Fostering a culture of innovation requires engaging employees in innovation efforts. During the second quarter of 2019, I&P hosted its June Innovation Conversation Series. The June series featured a leadership panel who shared their experience in local government and what led them to their current leadership roles. The final Innovation Conversation Series is schedule for September and will focus on the power of data. 

The I&P team also completed the development of the Cuyahoga County Innovation Academy (CCIA) during the second quarter of 2019. The CCIA provides employees with the skills needed to improve programs and find efficiencies in their work through a three-tiered training program focused on Lean Six Sigma, Project Management, Organizational Behavior and Change Management methodologies. This new program was launched on July 1 and replaces the County's previous model for providing Lean Six Sigma certifications (Champion, Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt) to County employees. 

I&P continues to engage employees through Cuyahoga Performance, rapid improvement events, and process improvement projects. Future priorities for engaging employees in innovation efforts include:

• The exploration, development, and launch an innovation lab concept at Cuyahoga County,
• Participation in the Start Up in Residence program, and
• Continued development of a training video series for employees on innovation topics.