LESSONS FROM MEXICO:
What Works in Public Sector
Innovation & Civic Technology
March 25. 2015
Kerry Brennan

PROJECT CONTEXT

MEXICO’S OPEN
GOVERNMENT PROGRAM
- Mexico is the current Chair of Open Government
Partnership (OGP)
- Office responsible for ensuring implementation
of National Digital Strategy
- Portfolio of implementation projects
INTRODUCTION & PROJECT CONTEXT

AGENTES DE INNOVACIÓN
- Social entrepreneurs (external innovators) +
government staff (internal innovators)
- Five teams across priority ministries:
- Ministry of Education
- Mexican Social Security Institute (healthcare)
- Ministry of the Interior
- Ministry of Finance
- National Institute for Entrepreneurship
(within Ministry of Economy)
INTRODUCTION & PROJECT CONTEXT

THEORY OF CHANGE

AGENTES THEORY OF CHANGE
OBJECTIVE
-Agents of Innovation aims to introduce a
more effective program design and
decision-making model into the Mexican
government, facilitating co-creation
between government and citizens by
implementing human-centered design
methodologies.

AGENTES THEORY OF CHANGE
OBJECTIVE
-Agents of Innovation aims to introduce a
more effective program design and
decision-making model into the Mexican
government, facilitating co-creation
between government and citizens by
implementing human centered design
methodologies.
Program that
a particular
government
new, innovative
citizen
participation
change

The citizen is
not at the
center of
policymakers’
ideas.
New ideas
need a space
to be born,
nurtured,
and
developed.
Government
requires support
for internal
innovators, and
infusions of new
talent &
expertise.
Project
development
lacks
feedback loop.
NEEDS OR PROBLEMS
TO BE ADDRESSED
Project
development is
bureaucratic.

INPUTS
Political capital
Strategic advice,
follow-up,
mentoring, and
public exposure
for teams
he citizen is not
at the center of
policymakers’
ideas.
New ideas need a
space to be born,
nurtured,
and developed.
Government
requires support for
internal innovators,
and infusions of new
talent & expertise.
Project development
lacks
feedback loop.
Project development
is bureaucratic. Human-centered
design (HCD)
methodology and
mentoring
Specialized
skillsets

OUTPUTS
‣Five creative tech-based solutions to long-standing
problems.
‣A “bubble” for the incubation of new ideas within
government.
‣A process of knowledge, problem-solving skills, and
expertise transfer
‣Target users widely adopt the tech-based solutions
developed by Agentes teams.
‣Communications raise interest and supports
replication

OUTCOME
The Mexican government becomes
a platform for innovation.

REBOOT
BACKGROUND & ROLE

BACKGROUND & ROLE
ABOUT REBOOT
Reboot is a social impact firm dedicated to inclusive
development and accountable governance. We help
governments, foundations, and international
organizations achieve their missions.

BACKGROUND & ROLE
IN PRACTICE
- Research, design, implement, evaluate
- Empathy-based
- Deep, embedded research
- Draws on applied ethnography and user-
centered design approaches
- Nuanced portraits of complex environments

We work to improve the relationships
between governing institutions and
the communities they serve.

Committing to increasing transparency,
accountability, and participation is one thing,
but the challenges of actually doing so are
often quite another.

PROGRAM
DESIGN
PRODUCTS

PROGRAM
DESIGN
PRODUCTSIMPLEMENTATION

What contributes to success (or failure)
of open government & civic innovation programs?

METHODOLOGY

METHODOLOGY
PROCESS-FOCUSED
DEVELOPMENTAL EVALUATION
- Closely track the entire program implementation
- Focus on the experience of implementers
& participants
- Build trust through presence, frequent interviews
- Observe meetings and milestones
- Complementary user research & testing

METHODOLOGY
ADVISORY
- Sharing findings from user research to highlight
application (or not) of methodology, potential gaps
and barriers to product success
- Highlighting risks to & opportunities for achieving
program goals, guided by our rules of engagement
- Support in design considerations for a second year of
the program

WHAT WE’RE LEARNING

INPUT
POLITICAL CAPITAL
- In order to be the most effective “outsider”, it is
still necessary to understand “insider” ways of
working

INPUT
POLITICAL CAPITAL
- Political relationships and influence are an
important lever, but project teams are not
always in a position to identify where support
would be useful in the moment. Nor are they in
a position to apply it.

OUTPUT
TECH-BASED SOLUTIONS
- Assuming a tech-based solution can be a major
hindrance … or not.

OUTPUT
A “BUBBLE” FOR INNOVATION
- Programs that create open spaces for
innovation still require significant structure
— there can be too much room for
innovation.
- Ensure application of the innovation
methodology.
- Ensure teams continue to make progress and
maintain engagement.

OUTPUT
A “BUBBLE” FOR INNOVATION
- There is a “sweet spot” of institutional
buy-in.

OUTPUT
EXPERIENCE
- Ultimately these types of programs are
judged externally by the products they
produce, but the experience of
participation in the program is critical
indicator of its potential for longevity and
future iterations.
- Acknowledging & mitigating risks taken by
internal innovators in particular

OUTPUT
COMMUNICATIONS THAT RAISE
INTEREST & SUPPORT REPLICATION
- Ultimately these types of programs are
judged externally by the products they
produce, but the experience of
participation is critical.

OUTCOME
MEXICAN GOVERNMENT BECOMES
A PLATFORM FOR INNOVATION
- Proximity alone does not multiply
innovative processes.

QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION

THANK YOU!
Further questions?
kerry@reboot.org
www.reboot.org
@theReboot