Designing an Innovation Strategy for the Justice Sector in Ireland
Workshop Design & Facilitation | The Department of Justice
The Department of Justice in Ireland includes under its remit a sector which comprises a myriad of agencies, bodies, services, and third party organisations, all of whom strive to deliver a safe, fair, and inclusive Ireland.
In 2021, Context Studio assisted the Department of Justice in the co-creation of an Innovation Strategy for the Justice Sector in Ireland. We worked with the Innovation Team at Dept of Justice to engage stakeholders from across the sector. We developed a shared understanding of what innovation means, innovation enablers, and the challenges faced. We crafted a draft strategy for the sector, by the sector, which was co-created by the people who will use it in the coming years.
Understanding the Context
Context Studio conducted an extensive process of consultation within the sector, with participation from 105 representatives of 21 agencies and bodies, including the Department of Justice. Interviews were conducted with 9 senior stakeholders from the Department of Justice, An Garda Síochána, and the Irish Prison Service.
A total of 6 online workshops were designed and facilitated, exploring the experience of those stakeholders and their preferred characteristics for the future of innovation within the sector. These sessions also allowed participants, in a safe environment, provide feedback as to the challenges facing innovation – challenges which the strategy would be required to address.
Co-creating a Strategy
Following the workshops, and with the help of our partners The Lunarworks & Tynos Consulting, a process of synthesising insights and drafting the strategy began. Opportunities to provide feedback were extended to the participants in the workshops, and to the Innovation Network within the Department of Justice. The strategy completed several rounds of review, while we worked to settle upon a comprehensible and actionable format that respected the vital input we had received during the workshops.
