Skip to content
An official website of the OECD. Find out more
Created by the Public Governance Directorate

This website was created by the OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI), part of the OECD Public Governance Directorate (GOV).

How to validate authenticity

Validation that this is an official OECD website can be found on the Innovative Government page of the corporate OECD website.

Toolkit

Systems Mythology Toolkit

Champion CHAMPION:
Can be remixed
This toolkit was developed to help us cope with the rapidly changing world, such as global networks and autonomous drone fleets—that have never existed before. The publishers suggest that we need new stories and new mythologies to tell us how these things fit into our lives and make sense of these transformations. The toolkit contains a card deck exploring different colored "archetypes" or ways of making meaning and each includes different ways of understanding Interactions, Environments,…
Toolkit

UNDP Foresight Manual

This manual introduces strategic foresight as a practice in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It was created with consideration for the resource constraints in developing country contexts, so proposes light-touch and low-cost methods. However, it could easily be applied elsewhere. The manual features a selection of methods and techniques suited for framing development or policy discussions, but there are many methods and techniques available that are considered part of…
Toolkit

This is Service Design Doing – Method Library

This resource is a method library containing 54 method descriptions for using the key methods in service design. These methods include instructions, guidelines, and-tips-and tricks for activities within research, ideation, prototyping, and facilitation. This collection only contains building blocks. It doesn’t detail how to assemble them into a cohesive design process or how to plan or manage it. The associated (paid) book and curriculum offers this context.
Toolkit

The Brains, Behavior & Design Toolkit

The toolkit is designed to be both informative and actionable - helping integrate the latest research in human behavior and decision making into practice. The toolkit features five tools to help designers apply findings from the field of behavioral economics to their practice in order to provide a head start on framing research as well as developing new strategies for solving user problems. The toolkit includes: Reference Cards: behavioral economics research findings organized and…
Toolkit

18F Product Guide

Hero HERO:
Editable source files available
This guide is for people at 18F (a United States Federal Government technology transformation agency) who are wondering what to expect from a product manager on their team, as well as for product managers and those filling that role to understand what their team expects from them. This guide also serves as a resource for product management best practices at 18F. This guide could be used in other governments looking for product management guidance.
Toolkit

SI Learning Repository

The SIC learning repository is an online, open resource available for innovators, researchers and policy makers to improve their skills in design for Social Innovation. The tools section is organised by main activities/actions, including: RECRUITING SOCIAL INNOVATORS STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IDEATION PRODUCT/SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PROTOTYPING SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND IMPACT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES For each tool, time commitment and team requirements are listed and each can be downloaded as a PDF.
Toolkit

Public Sector Innovation Toolkit

Champion CHAMPION:
Can be remixed
Toolkit developed by the Australian central government, this resource offers 28 pieces of guidance, methods, or techniques for different stages of an organisational innovation lifecycle. The resource includes an Innovation Diagnostic to get a snapshot on which phase of the innovation cycle an agency might need to focus on.
Toolkit

Grounded Change

Grounded Change is an approach and social innovation methodology used by the company InWithForward. It means flipping the order in which most social policies & services are made. Rather than start at the top, in boardrooms, they start at the bottom, with user needs. They have named 7 kinds of interactions that they believe are the most important to weave into policy, procurement, service delivery, and community activities. This resource contains the context, reasons, and mechanisms of Grounded…
Toolkit

Policy Methods Toolbox

The Policy Methods Toolbox is a repository of policy development methods that helps policy practitioners identify and select the right approach for their policy initiative. It is organised into four themes: Start Right: a light touch approach to making the best start in policy projects. Behavioural insights: the study of human behaviour, often drawing upon the empirical research in fields including economics, psychology and sociology. Design thinking: also known as human-centred design,…
Toolkit

DIY Learn

Champion CHAMPION:
Can be remixed
DIY Learn is a set of online modules to help development practitioners understand and embed practical tools to support social innovation in their work. It contains a series of free, 2-hour courses as well as a trainers handbook. It was created for international development practitioners but is applicable for public sector staff as well.