Tool on Innovation Readiness

URL: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDUVbnMMmHFkN9xBUUWr0NHjwEBeaflBo5L2UR8aMC0GX-Sw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Type: Google Form

Access: Open to the public for completion and submission

Use: The form is completed in a questionnaire style. A copy can be made for specific purposes, such as for policy workshops and other planning opportunities.

The innovation readiness tool is designed to serve as an innovation readiness self-assessment, specifically linked to innovations related to national and regional qualifications systems. Examples of such innovations include:

• the revision of national and regional qualifications frameworks and systems of qualifications;
• innovations to accommodate new forms of learning and improved articulation;
• the digitization of processes;
• the incorporation of new forms of data and learning to national qualifications;
• enhancing efficiencies and the accuracy of the evaluation of foreign qualifications;
• changes to credential management and storage; and
• innovations in the recognition of non-formal and informal learning.

The tool should be used when a specific innovation is proposed. This tool is not meant to serve as a general indication of ‘innovation readiness’. This tool, rather, is intended for government agencies to collaboratively reflect on whether the required systems, structures and supports are in place for an innovation to be developed and widely integrated into the national qualifications framework, qualifications system and/or the relevant processes. The tool is designed to provide actionable insights to support innovations and their deployment at the national level.

Instructions for use of the form

In order to use the tool, the following must be in place:

• A small group of individuals with the mandate and/or power to influence policy or strategy decisions and a familiarity with qualifications and credentials in the country.
• A shared understanding of the proposed innovation and its planned or proposed implementation mechanisms.
• Access to the online tool by at least one member of the group.

It is therefore suggested that the tool is implemented as part of a strategy or policy development workshop. The tool is not designed to be used as part of the consultative process, however, so the attendance of this workshop should be kept small. A maximum of eight people is recommended. A suggested workshop agenda will be developed to support the implementation of this tool.

The tool should be completed together in this small group. A priority should be placed on concrete evidence such as national statistics where possible. Where this is not possible, a consensus approach should be used, based on discussion. Honest reflection is important and will add value to the outputs of the tool by providing valuable and shared context for their interpretation.

The responses to the tool are based on the framework defined in Technical Guideline 9 and cover five areas: 1) enabling policies and environment, 2) infrastructure, 3) human capacity, 4) ethical and security, and 5) financing.

The tool is based on a rating scale for discrete items under each category. The group should answer each set of questions, submitting one response per question. Where the information is not known, the question can be left blank.

After all the questions have been submitted, the tool performs back-end calculations to produce outputs reflecting readiness to adopt the innovation and key blockage points which should first be addressed.

The group should reflect on the outputs and suggestions of the tool. Questions the group should answer for each suggestion are:

• Is this suggestion valid in our context? Why or why not?
• What strengths or capacities could we leverage to action this suggestion or blockage point?

Following these reflections, the group should produce an output document recommending a course forward for the innovation.