Check out our governance innovation outputs, including learning cases, case studies, and podcast, plus archival microsite and event recaps.

MIT GOV/LAB launched a Governance Innovation Initiative to understand how to make the relationship between citizens, government and civil society more transparent, accountable, and responsive. We wanted to understand the future of governance through a series of case studies, engagements with thought leaders in governance and innovation, as well as the co-designing of governance innovation solutions. 

Below is an infographic of the evolution of the Governance Innovation initiative.

In Nigeria, we spearheaded an accelerator and in Sierra Leone a bootcamp resulting in prototypes and research on what we observed during the innovation process.

We learned that as a lab we were too far away from the action. So we launched the Designer-Researcher program, embedding professional designers in the Nigerian and Sierra Leonean governments for three months. This allowed us to observe more closely what sparked and sustained innovation from the perspective of behaviors and motivations, something we had little access to in the bootcamp and accelerator models preceding this one. Our designer-researcher in Nigeria learned about the challenges of designing through legislation in Nigeria. Furthermore, we took the time to understand how Lean Governance Innovation Design, our approach to designing governance solutions, worked in a complex setting like Nigeria. 

Below is an infographic of the evolution of the Governance Innovation Learning Cases.

Throughout this process, it was evident that more people wanted to know about what governance innovation is and who was behind it. So we launched the Meet the Governance Innovators webinar series, where designers, governance experts and innovators had conversations. We learned so much and got so many questions from people who watched it that we launched the six episode Power to the Who Podcast.  This podcast series provides a platform for governance innovators and other thought leaders to share their expertise to a broader audience. The podcast has reached listeners in 37 countries, with most tuning in from Latin America. 

All of this culminated with the launch of the Governance Innovation Research Fellowship: a cross-institute initiative between our lab, MIT Science and Technology Initiative (MISTI), and the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center (PKG Center) to support graduate student work in public sector innovation. We embedded graduate students in public sector innovation labs in Kenya, Brazil, Cape Verde, and Mexico City to document the process of innovating and see first-hand where the magic happens. Innovation Case Studies are available online here as longer pieces with shorter pieces on Medium. 

Photo by Kvalifik on Unsplash.