Change Labs: Taking Bold Risks, But not Alone

CHANGE LABSTaking Bold Risks, but not Alone

TEAM /

Derek Alton . [email protected] Joy Trick . [email protected] Glencross . [email protected] Klassen . [email protected]

credit: Jeff Barnum - jeffbarnum.com/visual/power-and-love

BIG vs SMALL

Gov as a…

leader / enabler/

convener / co-creator

How can Canadian governments retain the strengths of traditional, risk-averse, consistent institutions...

...innovative, collaborative, and dynamic, finding new approaches to move the needle on the complex, system level problems we face?

while becoming...

"I understand you're concerned about risk. There’s a giant Mack truck coming your way. It’s a big risk if you keep standing here. I have a tool, that will tell you which side of the fucking street to run to."

accountability / fairness / rules / due processWhat is the structure & culture that holds a civil servant in place when they want to move?

current stategovernance

future stategovernance

bureaucraticorganizational silos

porousnetworked

...while including the

best from the past

current stategovernance

future stategovernance

bureaucraticorganizational silos

porousnetworked

behavioral economics

open data/gov

labs

That senior decision makers are willing to invest a little bit of money... and time... is a symptom that they recognize the current governance model is not good enough. It can be improved, reinvented.

Public managers need an ongoing process of questioning problems and approaches that’s not just about radical new ideas, but about questioning the current limits to implementing innovation.

challenging the status quo...

synthesis from our interview with Christian Bason

...with labs

current state future statebureaucraticorganizational silos

porousnetworked

labs / public labs / social labs /social innovation labs / studios / institutes / r&d / idea factories /innovation units / a third space / do tanks /

WHAT IS A LAB?

think > do

“The lab is an experimental place where traditional thinking, intolerance to risk, silos and resource flows are deliberately interrupted, encouraging participants to look at problems in new ways.”

- Policy Horizons Canada, Innovation Labs: Bridging Think Tanks and Do Tanks (2012)

Processes

WHAT IS A CHANGE LAB?

think > doWhole System Products & Services

Design Science

convene >>> develop >>> prototype >>> iterate >>> scale impact

Lab SequencingWHAT IS A LAB?

think > do

research in, research out >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A lab ecologycollaborative social innovation

open source &diy culture Peer 2 Peer

economy

collective impact

civic tech

In-Gov Labs & department level labs

open data / big data

Public Service Innovation Labs #PSILabs

citizen-led labs

public service renewal#policyinnovation#innovationpolitique

lab facilitatorsprocess designers

Design LabsUser-centred#servicedesign

Open Source democracy#opengov

city + educational institution = lab

behavioral insights #nudgeunit

maker or fab labsopen-source manufacturing

who we talked to… over 40 informants

Joeri van den Steenhoven / Jeff Barnum / Jason Bade

Eduardo Staszowski / Stefaan Verhulst / Noella Steinhauer /

Zaid Hassan / Sean Geobey / Alex Himelfarb / Stephen Huddart

/ Allyson Hewitt / Christian Bason / Molly Harrington / Sunil

Johal / Tim Draimin / Blair McMurren / Whitney Borowko / Mark

Cabaj / Laura & Meagan / Don Booth / Jean Kunz / Frances

Westley / Nicholas Charney / Monica Pohlmann / Suzanne Stein

/

Saralyn Hodgkin / InWithForward + more...

lab founders… civic servants & field builders

who we read… over 30 docs & books

Authors included: Christian Bason / Zaid Hassan / Geoff Mulgan

Sarah Schulman / Lisa Torjman (Mars) / Stephen Huddart & Anil

Patel / DESIS / Knight Foundation / Frances Westley / S Goebey &

K Robinson / Public Policy Forum / Mars Solutions Lab / Roger L.

Martin / Mowat Centre / Deloitte / Policy Horizons / Al Etmanski

Opportunity ContextWhat is enabling labs in Canada?

SIG Thought Leader tours

Policy Horizon’s reports

DM Committee on Innovation

Austerity

Blueprint 2020

Governor General innovation tour

Destination 2020

Internal Champions

Niche Experimentation

Alberta

Canadian Lab initiatives

Ottawa

Nova Scotia

CG Design (in Gov, cross departments)ESDC Change Lab

Engage NSNS Gov Change Lab

United Way Lab, Leading Boldly

TorontoMars Solutions LabOCAD Lab CorridorSustainability Transition Labs

British ColumbiaInWithForward Burnaby

Knowledge ProductsCapitalizing on opportunities by increasing salience

“Users”

Ericalab curious

SUPPORTING THE INSTITUTIONAL ENTREPRENEURS

Blairlab initiator

Blair McMurren // Director, Social Innovation, Employment and Social Development Canada

Erica Pohjola // Senior Policy Analyst, Health Canada

Typology & Fit-ness of Lab Processes

PRODUCT 1

DESIGN LABS SOCIAL LABS<< PROCESSES >>

ExploringAwareness Applicability

PRODUCT 2:

Decision Making Aid

What kinds of labs are there?

How are they different from other social technologies?

How do they work?

What types of situations or problems are they meant to address?

ActingDesignImplementation

PRODUCT 3:

Decision Making Aid

What kind of partnerships, funding models and methods should I employ?

How much will it cost?

What kind of accountability and authority frameworks should be employed?

ImplementationGetting the Screwdriver into the Hands of the Builders

1. Create Knowledge Products

2. Test products with key people & ask for suggestions for the final form (PDF, website, slide deck, open source, etc)

3. Revise products based on feedback

4. Strategically deliver them to the right people, at the right time

NEXT STEPS

IMPLEMENTATIO

N

CHANGE LABS / Taking Bold Risks, but not Alone

THANK YOU