A closer look at the elements of social innovation

- [Presenter] The Stanford Social Innovation Review define social innovation as "A novel solution to a social problem that is more effective, efficient, sustainable or just than existing solutions. And for which the value created accrues primarily to society as a whole rather than private individuals." That says a lot and it expands the innovation arena far beyond technology. One way of looking at social innovation is through the lens of collective habits, the way we talk to each other about complex issues like public safety, political ideas and chronic health issues. These are all habits of conversation that can be hard to break even when they're not active. Social innovation helps us change. Social innovators assess what value comes out of which social habits and re-imagine new habits with fewer negative results. The young foundation is articulated five core elements of social innovation and there were sharing to help us develop a common understanding. Novelty defines the newness of the innovation to the sector, field or region. This is definitely in designs wheelhouse. Design already involves refining and re-imagining previously existing offerings to create new ones. Effectiveness focuses on creating a measurable improvement from existing solutions. We're not seeking novelty for novelty's sake but as a means of intentionally improving the existing situation. From ideas to implementation makes it clear distinction between invention or the development of ideas and innovation which implies their implementation. Meet a social need emphasizes that the innovation is explicitly designed to address societal challenges. That doesn't mean other things can't come of it, only that we put first things first and address complex social challenges with the intentions of making the world a better place for everyone. An enhancing society's capacity to act reinforces the notion that people's own skillsets, knowledge or capacities are directly improved. Social innovation focuses on amplifying the self-organizing, self-empowering and self-healing capacities of communities and it results in new relationships that increased capacity for further positive change. So let's discover new design habits that helps society develop new habits of its own. And if you like what you hear in this course, reading my book, "Designing With Society" by Rutledge Press will provide a more in-depth exploration of these concepts.