Innovation capacity in cities

Building capacity in cities to use innovation tools such as experimentation, digital services, human-centred design, real-time data sharing and alternative communication channels in day-to-day operations can have a tangible impact on the well-being of residents. 

City governments can unlock the potential of innovation by building capacity in five key areas: (1) strategy, (2) structure and staff, (3) funding, (4) data, (5) evaluation and monitoring–which must be approached in concert to expand on the critical innovation and data use cities generated during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Cities are reinventing themselves to adapt and respond to evolving demographic, economic, environmental, social and technological changes around the world.

Innovation capacity refers to the human, financial, and institutional resources and skills that can catalyse, implement and advance cutting-edge, collaborative, long-term and bottom-up problem solving. Capacity of city governments to innovate is based on three interdependent building blocks, i.) organisational arrangements, ii) data management capability, and iii) openness to partnership. These building blocks start to provide a comprehensive view of the internal and external factors that allow city governments to innovate.