Innovation in the Public Sector.

At the risk of repeating myself, every so often someone posts something on Twitter that makes me want to shout “No” at the top of my voice. Today was one of those days. The piece in question was an article about whether the “public sector” was innovative. It quoted a senior person in Government pontificating that perhaps it was Ministers who were the cautious ones holding  public servants back from their creativity. (NB, it’s not, but lets carry on)

But like so many commentators on this space, it missed one of the fundamental truths of how government works. It’s this. You may like to write it down.

The notion of the “public service” as a living and homogenous organism descended from Sir Humphrey and his pals is a total myth.  Only journalists and trade unions think it works that way. It would be convenient for both groups if the public service did all act the same way, each approaching their job as automatons united in their approach. But it’s just not true.

The reality is that the 50,000 teachers in NSW think of themselves as teachers, not public servants, same for firies, nurses, hospital staff, prison wardens and the myriad of other essential staff employed in the “public sector”. It’s also important to remember that of the 330,000 people employed by the NSW Government, 2/3rds of them work in either Health or Education. Same across all states. Canberra might be different, but with a total staff of around 150,000, even Canberra is divided into 20 main departments, each of which have a multitude of agencies and related entities sitting under their umbrella.

The notion that staff working for, say, the Department of Defence ever talk to colleagues in departments like Human Services or Education is fanciful to say the least. Why? Because the fact that they are (ultimately)  paid out of the same purse is the only thing they really have in common.

It’s probably the most overlooked facet of how Government operates that on a day to day basis, particularly at a State level, departments are doing specialist work in their own subject area. Very few if any of the people who are specialists in Planning, Public Works or the Environment would say they work for” Government”. Quite rightly each department earmarks their key objectives and performance targets and is allocated its budgets based on achieving those targets.

Not unlike any big business really.

So when someone takes a pot shot at “the sector” for lacking innovation, they miss the key point about how Government works. A subject like “innovation” cannot be solved with a one size fits all approach. It’s entirely appropriate that some departments are more focused on innovation, especially where customers play a key role in the services they deliver, but taking a blanket approach is both wrong and certain to fail.

A case in point is the Federal Government Gov 2.0 initiative. Over a year of meetings of some very senior people led to the production of a 300 page report and really not much else. (The irony of that old media outcome to a years work on new media seemed to be lost on many).

Blanket approaches to Government innovation will always fail as the needs of departments and their customers will always vary. Its our very strong view that the polar opposite strategic approach is preferable. Highlight a problem, consider innovative and practical solutions, explore the ones that look most likely to succeed. Try and try again.

And our greatest frustration as an outsider is that many of the brilliant innovations that are happening across Government every week remain hidden under a bushel as departments unused to blowing trumpets just get on with stuff.

Who knew there was a website that could tell you the waiting time in casualty at all the NSW hospitals nearby? Why go to one with an estimated three hour wait when a similar drive in a different direction could see you walk in and be seen straightaway? What about the Parramatta Shopper app with 170,000 downloads to date? The brilliant engines powering the various city transport sites across the country, entirely focused on getting you from A to B? The 150 plus online consultations listed under “Have Your Say?”, Service NSW? Smarter Queensland? Plan B? Dumb ways to die? (66 million views and counting…)

It’s time ill informed journalists stopped seeing the activities of Governments across the country as an ongoing episode of Yes Minister. Real innovation is happening. Right now…