Building real prototypes in two days with citizens, experts and managers
A practical way to innovate with citizens in, of and for the public sector. PIDoT is the result of project to increase public sector innovation.
Full scale PIDoT: 64 citizens, public servants, experts and designers build 8 concepts/prototypes in 2 days. 2 companies and several services has been formed so far! (Photos Patrick Trädgårdh)
A Public innovation Do-Tank (PIDoT) brings together citizens and stakeholders in producing innovative prototypes. Key participants are: citizens, public service organizations as well as businesses. As key stakeholders are taking part, the solutions are likely to be realistic and possible agendas for turning them in to practice can be explored during the event.
A PIDoT event follows a strong format to allow for effective and meaningful communication between participants.
Maestro Design & Management designed and lead the PIDoT project.
Why?
There are numerous examples of events, conferences, educations etc that provide the opportunity to learn/inform actors in the public sector on new developments, case stories, technologies and policy. There are also think tanks and research organizations that are producing studies, reports and other documents. Many public sector organizations work with boosting the staff’s own creativity, for instance with group-creativity methods, work shops.
While these provide valuable knowledge, there is a lack of action in them. They do not generate innovations as such.
A step futher than Hackathons
The are many great outcomes of hackathons! but they often lack in scope. They are good services to citizens, but are not transforming public sector in any greater degree.
A key element is to engage a wider set of citizens and stakeholders. Most hackathons consist of young, educated tech people who invent services they would use themselves. This group in general is not using many public services. Therefore there is a need to complement those groups with other citizens of other ages, interests and situations. Only then will we see services targeted also for families, elderly etc. There is also a need to include the people from public sector, both managers and experts. This will allow more wide scoping prototypes, for instance those requiring organizational changes and development.
The PIDoT way
Public Innovation refers both to “public sector” and “the public” as the citizens and as in “Public space”.
Do Tank refers to an the action in producing concrete output in contrast to think tanks
A PIDoT Event is addressing this by bringing together stakeholders and producing a specific innovative proposal, in a concrete form, for instance a prototype. Key participants are: citizens, public service organizations as well as businesses. As key stakeholders are taking part, the solutions are likely to be realistic and possible agendas for turning them in to practice can be explored during the event. A PIDoT event follows a strong format to allow for effective and meaningful communication between participants.
The objective is to produce innovations with limited time and resources. PIDoT can be seen as an alternative to more traditional efforts, for instance embarking on big projects, drawing large resources, with unclear relationship to citizens and other stakeholders.
Full scale PIDoT
Together with Region Västerbotten we organize full scale PIDoT in Lycksele every year. 64 citizens, public servants, experts and designers build 8 concepts/prototypes in 2 days aided by a team of coaches.
PIDoT in Brussels
Produced prototype: Visual medical journal, to improve doctor-patient dialogue
Produced prototype: App aiding diabetes patients to improve everyday health by optimizing medicine intake.
If you are thinking about these types of events, get in touch!
Project leadership: Lars Albinsson/Maestro Design & Management
Key partners:
Nod-A
ITEMS International
The development of the PIDoT approach was funded by VINNOVA