Research and Development by the RCN 2013-2016

Workshop 1 and information gathering exercise

The workshop took place on 16 January 2013, and the information gathering exercise from 18 - 25 January 2013

Aims

  • To gain a shared understanding of the RCN's key role & potential R&D activities 2013-2016
  • To identify questions for rapid evidence reviews and data gathering
  • To ensure maximum opportunities for engagement with wide range of stakeholders

The scale and speed of the changing landscape are unprecedented and the Business Model Canvas (Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur 2010) is the part of the process we have chosen to use to help us (project team, stakeholders etc) understand the impact of the change on our organisation and methodically address the challenges to enable us to meet the demands of the new landscape and continue to create value for our members and our 'customers' and refresh our R&D activity.

Shared understanding 

The starting point for any project should be a shared understanding of what we need to achieve. Osterwalder and Pigneur's definition of a business model is to describe the rationale of how an organisation creates, delivers and captures value.

The business model canvas is a tool based on 9* basic blocks that cover the 4 main areas of a business:

  1. Customers
  2. Offer
  3. Infrastructure
  4. Financial viability

* We shall be using 7 for the purpose of this exercise

Using the canvas will allow us to easily describe current and potential options/activity and systematically create new strategic alternatives using a common language and framework for all colleagues. The canvas shows all involved in the project in a visual way both the ‘big picture’ and roles and interdependencies within it.   

Process

There are 5 phases in the process

  1. Setting the stage/mobilise: Stakeholders are invited to complete sections of the canvas with their ideas, thoughts and suggestions. All data will be collated, themed and added into a ‘masterpiece’ which will then be circulated to check shared understanding. Feedback via webinar planned for 5/6th Feb.
  2. Understand/Immersion: Additional information (needs analysis, evidence, etc) will be collected and collated
  3. Inquiry/Design: Transform the information and ideas from canvas into draft strategy and action plan that can be explored and tested
  4. Execution/Implementation: Implement the strategy and evaluate
  5. Evolve/ Manage: Set up process to monitor and evaluate progress towards success criteria. Adapt and modify the strategy in response to feedback/customer reaction, further changes in landscape

Action

We need your help to complete the first phase. The questions will help to identify key:

  • Customer segments
  • Customer relationships
  • Channels
  • Value propositions
  • Key Activities
  • Key Partners
  • Key Resources

Glossary of terms used 

  1. Customer Segments. Questions to consider that may help you answer this include: Who are our customers? For whom do we create value? Do we have a mass market? A niche audience? Both? Do we need different messages at different times? What messages? How are they integrated?
  2. Customer relationships. Questions to consider that may help you answer this include: What types of relationships do we have? What do customers expect from us? What relationships should we offer? Are they integrated?
  3. Channels. Questions to consider that may help you answer this include: How do we get our messages out? How do our customers want to be contacted? Which work best? Cost?
  4. Value propositions. Questions to consider that may help you answer this include: What value do we deliver? Which problems are we helping to solve? Whose needs are we meeting? What "products and services" to we provide?
  5. Key Activities. Questions to consider that may help you answer this include: What key activities should we be doing to deliver our "value propositions"? What customer relationships do our activities require? Revenue? Distribution? Mechanisms
  6. Key partners. Questions to consider that may help you answer this include: Who are they? What relationships do we have with them? What activities and resources do they bring?
  7. Key resources. Questions to consider that may help you answer this include: What resources does our activity need? What resources do our "value propositions" require? Customer relationships and distribution channels