Innovation Description and Benefit:

The Innovations Showcase event has historically been an opportunity for MoDOT employees to meet in one location, introduce their own original ideas and observe the creations of others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, planning a traditional showcase was met with uncertainty. MoDOT’s work posture underwent extreme changes and in person meetings were no longer possible.   With everyday business rapidly shifting, team members who worked progressively still deserved to be celebrated. It was time to start thinking about a backup plan.

Using MoDOT’s external website Drupal, a new site was uniquely created for the virtual innovations’ competition, and a website feature was added which allowed all users to cast a vote for their favorite innovation. The judging process was conducted via WebEx using the breakout session feature. Innovators waited in virtual rooms while judges were kept in a separate virtual room. One by one, innovators joined the judge’s breakout room to present their innovation. Using WebEx, the interaction between innovators and judges was a live, uninterrupted and personal engagement.