AOC

Challenge

Learn to innovate in digital public services. What methodologies, techniques and dynamics are best suited for public innovation?

Current issue

The websites of public administrations offer, today, long lists of electronic procedures, each of which is a sequence of steps required by the administrative procedure that the citizen must follow carefully, each time he needs or is obliged to do so, until reaching the final resolution.

These procedures are tedious, not at all efficient and, of course, do not meet the needs and expectations of citizens. We need to look for new ideas, technologies and processes that allow us to build quality digital public services, that solve people's real problems and that improve the user experience (more agile, convenient, personalized and proactive services).

In short, we need to innovate in digital public services. But making public innovation is not easy. Public innovation must generate public value, be inclusive and take into account that, unlike in the private sector, the consequences of the failure of innovation are greater as they can affect the rights of people and the environment. efficiency of public spending. Therefore, to make public innovation we will have to adopt unique methodologies that are able to address their specificities.

There is a myriad of literature on the concept of innovation and hundreds of methodological guides, techniques and tools that facilitate the process, but little is said about how to adapt and / or apply them to the public sphere, let alone , studies and experiences that address in detail the different phases of the public innovation process.

  •      Stages of the process of public innovation:
  1. Understand the problem and / or the needs of the citizens. Empathize with people. Observe and collect information, analyze it, talk to users… and do not make assumptions.
  2. Define the challenge and research. Limit what you want to solve in an innovative way. Research to understand the challenge in depth. Analyze opportunities and alternatives, risks, etc.
  3. Devise. Generate innovative ideas and solutions that can translate into real, feasible and effective projects.
  4. Prototype and test. Build prototypes or pilot projects on a small scale and test themeratively.
  5. Evaluate. Once the solution is implemented, evaluate it continuously to learn and improve. Systematically and periodically review the service in order to detect unwanted impacts, to be able to refine it, to adapt it to people's expectations or new needs.

Proposed solution

Prepare a catalog of innovation resources that contains the most useful methodologies, techniques and dynamics for innovating in digital public services, which have been tested and/or validated by local administrations.

Each methodology, technique or tool in the catalog will have a web page with the following content:

  • Description of the resource (methodology, technique or dynamics)
  • Examples of how to use it in the different stages of the public innovation process
  • Case studies in the local world
  • Webgraphy to know more

On methodologies:

The most suitable for innovating in public services are those that allow you to get a clear view on:

  • The current situation. KNOW WHERE WE ARE
  • The aspirations and goals. WHERE WE WANT TO GO
  • The way to get there. WHAT WAY WE HAVE TO Follow

Of the whole range of methodologies explored by the AOC team, we would like to highlight three:

  • Design thinking: a set of very useful methodologies for identifying the real needs of the citizenry and generating innovative solutions while keeping the focus on the best user experience.
  • Lean: to tackle the activities of validation of the ideas or testing of the prototypes, as it allows to find the shortcomings and inefficiencies of the hypotheses established quickly, and to fit the problem-solution through a continuous flow.
  • Agile- Ideal for reducing the risk and uncertainty inherent in innovation projects. It is based on short interactions so that you get user feedback from the first installment and you can find out what's not working fast so that projects can be redirected without much loss.

We have dived into each of them and extracted the most interesting aspects that can facilitate the different stages or phases of the process of innovation of digital public services.

These methodologies will be described and developed in an individual file of the catalog of public innovation resources. The rest of the methodologies explored ("Service desing", "Systemic approach", "Job To Be Done", "Getting Things Done", etc.) will be presented briefly in a general sheet on methodologies to innovate, in the hopes to find local bodies that have tried them and want to share the experience with the rest of the administrations.

On techniques and dynamics:

Deepening in the study of Design Thinking we have known a set of techniques and dynamics which can be very useful when understanding public problems, generating ideas, prototyping, etc. We are currently exploring the following:

Each of these techniques and dynamics will have its web page, which will be open to the community so that the publics who wish can enrich it with their own experience. There will also be a suggestion box where you can make suggestions on new tools and dynamics to discover.

Status of the project

Exploring. Main documented methodologies. Initial set of techniques and dynamics identified and classified.

More information

Sources of information consulted to build the initial catalog:

  1. Design toolkit [UOC. Design Toolbox that includes methods, models and principles for innovative projects]
  2. Toolbox for invigorating teams [Nexus24 UPC program. Techniques and activities to stimulate co-creation and work teams]
  3. Collection of collaborative techniquess [Nexus24 UPC Program]
  4. Tools for an open and agile digital transformation [City Hall of Barcelona]
  5. Innova Kit [Innovation On Tour. Toolkit to facilitate meetings and visits for innovative projects: Innovative Dialogues and Canvas of the Lean Canvas-based project (pdf)]
  6. Towards a canvas for the design of utilitiess [PUBLIC ANALYTICS]
  7. Design thinking in Spanish [DINNGO Lab. Design Thinking toolbox in Spanish]
  8. DesignKit: Methods for Human-Centered Design [Idea. Methods for unleashing creativity, putting people at the center of the design process to find new answers to difficult problems]
  9. Service design tools [Open knowledge platform developed in the framework of the cooperation between INDACO - Politecnico di Milano and DARC - Domus Academy Research and Consulting Center]
  10. Digital service manual [British Government. Manual for creating and implementing digital services]
  11. Digital service guide [Australian Government. A Guide to Designing Simple, Clear, and Fast Digital Services]