This blog was co-authored by Justin W. Cook On the 28th of February, policy makers, systems thinkers, designers, academics and others convened in Paris for an all day workshop discussing new ways to address public challenges marked by complexity and ambiguity inherent to many policy fields today. This deep look at uncertainty sits in the context of OECD’s efforts to adapt its advisory capacity and develop new approaches to respond to these changing circumstances. In...
Global: Systems Approaches
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...
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...
A collaboration between government and community, Systemic Design eXchange (SDX) is an Edmonton-based community of practice for people interested in learning about systemic design as a methodology for addressing complex, real world issues. Together, we explore systems thinking, design thinking, and change lab approaches. With a bias towards learning by doing, SDX aims to be a watering hole where multiple sectors can come together, learn together, and act together.