1. Connecting, Sharing and Learning
Australian Government Approach to Coordinating and Supporting Public Sector Innovation

2. The Australian Context
Australia has a federal system
Within the federal government, the public sector innovation work is led by the Department of Industry and Science
This specific work programme has been running since 2009

3. Some milestones:
Empowering Change: Fostering Innovation in the Australian Public Service (2010)
Public sector innovation blog (2010)
APS Innovation Action Plan (2011)
Public sector innovation toolkit (2011)
DesignGov ( )
Secretaries Board commitments (2015)

4. Main aims:
Connecting public servants and others interested in how the public sector can do things differently and better
Sharing stories and experience of the practice of innovation
Providing guidance and tools
Fostering and demonstrating leadership support

5. What are our main mechanisms?
Established processes
Being created
Public Sector Innovation Network
Network ‘Chapters’
Public Sector Innovation Toolkit (website)
Innovation Snapshot Report
Public Sector Innovation Coordination Group
Innovation Awards
Innovation Month
Ideas Sharing Platform
Innovation Champions Group
Accelerating and Incubating Promising Ideas

6. Innovation Champions Group
Secretaries Board
Innovation Champions Group
Coordination Group
Innovation Network
Supported by:
Public Sector Innovation Team
Public Sector Innovation Toolkit
Innovation Month
Being developed:
Network ‘chapters’
Innovation snapshot report
Innovation awards
Ideas sharing platform
Process for incubating ideas

7. Public Sector Innovation Network
What is it?
Established in 2009, now a network of over 2300 interested public servants, academics, and practitioners
What is it for?
To connect people
To share stories, experiences and insights
To provide information and news
What does it involve?
A relatively informal network
Supported by a weekly newsletter
Involvement still mostly passive / receiving information

8. Public Sector Innovation Toolkit
What is it?
Established in 2010, a website dedicated to information, resources, case studies and news about public sector innovation (
What is it for?
Provide information about what is being done (the blog)
Share case studies of innovation (the showcase)
Link to resources and tools (the toolkit)
Calendar of events
What does it involve?
Has developed over time
Development of content and seeking case studies and examples

9. Coordination Group What is it?
Established in 2010, a committee of those involved with supporting innovation within their agency.
What is it for?
To help coordinate activity and share information
To facilitate collaboration and learning
To share challenges, issues and opportunities
What does it involve?
Monthly meetings to:
Share information and updates
Coordinate activities
Plan for events

10. Innovation Month What is it?
Begun in 2011 as ‘Innovation Week’ and then expanded in 2013, Innovation Month is a series of events and activities to connect, share and learn about innovation in the public sector.
What is it for?
To keep innovation on the agenda
To help raise awareness and understanding of innovation
To develop the ecosystem
What does it involve?
A number of events and activities held around the country
Coordination and working with partners
Demonstrate

11. Innovation Champions Group
What is it?
Recently formed committee of senior champions from each government department.
What is it for?
To provide coordinated leadership support
To help champions learn from each other about supporting innovation
What does it involve?
Monthly meeting of the Champions
Specific aims still being developed

12. Network ‘Chapters’ (in development)
What is it?
Currently in the process of being formed, the network chapters will be local groups in each of the other major Australian cities.
What is it for?
To help connect those public servants and interested others who are not located in Canberra (the Australian capital city where the Australian Public Service mainly operates from).
What does it involve?
Identifying and supporting people who can bring together interested people and run the occasional event.

13. Innovation Snapshot Report (in development)
What is it?
Currently in planning - an annual report highlighting things that happened in the last year.
What is it for?
To provide an annual update and highlight examples of innovation, of activities and lessons
What will it involve?
An annual online publication

14. Innovation Awards (in development)
What is it?
Awards that recognise innovation that has been implemented in the Australian Public Service.
What is it for?
To highlight examples that might be adapted elsewhere
To recognise the work of those involved
To identify and share more stories about doing innovation
What will it involve?
Working with a professional association (the Institute of Public Administration Australia) to run an annual awards process.

15. Ideas Sharing Platform (being explored)
What is it?
An online platform for staff from different agencies to share ideas.
What is it for?
To help increase the flow and stock of ideas
To build more relationships between agencies
Cultural change
What will it involve?
Currently trialling a platform
This trial will inform the business requirements
A longer term solution will be proposed by the end of the year

16. Accelerating and Incubating Promising Ideas
What is it?
A process for testing and exploring new ideas and making them into real proposals.
What is it for?
Innovative ideas often start out small and unclear – how can they be grown into well understood proposals?
What might it involve?
Currently looking at a number of models, from both government and industry.

17. Wider ecosystem – many players
Digital Transformation Office
innovationXchange
State and territory governments
Not-for-profit – e.g. The Australian Centre for Social Innovation
Private sector
Networks and initiatives

19. Some questions to consider
How do you let people know what is expected of them?
How do you given them opportunity to engage with innovation and to become competent at the process of innovation?
How do you provide supporting systems for people to try innovative things?
How do you celebrate it?
Who plays the supporting role for innovation?

20. Thank you.
Alex Roberts /
Website: