Work Areas

About Innovation Portfolios Portfolio approaches help reveal, connect and orient diverse and multi-faceted innovation activities according to an overall strategy. Why are portfolios needed? Innovation can be an uncertain investment. There is no guarantee that any single innovation will work, how it will work or what the unintended or unanticipated consequences might be. In an uncertain world, it is dangerous to rely too heavily on any one single strategy or approach. Changing circumstances…

Short-term, single stakeholder approaches are not sufficient to address global environmental challenges such as climate change, or complex health challenges such as cancer. Mission-oriented innovation provides a policy framework for tackling the grand challenges facing governments today.

About Innovation Management Sound innovation management practices strengthen the effectiveness and longevity of innovation activities. Why a systematised approach to innovation is needed Across the world, individuals, businesses, not-for-profit organisations and governments are thinking about innovation and how it can be harnessed and systematised to achieve growth or create value in organisations, public administrations, and in innovation ecosystems. Despite the existence of many individual…

Systems thinking brings problems to the surface, making it easier for governments to collectively develop, influence and shape solutions, including in relation to grand missions, policy domains and governments themselves.

About the Innovation Declaration The Declaration offers principles to inform and enhance the systemic use of innovation in the public sector to achieve policy goals. Declare to innovate At OPSI, we call on all public sector innovation actors to Declare to Innovate. The OECD Declaration on Public Sector Innovation is a legal instrument based on five principles and associated actions that governments or public organisations can use to inform and enhance innovation and its management....

ABOUT AI IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR Governments use AI to design better policies, make better decisions, enhance relationships with citizens, and improve the quality of services. While potential benefits are significant, attaining them is not an easy task, and there are many risks and limitations that must be considered. Why AI matters in the public sector AI holds great promise for the public sector, and governments are in a unique position in relation to AI....