Aim of the Observatory
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The OECD is developing an Observatory of Public Sector Innovation. The Observatory aims to systematically collect, categorise, analyse and share innovative practices from across the public sector, via an online interactive database.

Today, the public sector in many countries faces the dual challenge of tight fiscal constraints, alongside more diverse and increasing demands on public services. The Observatory responds to these challenges by helping countries achieve the potential that innovation offers in improving public sector performance and delivering better outcomes. Innovation's role in fostering efficiency and effectiveness in the public sector was at the heart of the Public Governance Ministerial Meeting, held in Venice, 2010.

Countries are already introducing innovative practices to their public services to differing degrees. However the conceptual understanding of what innovation means for the public sector, and what its impacts are remains limited.

The Observatory aims to address these knowledge gaps by collecting, categorising, analysing and sharing country practices to create a common definition of public sector innovation, and to produce analysis so that countries can understand the benefits innovation can provide, and the factors which are important to its success.

Focus of the Observatory
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The Observatory is organised along 3 action lines:

1. Mapping innovative practices: collecting and analysing examples of implemented innovations in the public sector.
2. Assessing results: collecting, analysing and developing methodologies for cost-benefit analysis of innovative practices.
3. Promote innovative practices: collecting and analysing government frameworks and tools to promote innovation.

An online Observatory platform will serve as a ‘hub’ of public sector innovation by presenting the outputs of these action lines via a unique interactive database of country practices, alongside analysis of public sector innovation. The platform will be launched in 2013.

In 2012 the Observatory will develop an analytical framework for data collection of innovative practices.

Steering of the Observatory
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The Observatory’s Task Force brings together country representatives to provide guidance and leadership to the project. In February 2012, the OECD hosted the first meeting of the Task Force, with representatives from 16 countries, and the European Commission. The meeting focused on the analytical foundations for the Observatory, and how it will function.

Task Force members provided valuable input, sharing lessons and ideas from their own national experiences. The meeting clearly highlighted that getting the Observatory’s methodological foundations right is key, as this will underpin how it collects, categorises and analyses innovative practices.

An Associate Group drawn from civil society, academia and the private sector with knowledge or experience of public sector innovation provides expertise to the Observatory.

Further information
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‌ Download the flyer

If you would like to take part in the Observatory, or if you have questions relating to it, please contact Marco Daglio (marco.daglio@oecd.org)