What does this book offer?

A direct start for working innovatively

The purpose of this book is to provide easy access to new and effective ways of working. For this purpose, the necessary basics are taught in a structured manner so as to facilitate the development of public innovations – whether visible products and services, or invisible procedures and processes – in a way that is oriented towards outcomes and needs. Though the methods and procedures described here are well-founded in theory, this is a practically oriented book that should not just be read but above all put to use.

A companion

The book provides a step-by-step guide through the various phases of an innovation process in a way that is specifically designed for use in public administration. It presents the different stages of impact-oriented and evidence-based work: from preparation, team-building, inquiry and brainstorming through to the development and testing of effective solutions. At the end of each section there is a tangible, communicable outcome.

Do-it-yourself guide

The book is aimed at people working in or with public administrations and organizations. It contains the tools needed to be able to carry out innovation processes independently and without external help. This does not rule out the possibility of involving outside expertise, which might be useful as things progress further. The latter is no more than an add-on, however: it cannot and should not replace the internal development of skills. That’s why we’ve made sure this book is self-explanatory and enables people to act on their own initiative.

An extensive collection of methods

Part of the book consists of a diverse collection of templates and working documents tailored to public administration. These explain innovation methods and describe what is needed to apply them in practice; it sets out how to proceed and what outcomes to expect.

A flexible approach

The order of the methods as presented in this book is intended as a suggestion that can be adapted according to the situation. The modular structure of the method cards allows flexible use and individually tailored combinations. Individual steps can be pursued in greater depth or skipped as needed. The collection is dynamic – it is continuously expanded and updated on our website: https://citylab-berlin.org/de/wissensspeicher-methodenbox/ (German only)