Service

RD&I consultancy for creative organisations trying to make innovation useful

From initial ideation through to performance review, SHWSH helps creative teams and companies design, run and learn from RD&I activity without slipping into innovation theatre.

SHWSH specialises in RD&I for the creative industries: helping organisations shape innovation strategy, design research activity, run calls and assessment processes, support funded companies and build programmes that generate useful evidence rather than just interesting paperwork.

The work can range from advising on multi-million-pound innovation programmes to supporting a smaller internal portfolio, funded pilot or specific research question. The common thread is turning ambiguity into a practical path forward.

From horizon scanning to portfolio review

SHWSH brings over a quarter of a century's experience exploring how emerging platforms and technical change can create new opportunities for audiences, products and services in the creative industries.

Horizon scanning and opportunity framing

Identifying the technologies, behaviours and audience shifts worth paying attention to, then separating genuine opportunities from noise.

Programme and portfolio design

Supporting the shape of innovation calls, R&D portfolios and internal processes so activity is comparable, accountable and useful.

Partnerships and open innovation

Building partnerships, mapping networks and helping organisations work across industry, academia and public funding structures in a more intentional way.

Prototyping as a learning tool, not a performance

Prototyping can be the most exciting part of innovation work, but the point is not simply to create something impressive-looking. The main purpose of prototyping is to de-risk the project, deepen understanding of the problem space and surface unknowns quickly and cheaply.

That means being clear about what the prototype is actually for: which research questions it is testing, how the answers will be used, what other purposes it may serve, and which of those priorities are genuinely compatible. Sometimes a paper prototype is enough. Sometimes a vertical slice is enough. Sometimes several smaller tests are better than one elaborate build.

What this can include

  • Innovation programme design and delivery
  • R&D portfolio management
  • Research design and facilitation
  • Assessment of innovation opportunities and proposals
  • Partnership working across industry and academia
  • Open innovation programmes and collaborative R&D culture
  • Network mapping and consortium-building
  • Prototype and pilot planning
  • Technology and audience opportunity scanning
  • Talks, workshops and facilitated sessions that demystify R&D

Next step

Need help shaping or strengthening an RD&I programme?

SHWSH works with broadcasters, cultural organisations, universities, innovation programmes and creative businesses in Wales and beyond that need senior strategic and hands-on support.

Discuss a project See funding and delivery support