Balancing Complexity and Utility: Katarina Scott's Approach to Value-Based Solutions
We met with Katarina Scott, who has over
25 years’ experience within the cultural and creative sector, private sector, education, and municipalities. She is now working at the Innovation Future Platform of Lund. She is also a Point of Value facilitator.
by Emma Aasa
How is Point of Value part of your work?
Katarina: Point of Value is part of the Innovation Future Platform. We have used the methodology of the value ranking system to create a manifesto for the platform. It helps us streamline our organization; we ask: where is it important to deliver?
The most common reason for failing is not that the idea is bad, but that the teams break. So, I’m passionate about building well working teams. Sometimes this happens by chance, sometimes it derives from good leadership and if not, there are tools such as Point of Value’s, where people can find useful interaction together.
Can you share a situation where value work was a game changer?
Katarina: I coach a team of researchers who have developed a fantastic and new application that has the potential to become a pioneering business. We have done the Point of Value ranking, and these inventors are very much based on visionary values.
Yet currently, we need to move into production mode, from inventing to using, but the researchers are not ready for this step. Can they let go of their visionary values, to include people who can handle the other parts? If they cannot, this will not be successful. Their future customer is not interested in the complexity, they want something utility driven. How do we solve this? How can we create the utility side while supporting what the inventors value, which is the complexity of the application? As a team developer, I can quickly and sharply have the discussion with them – and with the help of the value ranking system, we already have a basis for constructive discussion.
A facilitator does not coach, she co-creates
Katarina: To be able to have that discussion, you need to end up at a level of trust. What I have experienced is that I as a facilitator must be involved in that discussion. I need to tell them about myself, I cannot be neutral in that situation, they need trust in me. This is an angle that is different to if you are a coach, because then you are always neutral. You must ask yourself: do I coach, or do I co-create? A facilitator co-creates.
Can you tell me about something you are proud of achieving through value work?
Katarina: The innovation platform. The fact that we were able to produce a manifesto based on the participants, this meant that we created a relevance for those who will participate. Storytelling captures everyone, nothing is glued on as horizontal criteria, instead we developed a mission together.
The best thing about Point of Value is that it doesn’t work with profiling, it’s much more advanced: made to evolve and match real life. It’s about the ability of constant insight and reflection, linked to navigation and actions, which is about going, or stop going. It’s as much a success for me to stop doing something as it is to actually do something.