ActBlue Innovation, Technology & Agility

What practices does your team employ to foster innovation, and how have these practices led to more creative, out-of-the-box thinking?

Any conversation about innovation has to begin with trust: software is delivered at the speed of trust. Without it, communication breaks down, collaboration diminishes and learning and adaptability languish. To foster innovation and build trust, my team has cultivated psychological safety. We employ practices like designed alliances in one-on-ones, working style and agreements sessions, continuous retrospectives, and daily collaborative check-ins. This foundation of trust enables open communication and collaboration, which in turn enables us to embrace practices that accelerate learning and innovation. 

One of our most powerful delivery practices is a “fixed time, variable scope” approach. By setting fixed timeboxes while keeping scope flexible, we create constraints that drive us toward creative simplicity. These constraints require healthy conflict to make necessary tradeoffs, which is only possible in a high-trust environment. We also host regular “Disco” sessions, during which we review user research and product discovery. This brings diverse perspectives to problem-solving; we believe that more minds bring better solutions and that a variety of lived experiences enriches our work.

How has a focus on innovation increased the quality of your team’s work?

Our approach has improved quality most by reshaping our team’s understanding of what to build. Our “fixed time, variable scope” methodology ensures prioritization. We focus first on the highest-value aspects of a desired outcome rather than try to deliver every aspect of a theoretically ideal feature. The result is a simpler, more focused solution that directly addresses user needs. 

Last year, we worked on a search user interface redesign. Initially, we prioritized improving performance issues, assuming this was the primary pain point. However, through early prototyping and user conversations, we discovered that limited search controls were the actual friction point. Because we were operating with “fixed time, variable scope,” we were able to reprioritize our milestones, making flexible search controls a “must-have” without extending our timeline. This responsiveness has transformed how we define and deliver quality. By shipping small increments and staying close to our users, we often uncover insights that contradict our initial assumptions — and we adapt accordingly. We’re not just building quickly; we’re building what matters.

How has a focus on innovation bolstered your team’s culture?

Our focus on team culture bolsters innovation, not the other way around. Designed alliances, working agreements and retrospectives create spaces where people feel safe to show up authentically. When psychological safety exists, people can bring their whole selves to work.

Our Disco sessions and cross-team collaborations aren’t just innovation mechanisms; they’re relationship-building opportunities. They align everyone around a shared understanding of core user needs. This clarifies the “why” behind decisions and channels everyone’s energy toward generating more impactful ideas. When diverse minds gather around a complex problem, the energy is palpable. There’s a natural camaraderie that forms through the shared struggle of problem-solving, especially when everyone feels their voice matters. 

Trust doesn’t just enable innovation — it enables joy at work. I’ve seen team members come alive when they feel heard, their ideas are built upon and they’re given autonomy within constraints. The practices that foster innovation and those that create a positive, safe culture aren’t separate initiatives. They’re deeply intertwined facets of the same foundation: human connection and trust.