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Africa gets its first Deloitte innovationZone

By Phumeza Tontsi
Johannesburg, 06 Mar 2013
The innovationZone Entrance Portal
The innovationZone Entrance Portal

Deloitte has opened its first innovationZone in Africa, at its Johannesburg offices, to offer clients a problem-solving environment in which they can leverage Deloitte tools, methodologies, knowledge, and expertise to solve their business challenges collaboratively with the consultancy.

"This facility puts the emphasis on client collaboration and the future of work. We want to provide our clients with a centre of excellence that takes a range of facilitation methods and aspects of creative thinking and combine them. The innovationZone uses everything from interactive technology, contemporary interior design, and neuro-preparation to create an environment that continually changes to meet the unique needs of a client," says Danie Maritz, Associate Director in Consulting at Deloitte.

According to Martiz, the innovationZone is a flexible, modern, and creative environment to stimulate major mind shifts.

"Through the innovationZone, we want our clients to leave the everyday behind and think differently about how they collaborate not only with one another, but also ourselves - to come up with a solution that is best designed to address the challenges they face on a daily basis," he says.

The innovationZone graphic facilitator
The innovationZone graphic facilitator

The Deloitte innovationZone facilitation team consists of multi-disciplinary industry subject matter experts who have intimate knowledge of business collaboration processes.

"Not only are we providing our clients with world-class facilities, technologies, and experts, but they also get a special selection of food specifically prepared to get the creative juices flowing," says Maritz.

Sessions at the innovationZone are designed in such a way to get rapid responses in real-time to help clients make informed and quality decisions.

As such, the facility uses tools that range from human process software ThinkTank and Analytics HIVE to take collaboration to a different level than what clients are used to.

Speaking at the launch event, CEO of Future World Anton Musgrave said: "Companies have long valued understanding the past, but they do not often seek to understand the future to make business decisions.

"This is an age of many problems and complex solutions. But there is a shift in behaviour patterns. The rapid pace of change in the connected world has led to more community engagement than before. None of us is as good as all of us," he said.

And it is through collaboration that companies are realising that decisions can be made faster, and more efficiently.

"By working with our clients on a fundamental level, the Deloitte innovationZone gives them that platform to start reaping the benefits of a collaborative environment," concludes Maritz.

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Editorial contacts

Kerri Lurie Magna Carta (PR)
Magna Carta PR
(+27) 011 784-2598
kerri@magna-carta.co.za
Danie Maritz
Deloitte-removed
dmaritz@deloitte.co.za