18 April 2018

GENERATING, EXPRESSING AND IMPLEMENTING IDEAS – PART I

by James Davis

The realisation of a human/machine, robotics, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence approach, may represent the biggest single step innovation change our Army has ever undertaken. Army, Defence industry, and society need to further develop our collective thinking on this, possible, future. We will be looking to build partnerships of thought and action with interested parties and stakeholders. You might consider this a call for collaboration.[1]

Introduction


It is all but passé to describe an unforseeable future. New ways of warfare in Syria, Iraq, and the Ukraine; the reach and velocity of information, change in society and the nature of work, a rise in great power competition, and cheap, ubiquitous technology colour all crystal balls opaque. How the Australian Army might prepare for this unforeseeable future is guided by the opening quote from the Chief of Army. You might have heard this preparation conceptualised as a “big idea.” This post is the first of two that explores a framework for the generation, expression, and implementation of big ideas. Part one orders concepts, strategy and ideas, and charts the practical experience of generating Army “big ideas.” This analysis prompts the development of a system model for “big ideas.” Part two cross-pollinates design thinking, change management theory and recorded experience to expand on the model and illuminate ways of thinking about, expressing and implementing big ideas.

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