Innovation Fellows Program
This initiative is a cross-cutting opportunity focused on leveraging the expertise, knowledge, and skills of experts from outside the federal government in partnership with internal teams to address major mission-related challenges. This program will be launched in early 2012 and aims to have 3 to 5 innovation teams in place by late 2012. The projects will be of 6 to 12 months duration.
With strong assets in place alongside the leadership to create and develop new products, HHS has begun exploring ways to bring entrepreneurial spirit to provide fresh, innovative approaches to agencies. The Innovation Fellows Program aims to bring external ideas and expertise into HHS’s own innovation process and rapidly create, develop, engage, and accelerate innovation. Startup organizations have demonstrated that rapid iteration between various versions or features of a product can yield success. Rapid iteration techniques create valuable products and/or solutions quickly while minimizing waste (time, effort, money) in the development cycle. HHS would like to boost innovation by working with external expertise to create a risk-taking culture that encourages dynamic new models of business.
The HHS Innovation Fellows Program will enable agencies to bring external experts and entrepreneurs on board to work with internal “Host Innovation Fellows” to take on some of the Department’s toughest challenges. Host Innovation Fellows are dynamic individuals within HHS who are working to find and scale solutions to the most complex challenges we face. Host Fellows will have the flexibility to experiment, take risks, and converge with like-minded individuals to establish innovation as a key business process and core capability at HHS. “External Innovation Fellows” will be paired with Internal Host Innovation Fellows from within the participating HHS Operating Divisions / Staff Divisions to work on a specific, high-priority project over a period of at least 6 - 12 months. External Fellows will be highly-talented individuals who are equally interested in facilitating the exchange of innovative ideas throughout the Department and pushing the needle forward.
HHS Host Fellows will have the opportunity to work with a team dedicated to rapidly solving high-value problems, with the freedom to iterate and open the doors to co-creation and collaboration. Host Fellows will have the support of senior leadership and resources to develop, test, and implement innovative ideas with External Fellows. For External Fellows, this Fellowship is an opportunity to be paired with an innovative, forward-thinking team at HHS and directly contribute to the mission of the organization. This bi-directional facilitation of innovation is an unparalleled chance to enhance the effectiveness of collaborative learning and move beyond traditional efforts in problem solving. More information about the fellows program can be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/open/initiatives/innovationfellows/index.html
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