to either fill in the Adaptation Requirements Table directly, or use another tool to develop your thinking, before completing the relevant section of the table later on.

Activities

3.3 A Review relevant policies
This activity will help you review your solution against your organisation’s policies and statutory requirements, and humanitarian standards.
3.3 B Review organisational processes
This activity will help you map existing processes that will need to be changed and any new processes that will need to be put in place in order for the solution to work.
3.3 C Review roles and power dynamics
This activity will help you understand how your solution will likely affect others' roles and responsibilities and related power dynamics in order to anticipate challenges.