HLB International - Case Study: Innovation
Harnessing the Power of Collaboration for Innovation
Collective intelligence is emerging as a pivotal driver for organisations seeking to accelerate innovation. By uniting diverse perspectives and leveraging the collective know-how of their networks, organisations like HLB are unlocking innovative solutions and fostering resilience in the face of uncertainty. Amy Spillard, Head of Technology Partnerships at HLB, explores how harnessing collective intelligence can redefine organisational culture and fuel sustainable innovation.
The concept of collective intelligence is transforming the way organisations approach problem-solving and innovation. By leveraging the shared expertise and diverse perspectives of their people, forward-thinking firms are driving creativity, efficiency, and growth in ways traditional approaches often fail to achieve. For professional services firms, accountancy networks, and business owners operating in increasingly complex environments, harnessing this collective brainpower is no longer a choice but a necessity.
Collective Intelligence
Today, leading organisations like HLB are harnessing the power of collective intelligence to solve problems creatively and collaboratively. At the heart of this approach is HLB’s online collective intelligence platform—a global initiative designed to crowdsource ideas, spark collaboration across teams, and drive tangible growth.
HLB’s collective intelligence platform capitalises on this by breaking down silos and providing members with an easy-to-use digital space to contribute. This approach is already changing the status quo within the network, helping members drive breakthroughs in innovation, faster decision-making, and actionable results.
Traditionally, culture formation flows top-down, but HLB recognised the value of inclusive cultural design. By encouraging all levels of employees to contribute their voices, the platform cultivates a renewed sense of ownership, collaboration, and inclusivity. This shift doesn’t just improve morale—it transforms how our businesses operate.
The platform enables members from diverse business units and specialisms to bring fresh eyes to longstanding challenges. This approach breaks down ingrained biases and assumptions. For example, network strategy improvements aren’t just drawn from leadership; they emerge from tech teams, junior associates, and beyond, offering multidimensional insights rarely achieved in closed-door meetings.
A common hurdle for enterprise organisations is the speed at which innovation and change rolls out. HLB’s collective intelligence platform creates a direct feedback loop between contributors and decision-makers, streamlining the innovation funnel and accelerating implementation timelines for strategic changes.
At its core, collective intelligence is the shared brainpower of a group of people tackling a problem together. By combining different skills, perspectives, and experiences, HLB and our member firms can build a reservoir of innovative ideas far more powerful than any one individual could create alone.
Amy oversees the growth and development of HLB’s technology ecosystem. Amy leads with a mission to maximise and optimise the network’s digital transformation by building successful strategic partnerships with cutting-edge software providers who help firms deliver growth, efficiencies and excellence
Amy Spillard
HLB's Head of Technology Partnerships
Added value for clients and increased efficiency
With the guided experience provided by DAS and its enhanced methodology, auditors are significantly improving their skills, enabling them to deliver valuable insights both to their engagements and to clients.
Key benefits and features include:
- Enhanced efficiency – DAS integrates processes and methodologies, eliminating the need for numerous, disparate audit tools. This enables a holistic audit approach, facilitating a focused audit plan and improved collaboration through a single cloud-based platform.
- Greater client & auditor value – Real-time data and integrated analytics support auditors in identifying, evaluating and responding to relevant risks throughout every stage of the audit. This allows for a deeper assessment at the risk level, enabling DAS to dynamically provide suggestions to auditors on how to respond to identified risks as the audit engagement progresses, helping to inform auditor judgment in real-time.
- Attracting and developing top talent – DAS offers auditors a modern, technology-driven tool and enables immediate staff upskilling by helping them understand the why and what of their actions within the audit process.