Employee Innovation Award

Employee Innovation Award

Guidelines and Criteria
- SCORING CRITERIA
  
  Please review the following Criteria before completing your application. Part I of the application includes open-ended questions about your project. Framing your Part I responses around these Criteria will help ensure your application thorough and focused. Part II of the application includes more focused questions about each Criteria.
  
  These Criteria will be used by the Scoring Committee to review applications and when conducting interviews with applicants:
  
  1. Alignment with City Values
  - Description: Considers how the innovation reflects the core values of the City, including Innovation. An outline of our core values, and indicators for each are provided below:
  - Indicators:
    
    Purpose-Driven - Our purpose is to be America’s most desirable mid-sized city. So for whom does your innovation make Greensboro more desirable? Residents, or wildlife, or businesses, or visitors, or some other stakeholder group?
    
    People-Centered - Nearly all public service innovations are focused on people in some way. But did your innovation leverage the community engagement process into the initial design and planning of the innovation?
    
    Data-Informed - Data doesn't just mean having numbers. It means answering the question, “how can we be of maximum service?” Does the innovation use data like personal stories and statistics to guide the innovation's design or to make mid-course adjustments when needed? Showing the link between data and decisions builds public trust.
    
    Equity - Not to be confused with sameness, equity means seeing that sometimes there is a relationship between advantage and disadvantage that comes from system design. This means the innovation was inspired by reimagining a system in a way that reduces barriers. It means the innovation addresses root unfairness in some way to help people access opportunities and maintain dignity.
    
    Resiliency & Sustainability - Means consistent, enduring services are available for future generations that reduces waste and renews resources. So did the innovation consider environmental, social and economic impacts? Does it involve a long-term approach that is adaptable and tolerant to risks?
    
    Prosperity - Means increasing access to resources for a higher life quality. While the meaning of prosperity can vary, did the innovation impact how residents experience individual growth and wholeness?
    
    Innovation - Means boldly improving technology, industries, programs and services. All award submissions align with this core value in some way, hence the need for the remaining criteria outlined below.
  2. Service Delivery and Fiscal Impact
  - Description: Evaluates how the innovation has enhanced service delivery within the city, and how the innovation supports being good stewards of public resources.
  - Indicators: Determines the ways in which the innovation has generally enhanced public services through things like technology, community engagement, employee development, data analysis, increased accountability, and beyond. It also assess if the innovation provided a fiscal impact by reducing costs, increasing revenues, expanded economic investment, or increased the tax & user fee base.
  3. Originality and Creativity
  - Description: Assesses the novelty and creativity of the innovation.
  - Indicators: Considers whether the idea is unique within the city or local government context in general, whether it represents a new approach or adaptation of existing practices, and how innovative thinking was applied.
  4. Scalability and Transferability
  - Description: Determines the potential for the innovation to be scaled or replicated in other departments or jurisdictions.
  - Indicators: Looks at whether the innovation can be easily adapted or expanded to benefit other areas of local government, whether it has potential for broader application, and any plans the applicant has for sharing or scaling the innovation.
  5. Collaboration and Partnership
  - Description: Evaluates the degree to which the innovation involved collaboration across departments, with community stakeholders, or with external partners.
  - Indicators: Considers how teamwork and partnerships contributed to the development and implementation of the innovation, and the impact of these collaborations on its success.
  6. Sustainability and Long-Term Benefits
  - Description: Determines the potential for the innovation to have lasting benefits and sustainability.
  - Indicators: Looks at whether the innovation promotes environmental sustainability, fiscal responsibility, or social equity, and its potential to generate long-term savings or efficiencies.
  7. Adaptability to Challenges
  - Description: Evaluates how the innovation addressed specific challenges or opportunities faced by the city.
  - Indicators: Considers the responsiveness of the innovation to emerging needs or unexpected challenges, and the flexibility demonstrated in its implementation or adaptation over time.
  8. Measurable Outcomes
  - Description: Evaluates the effectiveness of the innovation based on measurable outcomes and impact.
  - Indicators: Considers quantifiable results such as cost savings, efficiency improvements, increased revenue, enhanced service quality, or positive community feedback.
  9. Improvements in Management/Organizational Culture
  - Description: Determines if the innovation has an impact on broader management practices and processes across the city as a whole, or on overall organizational culture.
  - Indicators: Considers innovations that improve leadership, governance, decision-making, performance management, or employee development within the local government context.
  10. Ethical Considerations and Compliance
  - Description: Evaluates whether the innovation adheres to ethical standards, legal requirements, and regulatory compliance.
  - Indicators: Considers any ethical dilemmas addressed, the impact on transparency and accountability, and the demonstration of integrity in the innovation's development and implementation.
- Name
  
  First NameLast Name
- Email
  example@example.com
- Work Phone
  Please enter a valid phone number.Format: (000) 000-0000.
- Job Title
- Department
- Division/Section
- Lawson Number
- Supervisor Name
  
  First NameLast Name
- Part I - General Overview
  
  The following questions are related to a general overview of your innovation, including background info, the problem being addressed, processes used, results, etc.
- Title of Innovation
- Briefly describe the innovation. What is the idea, product, process, or solution you developed? (2-3 sentences)
- Problem Solved:
- What specific problem or challenge does your innovation address? How did you identify this problem?
- Implementation Process:
- Describe the process you followed to implement the innovation. What steps did you take, and what challenges did you overcome?
- Results:
- What was the final outcome of the Innovation?
- Lessons Learned and Future Improvements:
- What lessons did you learn during the innovation process? Are there any improvements to your innovation that you would like to make in the future?
- Recognition and Awards:
- Have you received any previous awards, recognition, or patents for this innovation? If so, please provide details.
- Part II - Innovation Criteria
  
  The following questions are directly related to the Innovation Criteria. Additional details and clarification may be requested during the application review process.
- Impact on City Values:
  
  How the innovation represents one or more of the City's core values
- Purpose-drivenPeople-centeredData-InformedEquityResiliency & SustainabilityInnovationProsperity
- Please explain how the innovation aligns with each of the core values you selected above:
- Impact on Service Delivery
  
  How the innovation has enhanced service delivery within the city
- Implements digital solutions for service delivery, reducing paperwork and wait times.Uses data analytics to identify trends, optimize resource allocation, and improve service efficiency.Automates routine tasks to free up staff for more complex work and improve accuracy.Involves citizens in the design and delivery of services to ensure they meet their needs.Ensures services are accessible to all, including people with disabilities, those in remote areas, and low-income individuals.Establishes effective feedback channels to gather citizen input and address concerns promptly.Streamlines processes to reduce waste and improve efficiency.Fosters collaboration between agencies and with the private sector to leverage resources and expertise.Implements performance metrics to track progress and identify areas for improvement.Provides employees with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their roles.Recognizes and reward employees for their contributions to improve morale and motivation.Promotes a healthy work-life balance to reduce burnout and increase job satisfaction.Promotes transparency by making information about government operations and decision-making processes easily accessible.Establishes and enforces ethical standards to ensure accountability and public trust.Implements mechanisms for holding public officials accountable for their actions and decisions.Improves response timesIncreases resident satisfactionN/AOther
- Fiscal Impact
  
  How the innovation has enhanced fiscal stewardship within the city
- Provides the same level of service at a lower costProvides a higher level of service at the same (or lower) costAvoids future cost increasesStimulates economic growth by attracting businesses and investmentsStimulates revenue growth by expanding the tax & user fee baseCreates an all new revenue streamN/A
- Originality and Creativity
  
  The novelty and creativity of the innovation.
- Unique within the organizationUnique within the cityRepresents an all new approachRepresents an adaptation to an existing approach
- Scalability and Transferability
  
  The potential for the innovation to be scaled or replicated in other departments or within the community.
- The potential for broader application within the communityThe potential to be easily adapted to benefit other city departmentsDocumented examples of scaling or sharing the innovation with another groupDocumented plans for scaling or sharing the innovation in the future
- Please attach any available documentation that shows examples or approved plans for scaling or sharing the innovation
  
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- Collaboration and Partnership
  
  The degree to which the design of the innovation involved collaboration across departments, with community stakeholders, or with external partners.
- Other city departmentsCommunity organizationsResidentsN/AOther
- If the innovation included any direct collaboration or partnerships, please explain how it contributed to the success of the innovation.
- Sustainability and Long-Term Benefits
  
  The potential for the innovation to have lasting benefits and remain sustainable.
- Environmental sustainabilityFiscal responsibilitySocial equityOther
- Adaptability to Challenges
  
  How the innovation identified and addressed specific challenges or opportunities faced by the city.
- A completely new and unexpected challenge that needed immediate attentionAn emerging trend from the last 1-4 yearsA long-standing issue from 5 or more years agoAn opportunity to experiment and try something new to address a potential future challenge
- The ability to consider multiple perspectivesDeveloping new skills or knowledge in order to implementThe capacity to bounce back from setbacks and adversityThe willingness to take initiative and drive change in the face of criticism and doubtThe ability to make calculated risks and embrace uncertaintyThe ability to understand and navigate different cultural contexts
- Measurable Outcomes
  
  The effectiveness of the innovation based on measurable outcomes and impact.
- Cost savingsIncreased revenuesEfficiency improvementsEnhanced service qualityPositive community feedbackOther
- Innovation in Management or Organizational Culture
  
  Impact on broader management practices and processes across the city as a whole, or on overall organizational culture.
- LeadershipGovernanceDecision-makingPerformance managementEmployee development
- Ethical Considerations and Compliance
  
  The innovation adheres to ethical standards, legal requirements, and regulatory compliance.
- Ethical dilemmasLegal requirementsTransparency and accountability
- Part III - Additional Details, Review & Submit
- Attach any relevant supporting documents, such as photos, charts, graphs, testimonials, or patents, that can provide additional evidence of your innovation’s impact.
  
  Please ensure that all files are named clearly and appropriately
  Cancelof
- YesNo
- Please enter the name, job title and department for any additional group members. For larger groups, you may attach a file below that includes the name, job title, and department:
- Large Group File Upload (optional)
  
  Cancelof
- If you have any additional comments or feedback, please enter it below:
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Employee Innovation Award

Part I - General Overview

Problem Solved:

Implementation Process:

Results:

Lessons Learned and Future Improvements:

Recognition and Awards:

Part II - Innovation Criteria

Impact on City Values:

Impact on Service Delivery

Fiscal Impact

Originality and Creativity

Scalability and Transferability

Collaboration and Partnership

Sustainability and Long-Term Benefits

Adaptability to Challenges

Measurable Outcomes

Innovation in Management or Organizational Culture

Ethical Considerations and Compliance

Part III - Additional Details, Review & Submit