The best innovations often come from the people delivering services. You’re the ones who spot the cracks, the workarounds, the “why are we still doing it this way?” moments. That’s where real change starts — and that’s why we’re inviting you to share your thoughts through the Innovations Hub.
Tom Darby from digital adoption talks you through how to submit an idea:
Let’s be honest, forms and processes aren’t the most exciting way to get people to talk about ideas. So instead of just telling you how to submit an innovation, I thought I'd walk you through a real submission I’m making myself.
The idea, my submission
I was lucky enough to be a tiny part in the rollout of Simply Translate, a tool that offers affordable, on-demand document translation for staff. It was a great example of how tech can break down barriers and has been a big success. Well done everyone involved!
Then recently, Dave Trubee (department service relationship manager for Place) dropped me a message asking, “Do we have anything like this for sign language?” That question sparked an idea.
We all know accessibility is crucial, and British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation plays a big part in that. But it’s also expensive and can be tricky to organise at short notice. I wondered: could we apply the same thinking – on-demand, tech-powered, affordable – allowing anyone to utilise it without having to worry about budgets?
The research
I started digging. With all the advancements in AI and computer vision, I figured someone must be working on this already — and they are. From big players like AWS (Amazon Web Services) experimenting with American Sign Language (ASL), to smaller startups focusing on real-time translation tools.
The tech is still evolving, but the potential is huge — and the accessibility benefits could make a difference for someone. Who knows, colleagues at the Innovations Hub may be able to find a solution that's even better!
Before jumping in with a submission, I needed context. I spoke to a few people internally and investigated on Our Derbyshire to look at how we currently use BSL interpreters. What I found was interesting:
- it’s costly
- it needs to be booked in advance
- it’s not ideal for people accessing services urgently
Armed with that, I headed to Halo and started the submission process which is really simple.
How to submit the idea
Now onto the important bit. It's super easy and with all my information to hand, took only a minute or so to do.
- Head to Halo
- Find ‘Innovation’.
- Fill in the form with a few key details: what the idea is, the benefits, and any risks of not doing it
- Hit send. Done.
What happens next?
Once you submit your idea, the business engagement team takes a look to assess its potential. If it seems like it has potential, they may get in touch to explore it further. If the innovation gets the green light, your ticket will be closed, but don't worry, you'll still be kept in the loop as things progress.
It's a simple process designed to make sure good ideas don't just sit in a queue, they get explored and looked at as soon as possible and hopefully turned into something real, that makes a difference.
What’s the point?
This isn’t just about one idea. It’s about showing that submitting an innovation isn’t complicated or scary. You don’t have to have a fully formed business case or perfect solution – just a spark of something that could make our services better. You don't even have to have a solution, but if you can identify an area where there has to be an easier way, the Innovations Hub is best placed to be able to find a solution if one is available.
Your idea could be the next big thing – or it might just fix a little frustration that a hundred other people have quietly put up with. Either way, it matters.
So… what are you going to submit?