The Innovation Laboratory

At the end of 2018, the State Chancellery started implementing a new initiative to improve the culture of innovation in public administration and to promote meeting the goals of the Government Reform Plan 2020. The goal of the three initially created laboratories was to be a platform for creating new solutions for “old problems” by creating prototypes for overcoming certain challenges. In 2019, three interdisciplinary laboratories worked under the State Chancellery which tested various new co-creation working methods:

to reduce administrative burdens,
for strategic management of public administration human resources and
strengthening the reputation and image of public administration (by putting values in practice).

With the completion of the first project at the end of 2019, #GovLabLatvia was transformed from three laboratories to one joint State Chancellery Innovation Laboratory with the mission to develop a culture of innovation in public administration, to help state institutions create solutions to complex problems, using innovative methods.

The vision of the State Chancellery Innovation Laboratory

The Innovation Laboratory as a driving force to change the thinking, attitude and behavior of public administration works using a design-oriented thinking approach to policy, services and process formation and improvement.
The Innovation Laboratory as a secure and motivating environment for experimentation and co-creation to develop useable solutions to existing problems and to meet new needs.
The Innovation Laboratory as a herald of innovation and as an example of innovation management for other institutions of public administration.

Why is a laboratory necessary?

The political and economic environment, limited resources and the demands of society for higher quality modern services require dynamic, efficient and flexible public administration. Using innovative approaches, the challenge for public administration is to develop dynamically and to be efficient and flexible.

To reach these goals it is necessary to invest in the capacity of public administration, to improve work methods, processes and culture. The State Chancellery wants to advance meeting these goals by stimulating necessary processes of change through the activities of the Innovation Laboratory.

Currently the Laboratory works as a project.