Thank you for your question, which is very relevant in today’s context.
It is important to note that the federal public service has many remarkable achievements in innovation. That’s not to take away from your question, but to highlight the patterns associated with success and failure in this area.
There is a long list of examples of interesting innovations in public service, including Canada Revenue Agencyadoption of electronic income tax payment and processing Canada Border Services Agencysignificant improvement in border entry, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaThe new GeoMatch service (which aims to be a step change in how skilled migrant workers find opportunities far beyond traditional hubs).
Clear problem definition, visible leadership, and organizational focus were key drivers in each case.
Some federal innovations will always face greater challenges. Innovations on life and death issues in food inspection, medical device and drug approvals, national security and other areas, will always involve extensive investigation and effort. The same is true of the large, expensive and complex systems that Canadians rely on for vital income support.
This leads to the crux of your question, because the vast majority of public service contexts are not constrained by the pressures listed.
I have four pieces of advice for those seeking innovation.
The first is to develop a deep understanding of the problem you are trying to solve and be able to articulate it in a clear and compelling way. Show who is currently underserved, hurting or having to waste effort and resources.
Have as much data as possible and show the magnitude of the problem and, conversely, what can be achieved through innovation. Focus on what customers, partners and other affected parties are saying (as your question suggests).
Second, know who will want to have a voice in any potential changes. Who are the users? Who relies, directly or indirectly, on the program or process involved? Who will be asked for funding? Who is afraid of changes related to the area you work in?
Find or create allies or supporters within as many of those groups as you can as early as possible in the process – an approach I’ve taken since I was PM-01.
Third, build an agreement on action, most likely with your manager. I’ve always started by trying to get consensus on identifying and defining the problem rather than trying to sell a solution.
My experience, having sat on both sides of that conversation, is that those who ignore or ignore the needs and perspectives of other affected practitioners have very little success getting help.
Listen to concerns as opportunities for feedback and improvements rather than points of contention. Be prepared to break bigger and riskier plans into smaller pieces, based on the “test projects” you mention.
The fourth tip is to help other heretics. There are likely others in your organization who are trying to innovate and are looking for help.
Organizations where innovators know they can get help from friends are more successful, in my experience, than those where innovators feel alone all the time. Be the person others can rely on when they want to innovate.
Circumstances can sometimes force innovation. In almost every other situation, innovation is best achieved by getting others to see the change as worthwhile and manageable, no matter where you sit in the organization or who you are trying to influence.
They are also often guided by those, like you, who are close to the problems that need to be solved.
– Daniel Quan-Watson, Civil Service Secrets
