Kainos partners with CBI for the Big Fish Little Fish Innovation Campaign
Over the next few months, together with CBI, we’ll be exploring why innovation is important, how successful innovation partnerships are built, and how innovation partners can help organisations transform for the better. In this interview, Kainos’ Chief Technology Officer and Director of Innovation Tom Gray and our Innovation Lead Paul Batterham explain why we’re partnering with CBI for this exciting campaign.
Can you tell us about the CBI Big Fish Little Fish Innovation campaign?
Tom: “At its heart, Big Fish Little Fish is an exploration of how companies can work better together. Over the coming weeks, it will look at the technical, commercial and cultural challenges that need to be overcome to create a successful innovation partnership. It will give practical advice on cultivating working practices between organisations and their innovation partners that are based on trust and transparency.”
Paul: “The other fantastic element of the Big Fish Little Fish campaign is that it will bring together organisations who are working innovatively – and those who want to move into that space. We’ll be able to share knowledge and expertise, discuss how we can support each other on our various journeys, and see best practice in action from a range of companies. It’s a really exciting idea.”
Tom: “As well as articles full of practical advice, we’ll be partnering with CBI to host several roundtable events where businesses on both sides of the conversation can tackle some of the key issues surrounding innovation – it will be fantastic to be part of this vital conversation.”
Why have we partnered with CBI for this campaign?
Paul: “Something we’ve seen throughout the pandemic is that organisations who have successfully navigated the challenges have demonstrated incredible ingenuity, both in terms of the technology they have used and their processes and ways of working. It’s clear that innovation is key to growing in an ever-changing landscape and tackling both predicted challenges and the unexpected ones.”
Tom: “The partnership was a natural fit. At Kainos, we have always put innovation first. Our whole purpose is to reimagine how organisations operate from the ground up. And that’s not just through the latest technology – it’s also thanks to our people, whose curiosity, enthusiasm and talent never fails to inspire me.”
Paul: “I think that’s key – this campaign is something that our people can really get behind because innovation is a vital component of the Kainos DNA. Not only do we have a dedicated Innovation function, we also prioritise it in everything we do, whether that’s designing digital services for governments that are used by millions of citizens, or helping global household names make the most of Workday.”
What makes the Big Fish Little Fish campaign so interesting?
Paul: “In all our projects, we aim to drive innovation that’s creative and dynamic, but also controlled and commercially-focused. That’s what the CBI campaign is about – how organisations can achieve both goals, making sure innovation is working for them. It will be exciting to explore both sides – it can’t just be about creativity and disruption for its own sake, it has to also be harnessed to drive growth.”
Tom: “I think what interested me is the exploration of the challenges of creating a successful innovation partnership. We’ve been doing this for a long time at Kainos and we know that it’s not always easy. There are challenges that need to be overcome – legal, financial, technical, and cultural. The Big Fish Little Fish campaign doesn’t shy away from those – instead it’s going to tackle them head on to come up with practical solutions. That’s vital to driving world-leading innovation within the UK.”
Paul: “I think being part of it is also a chance to be part of a network of organisations working at the cutting edge of innovation. Open sharing is fundamental to our culture at Kainos and being able to extend that further can only be a good thing. I’m really excited to see what others in this space are doing.”
Tom: “That’s especially important because a fundamental part of making innovation work is ensuring there is transparency across the board. Without honest, constructive and open feedback, and a culture of valuing failures as learning opportunities as well as successes, innovation doesn’t stand a chance. That can be a real challenge for organisations, and seeing examples of it being done well is often what enables the necessary cultural shift.”
What’s next for the campaign?
Tom: “We’ll be talking about the challenges and opportunities of innovation on our social media channels, @KainosSoftware and LinkedIn, as well as on this blog."