The Innovation Toolkit is a comprehensive resource designed to help organizations enhance their innovation efforts by addressing both existing and emerging challenges. With 21 tools organized around the S.P.A.C.E. framework—Strategy, Partnerships, Architecture, Culture, and Evaluation—the toolkit offers step-by-step guidance, worksheets, and case studies to support your innovation journey. Whether you're looking to assess your innovation strengths through the diagnostic or exploring tools to 
address specific needs, the toolkit is designed to be a dynamic resource, continually evolving based on user feedback and organizational demands.

TOOLKIT OVERVIEW

The Secretary-General defines innovation at the UN as doing different things and doing things differently. Innovation is not just about blockchain, AI, or robotics, but about bringing new ideas to solve internal, external, existing, and emerging challenges.

The Innovation Toolkit consists of 21 tools that include step-by-step guidance, worksheets, UN case studies, and references, as well as a 27question assessment to diagnose a user’s relative innovation strengths and growth areas.

The Toolkit is designed to be a “living" resource and will be refined and updated based on your needs and feedback.

S.P.A.C.E. FRAMEWORK

The Toolkit is organized around five foundational modules considered critical to making innovation successful within organizations: Strategy, Partnerships, Architecture, Culture, and Evaluation (forming the acronym S.P.A.C.E)

Answer a series of questions to reflect on how S.P.A.C.E. applies to your team, unit, or organization. Record your individual perspective.

INNOVATION DIAGNOSTIC

Which tool should you use first? The innovation diagnostic assesses innovation strengths and weaknesses and recommends your top five tools.

How does the diagnostic work? Learn more about the underlying factors within each of the five S.P.A.C.E. modules to help you better understand the critical ingredients for innovative organizations.
Based on your understanding of the diagnostic and underlying factors, identify your team, unit, or organization’s top five strengths and top five weaknesses. Record and reflect on your answers to compare with colleagues.

Take the diagnostic assessment by clicking here.

PROFILES & RESULTS

Upon completing the diagnostic, you will receive one of six innovation profiles that provide a starting point for understanding strengths and growth areas. You will also receive a summary of detailed results, including your five module scores (e.g., 75% in Strategy, 50% in Partnerships, etc.) and justification.

What innovation profile did you receive? Record your innovation profile and reflect on the associated common characteristics.

How were scores distributed across modules? Were there any surprises? Answer a set of questions to reflect on your scores.

FACILITATE DIALOGUE

Creating a shared understanding through meaningful dialogue is important to create and sustain an innovative culture.

With an innovation profile and detailed diagnostic in-hand, it is time to share your results with your colleagues. Follow the provided guidance to facilitate meaningful conversations grounded in S.P.A.C.E. and supported by a real-time assessment of current innovation needs.