An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir May / June 2026 www.military.ie/magazine I nnovation within defence is often associated with advanced technology, new platforms or emerging systems. Yet some of the most impactful innovation begins not with hardware, but with people – how they think, collaborate and approach complex challenges. The Defence Sparx programme was designed with this principle at its core. Developed and delivered by the Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Office, in partnership with Accenture, Defence Sparx is an organisationwide innovation programme aimed at equipping Defence Forces and Department of Defence personnel with structured tools to tackle some of the most pressing strategic challenges facing Defence today. Rather than focusing on incremental improvement, Defence Sparx seeks to build enduring innovation capability within the organisation, empowering participants to problem-solve collaboratively, think systemically and develop practical, actionable solutions aligned with senior leadership priorities. Why Defence Sparx? Defence organisations operate in an increasingly complex environment, shaped by evolving security threats, workforce challenges and societal expectations. Recognising this, senior leadership identified four critical challenge areas where innovative thinking was both necessary and timely: • Recruitment and Retention • Cultural and Organisational Reform • Training and Professional Development • Cybersecurity and Hybrid Threats Defence Sparx deliberately takes a different approach to solving challenges. It creates a protected space for Defence personnel to step outside their normal roles, learn new ways of working and collectively explore solutions that cut across organisational boundaries. The guiding philosophy was clear: innovation is most effective when it is rooted in real challenges, informed by diverse perspectives and supported by a structured process. Designing an Innovation Capability The programme was codesigned by the RTI Office and Accenture, combining internal organisational understanding with external expertise in innovation, design thinking and problemsolving methodologies. Crucially, participants were not expected to arrive with preconceived solutions. Instead, they were introduced to a comprehensive innovation toolset that enabled them to move systematically from challenge definition to solution development. Over a 12-week part-time programme, participants engaged in a structured learning journey that included: • Problem framing and root-cause analysis • Stakeholder and user centric research • Ideation and creative solution generation • Rapid prototyping and testing • Value articulation, feasibility and impact assessment • Executive level pitching and storytelling This approach ensured that solutions were evidence based, operationally grounded and aligned with Defence priorities, while also building participants' confidence in applying these methods beyond the programme. The sessions were delivered in a hybrid format with the in-person sessions taking place in Accenture's global R&D Innovation centre based in Dublin - The Dock. 20 | IGNITING INNOVATION IGNITING INNOVATION FROM WITHIN FROM WITHIN DEFENCE SPARX AND THE POWER OF PROBLEM SOLVING ARTICLE BY CAPT EAMONN HENNESSY

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