SEED Framework
The SEED (Social, Economic and Ecosystem Development) Framework is a key resource we have developed for approaching projects. It utilizes a knowledge-centric, ecosystem-based approach that follows projects throughout the project innovation lifecycle in a way that creates shareable and reusable knowledge.
The Framework
A Knowledge-centric and Ecosystem-based Approach
We apply SEED framework methodology to all of our projects, because it is an iterative process, it allows us to enter a project at any point in the project life-cycle, which consists of the following components:
MISSION
Identify the target state
Identify opportunities and requirements, including input from local stakeholders
Collate and prioritize, based on commonality between local (project) stakeholders and broader ecosystem inputs
Codify project statement in a shared knowledge base.
The categorization of the information should support future information searching and specialization. For example, an eHealth care transformation project might be re-used in other countries for similar initiatives.
CAPABILITY-MAPPING
Define project scope, based on existing and to-be capabilities of the main organisation
Identify applicable research, technology, and partners to leverage where the capability development may fall outside of the organisation’s core competency
Setting targets for the maturity level and identify appropriate measurements as success criteria
Codify capability, maturity level and measurements in a shared knowledge base
The categorization of the information should support future information searching and specialization. For example, moving from a dedicated to a hosted Cloud infrastructure may contain several steps, we can codify each step as a different maturity level with some measurements defined.
A standardized taxonomy in this area will greatly increase the consistency and transparency of all projects within or across different organisations.
PARTNERSHIP
Perform business analysis and modelling for value-based partnership ecosystem
Find partners and build multidisciplinary teams
Codify value-based partnership models in a shared knowledge base
While projects may not wish to share specific partnership arrangement, however patterns and best practices can be derived for future use, using tools such as Value-Delivery Modelling
INCUBATION
Devise execution plan based on capability mapping and value-based partnership modelling
Secure initial project funding to execute
Customize research, technology, and best practices to suit local conditions/competences
Document and refine findings of local implementation
Shared knowledge base with similar communities, who can replicate solutions and thus reduce redundant investment
EVALUATION
Use benchmarks and metrics determined during capability mapping and partnership modelling phase to measure the success of the execution
Ideally, we want to encourage all partners to use a similar measurement to compare and contrast. This measurement will help inform projects on how to refine the execution map the next round across the entire ecosystem.
Codify and refine the information in a shared knowledge base
This phase may result in adjusting or specialization of the maturity level, associated metrics based on learning from project implementation
CREATION
New technology implementation and deployment
New business and job creation
Technology transfer
Curriculum development for education
Enhancement of best practices knowledge base
Key Success Factors
Enabling Technologies for Project and Ecosystem Governance
To govern and coordinate all the steps in a multi-disciplinary and ecosystem environment, the framework also defines the key success factors and how technologies/tools can be used to achieve said objective.
The Differences
From Top-down to Stakeholder Centric Approach
The SEED Framework approach is to compare and contrast the traditional top-down development approach (as shown on the left side of the following diagram where opportunities are narrowly defined with substantial investment and resources allocated upfront. To a more co-opeition approach (the diagram on the right), the development and investment are taking a circular and iterative approach where both global intelligence and local SMEs are involved at the different stage of the project lifecycle.
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During local implementation, the emphasis should be on local asset development; this is an often overlooked factor when a top-down investment approach is used. The decision and valuation of tangible and intangible deliverables should be adjusted accordingly during the project life cycle. We infer that the intangible deliverable of locals will be extremely valuable during the implementation and deployment phases.
"Knowledge and data is the source of empowerment"