Friday Forums reach for Innovation

Over the next few weeks InfoStream will illuminate important changes to the Urban Animal Program for 2014. Among these changes are enhancements to Friday Forum.

Since the first Summit, eight years ago, the Friday Forum element has evolved into a trusted and respected ‘vessel’ allowing leaders of the Urban Animal Industry to bring dilemmas forward to be examined and recast into future opportunities. In 2014, this forum will strive to achieve one of four specific outcomes for the conversations brought forward:

1. Promote as a candidate in need of further evidence to define the dilemma and support the opportunity it represents.
2. Pass to a national body with the requisite mandate, jurisdiction or subject matter expertise. 
3. Pass to a passionate Urban Animal Group or Urban Animal Community that will undertake a beta test with the view to developing an Industry Wide Initiative. 
4. Promote as a candidate ready to be accepted as the next Industry Wide Initiative.

As Lisa Buckley showed in her presentation at Summit 2013, innovation requires four elements to be successful. Over the next few months the Urban Animal Program will create a template for those leading Friday Forum breakout groups to ensure these elements are captured/examined and reported back to Friday Forum at the end of the day.

You may contribute to this discussion on the LinkedIn Urban Animal Group.

Lisa Buckley Kicks Off the Friday Forum

Delegates to the 8th Annual Summit for Urban Animal Strategies will enjoy a rare treat. On Friday morning, October 18th, the Friday Forum will kick off with an address by Lisa Buckley from What if Innovation.

What if Innovation, is a global agency that develops innovative programs and client experience for the likes of Barclays, Four Seasons, Google, PepsiCo, Pfizer, and Virgin.

Lisa is one of the principal innovators of this organization in the New York office and is well known for her insight into the client experience. She is a dynamic speaker who brings boundless energy to every challenge she tackles. 

Lisa's efforts to understand the pet industry and pet owner experience developed during her work to establish the Pets Plus Us business model for Royal and Sun Alliance (RSA).

Lisa's address will set up the Friday Forum. Under the leadership of Dr. Jason Coe, the forum has become one of the most important elements of the Summit for Urban Animal Strategies. Using modified 'Open Space' technology, Summit delegates develop strategies and conversations that recast industry dilemmas into opportunities and better experiences for urban animals.

The Friday Forum is not open to the public, however, a few Urban Animal Subscriptions may still be available. 

Contact Shannon Woodward 403.401.8090 for information