Innovation by Experimenting in Public Services in Human-Centered Digitalization and Services

Johanna Leväsluoto (Corresponding author), Kirsi Hyytinen, Marja Toivonen

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter or book articleScientificpeer-review

    Abstract

    Experimental development has been suggested to answer the problems of slowness and ineffectiveness in current innovation activities. It is also applied in the public sector, where it raises specific issues due to traditional bureaucracy and strong professionalism. In our study, carried out via interviews, we examined experimental development and its challenges in a middle-sized Finnish city. The experiment focused on a new integrated model of wellbeing that aimed to promote multi-professional collaboration and citizen empowerment in child and family services. A common service plan and a digital platform were core elements in the model. However, the purpose of the experiment remained too vague to the practitioners, and the experiment was stopped before the deadline. Central challenges were the one-sided focus on top-down management, growing workload and problems of the digital platform. Despite the ‘failure’, the experiment offered valuable learnings that can be applied in the future. Clarifying the concept of experimenting and improving the collaboration between local activities and governmental policies are among the most important lessons learned.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationHuman-Centered Digitalization and Services
    PublisherSpringer
    Pages199-223
    ISBN (Electronic)978-981-13-7725-9
    ISBN (Print)978-981-13-7724-2
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 4 Jun 2019
    MoE publication typeA3 Part of a book or another research book

    Publication series

    SeriesTranslational Systems Sciences
    Volume19
    ISSN2197-8832

    Keywords

    • Experimental development
    • Public sector innovation
    • Wellbeing services
    • Social services
    • Digitalization

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