Loomio
Thu 9 Apr 2015 9:27PM

Background to the project

KCA Kylie (CDC Comms Advisor) Public Seen by 281

Canterbury Development Corporation (CDC) is developing a Christchurch Tech Sector Strategy that will identify how Christchurch can make the most of this highly-skilled, high-value and fast growing sector.

We need your help to create a strategy that accurately responds to the key opportunities and challenges facing the sector.

Why get involved?
Your contribution along with analysis of industry trends, data and input from face-to-face focus groups will identify what needs to be done and how this might be achieved. This will inform CDC’s priorities and actions over the coming years. We are also keen to identify initiatives that other organisations have underway or may be willing to undertake as part of the strategy.

The online discussions will include a range of perspectives from Christchurch, around New Zealand and the world including USA, Asia, Europe and Australia.

Need help?
If you have any questions about this project and what we’re trying to achieve, please post these below and we will answer them.

PB

Piet Beukman Fri 17 Apr 2015 3:51AM

I think we should get some clarity on what we mean by "strategy".
So many strategies are nice-sounding platitudes that just do not work.
Did they have a strategy when Silicon Valley started, or was it the right attitudes, by the right people, at the right time in the right place, with the right stuff - therefore serendipity, more than strategy?
I merely want us to understand what we are talking about when we say strategy.

AES

Anna Elphick (CDC Strategist) Sat 18 Apr 2015 9:10PM

I agree with you - there's lots of examples of strategies which describe everything but achieve nothing.

The aim of this process is to develop a shared understanding of what's possible and then to identify the few things we can collectively do or influence that will make a material difference. Whatever we identify must be actionable.

I am really looking forward to hearing what people think would make a material difference to attracting, retaining, starting and growing successful tech businesses from Christchurch.

PD

Phil Driver Sun 19 Apr 2015 11:17PM

I agree with Piet re being crystal clear on what a strategy is. Internationally over 90% of strategy make no difference, often because they aren't actually strategies and/or because they haven't been 'Validated' to ensure that they are: 1. logical 2. have compelling Evidence that they will actually work, and 3. are worth it. So can you please clarify how you will convert a series of conversations on Loomio into a Validated Strategy which will actually be implemented and make a real difference?

AES

Anna Elphick (CDC Strategist) Mon 20 Apr 2015 1:40AM

This online discussion will provide a collection of perspectives / ideas / opinions - hopefully some shared, and to some degree prioritised (we will be testing this) about what is the potential opportunities for Christchurch, what can be done to realise these opportunities. We are using the online tool to increase our reach and breadth of perspectives.

Once this is complete, we will be evaluating these ideas - what's likely to have the biggest impact, what's our ability to achieve/influence the outcome, who needs to be involved, what have we learnt from elsewhere. Through this process we will be engaging with potential partners and others who've indicated an interest in contributing in these areas. We will then come back out to industry more broadly with the proposed strategy for testing.

A key point for us is that CDC has limited resources and our ability to deliver on a strategy is dependent on our ability to engage / partner / influence others. There needs to be a feedback loop - the greater the active engagement of industry and partners in implementation, the greater the potential and scale of success.

PD

Phil Driver Mon 20 Apr 2015 3:32AM

Thanks Anna. I look forward to a conversation about helping the strategy process be as effective and efficient as possible.