This blog was authored by guest blogger, Benjamin Kumpf Policy Specialist, Innovation, United Nations Development Programme “We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we make progress.” Richard Feynman, Noble Prize winning physicist, emphasized this paradigm as guiding principle for work in natural sciences. Based on what we have learned over the last three years in the Innovation Facility in the United Nations Development Programme…
The draft report “Working with Change: Systems Approaches to Public Sector Challenges” is now available online. In addition to the framework that was introduced previously on Hackpad, the team working on systems thinking at the Observatory has added four in-depth case studies from Canada, Finland, Iceland and the Netherlands to the analysis. The empirical cases show that systems change in the public sector is possible; moreover, that it can work in diverse settings: child protection...
Today we’re releasing our ‘alpha’ version of the report about the second stage of the innovation lifecycle – generating ideas. We’re looking for feedback and constructive critique about what might have been missed, what should not be included, what is useful and what is less so. We’d also like this work to reflect your lived experience as much as it can, so we also look forward to receiving any examples or stories that can illustrate...
This blog is authored by guest blogger, Sabine Junginger Head, Competence Center for Design and Management at University of Applied Sciences and Arts Lucerne Public sector challenges inherently concern and involve people. “The Public” after all does not exist in the absence of people. Nor does government. Those we entrust with the responsibilities to govern are people. We ask policy-makers and public managers to develop and implement policies that lead to socially desirable outcomes. In…
There’s been a flurry of activity at OPSI over the past few weeks. While we’ve been working to pull together a systems thinking workshop that we will be hosting in Paris tomorrow (link in blog), a few of us made our way to Dubai to attend the 2017 World Government Summit in order to launch our latest report: Embracing Innovation in Government: Global Trends. We had the opportunity to meet innovators from all over the...
Over the last year, we have been working in partnership with the UAE’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation (MBRCGI) to conduct a global review of ways governments are transforming their operations and improving the lives of their people though innovation. We have conducted extensive research into innovation trends and examples in OECD member countries and non-members alike, as well as a two-month open “Call for Innovations” to identify examples of innovative practices…
This blog was authored by former OPSI Policy Analyst, Matt Kerlogue Bonne année. Gott nytt år. Frohes neues Jahr. 明けましておめでとうございます. Feliz año nuevo. Szczęśliwego nowego roku. Happy New Year! The OPSI team hopes that you have had a great start to 2017. In 2016 our team grew from two to six people. We launched off a number of projects under our European Horizon 2020 grant. And we ran a global call for innovation projects to...
How do countries get insight into the big issues that are affecting them, such as the refugee crisis or youth unemployment? How do they come up with new ways of seeing problems that allow for new ways of responding? On the 17th and 18th of October the European Commission hosted the event “Lab Connections: Policy Labs in Europe, for Europe” to look at one mechanism that is increasingly used by governments to come up with...
OPSI releases a new call for case studies from city governments to identify success stories in local public sector innovation. Access the city space of OPSI and fill in the questionnaire online to share your story by November 15, 2016 (details in blog). We invite you to contribute to our innovation scan and submit innovative city practices on the OPSI submission form. Case studies on what and what for? Cities have become the engine of...
Innovation in the public sector has a positive connotation and is regarded as an inherently good thing in many administrative contexts. But even when we acknowledge the act of doing something new is to be praised when it simplifies administrative processes, ensures better accountability for public resources and motivate employees, an important question remains. What is the impact of innovation on public sector change? Should we limit ourselves to measuring improvements in the machinery and...