William D. Eggers and Shalabh Kumar Singh Deloitte Research Foreword by Stephen Goldsmith Harvard Kennedy School of Government The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing bold ideas in government About the Deloitte Member Firm Public Leadership Institute The Deloitte Member Firm Public Leadership Institute, a part of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu’s (DTT) public sector industry group, identifies, analyzes and explains the major issues facing governments today. The focus of the Institute is to help public leaders tackle their most complex policy and management challenges. Through the Institute, Deloitte member firm public sector industry practices deliver cutting edge thought-leadership, innovative solutions to issues facing governments and strategic policy development. With offices in Washington, DC, London and Sydney, the Institute delivers practical insights governments can use to improve their operations and deliver better value to their citizens. The Institute realizes these objectives through three major programs: • Thoughtleadership.InconjunctionwithDeloitteResearch,apartof Deloitte Services LLP in the United States, Institute staff and Fellows pro- duce provocative books, studies and commentaries on the most pressing issues facing public leaders. • Publicleaders’forums.TheInstituteregularlybringstogetherdistin- guished current and former senior public officials, management experts and academics to discuss topical issues and share best practices. • Academicpartnerships.TheInstituteworkscloselywiththeworld’slead- ing graduate schools of public policy and administration to co-sponsor forums and co-produce books and studies. About the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation TheRoyandLilaAshInstituteforDemocraticGovernanceandInnovation advances excellence in governance and strengthens democratic institutions worldwide. Through its research, publications, leadership training, global net- work, and awards program – developed in collaboration with a diverse, engaged communityofscholarsandpractitioners-theAshInstitutefosterscreativeand effective government problem-solving and serves as a catalyst for addressing many of the most pressing needs of the world’s citizens. The Ford Foundation is afoundingdonoroftheInstitute.AdditionalinformationabouttheAshInstitute isavailableatwww.ashinstitute.harvard.edu.Applicantsforthe2009Innovations inAmericanGovernmentAwardsareencouragedtoapplyat www.innovationsaward.harvard.edu. William D. Eggers and Shalabh Kumar Singh Deloitte Research Foreword by Stephen Goldsmith Harvard Kennedy School of Government The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing bold ideas in government About Deloitte Research Deloitte Research, a part of Deloitte Services LP, identifies, analyzes, and explains the major issues driving today’s business dynamics and shaping tomorrow’s global marketplace. From provocative points of view about strategy and organizational change to straight talk about economics, regulation and technology, Deloitte Research delivers innovative, practical insights companies can use to improve their bottom-line performance. Operating through a network of dedicated research professionals, senior consulting practitioners of the various member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, academics and technology specialists, Deloitte Research exhibits deep industry knowledge, functional understanding, and commitment to thought leadership. In boardrooms and business journals, Deloitte Research is known for bringing new perspective to real-world concerns. Disclaimer This publication contains general information only and Deloitte Services LP is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. Deloitte Services LP its affiliates and related entities shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication. About Deloitte Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, a Swiss Verein, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and its member firms. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Copyright©2009DeloitteDevelopmentLLC.Allrightsreserved. Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing Bold Ideas in Government By William D. Eggers and Shalabh Kumar Singh Deloitte Research Foreword by Stephen Goldsmith ISBN0-9790611-1-3 ISBN139780-9790611-1-0 Printed by Printcrafters, Winnipeg, MB, Canada CoverphotographbyAndrewMcGarry “Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” Theodore Levitt [...]... not done a very good job bringing in ideas and innovations from outside Excellence in generating ideas requires defining shared goals that, if met, would make a difference to the organization as a whole, looking at The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing Bold Ideas in Government 7 8 what other jurisdictions are doing right, and connecting with customers to understand their expectations and unmet... sources of innovation, and help governments maximize their abil- The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing Bold Ideas in Government Figure 2: Sources of innovation in government External partners Collaborative, outcome-focused government Partnered and networked government ▼ ▼ Introduction ▼ Employees Government organization ▼ Reinvented government ▼ 9 Citizens Participative and responsive government Internal... people from diverse disciplines in building flexible, customized solutions? As part of an initiative to meet tough new education attainment targets, the government of The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing Bold Ideas in Government Figure 3: The strategy continuum External orientation Cultivate ▼ ▼ Internal orientation Replicate Partner Network Open source Introduction 11 Ontario has employed an... process Innovation can be thought of as having a cycle with four phases: idea generation and discovery, idea selection, idea implementation, and idea diffusion (figure 1) It is in the last The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing Bold Ideas in Government ▼ Figure 1: The innovation process Idea generation Introduction ▼ Idea diffusion Idea selection Innovation cycle Innovation strategies 1 Cultivate... Welfare reform and the dramatic reduction in crime in the United States since the mid1990s are just two dramatic results of public sector innovation The problem is that not enough public sector organizations accord the innovation process the sort of thoughtful, sustained attention it merits Typically, innovation in government happens in one of two ways Either innovation intrudes itself on a public sector... reinventing the wheel, it can often The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing Bold Ideas in Government 10 be more effective to replicate and adapt an existing innovation to a new context “We borrowed and adapted several ideas from other states and cities during my tenure as governor,” explains former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge “It worked well because we could see what worked elsewhere and why, and then... organization in response to a crisis, or some individual (or small group of individuals) champions a specific innovation In either instance, the benefits of the innovation are limited Once the crisis has passed or certain individuals responsible for the innovation have moved on, the organization is left with no lasting capacity for ongoing innovation This book describes, using real-world examples, how a public. .. formalized brainstorming, as being central to innovation Few public agencies viewed innovation as a systematic approach designed to take new ideas and turn them into successful results The dearth of government organizations known for having a “culture of innovation” stands in stark contrast to the private sector where, as Tom Kelly writes in The Ten Faces of Innovation, “Plenty of companies in divergent industries...Introduction This is a book about how the public sector can develop and sustain a culture of innovation Innovation is a discipline, just like strategy, planning, or budgeting Like these disciplines, sustained innovation requires a methodical view of the innovation process, a view that links the mission to organizational structure, processes, and reward systems Government can and does innovate... implementation of good ideas into strategic thinking at the managerial level • Clearly defining a mission against which progress can be assessed Diffusion — The last stage in the innovation cycle is to diffuse the innovation throughout the organization and to affected stakeholders The United Kingdom’s Technology Strategy Board, which identifies key technology areas strategically important to the country, uses . andideadiffusion(gure 1) .Itis in the last 7 The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing Bold Ideas in Government Introduction three phases that innovation often gets derailed in the public sector. Innovation. Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing Bold Ideas in Government Contents Foreword 2 Introduction 5 Part I: The innovation process Chapter 1 – The innovationcycle 17 Part II: The five innovation. reputation for being serial in- The Public Innovator’s Playbook: Nurturing Bold Ideas in Government 3 novators; only a handful of them, for example, have been repeat winners of the InnovationsAwardsProgram. The