Government Innovation Labs (GovLabs): Designing and Scaling Public Sector Innovation
In today’s fast-evolving policy environment, traditional models of government decision-making are no longer sufficient to address complex, interdependent challenges. Public sector innovation requires a new kind of institutional space — one that allows for experimentation, rapid prototyping, and the co-creation of solutions with citizens, partners, and stakeholders.
This dynamic course, Government Innovation Labs (GovLabs), provides a comprehensive roadmap for designing, launching, and scaling innovation labs within ministries, public entities, and semi-governmental institutions. Drawing on global exemplars (such as the UAE Prime Minister’s Office’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, Denmark’s MindLab, and the OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation), the course empowers participants to build agile, design-driven, and impact-oriented government systems.
Through immersive labs, peer simulations, and guided ideation cycles, participants will explore how innovation labs foster a culture of creativity and experimentation while still remaining embedded in policy delivery systems. This course is especially relevant for UAE and GCC institutions aiming to integrate innovation as a core competency in public governance.
Outcomes
- Understand the principles, models, and governance structures of public sector innovation labs.
- Design an operational roadmap for establishing and sustaining a GovLab within a governmental or institutional context.
- Apply human-centered design, behavioral insights, and systems thinking tools to prototype innovative public services or policies.
- Facilitate multi-stakeholder innovation workshops and design sprints.
- Develop mechanisms for monitoring innovation metrics, scaling pilot solutions, and embedding innovation into institutional DNA.
Features
- A highly interactive 3 days onsite program, ideal for public leaders, design teams, and innovation units. Offered as an executive retreat for senior decision-makers or a team bootcamp for internal capability building.
- Includes accredited training hours recognized by the Emirates Science & Research Foundation. Participants receive a Certificate of Completion, and a Policy Lab Certificate for co-designed innovation proposals or pilot initiatives.
- Participants receive an Innovation Lab Toolkit, process maps, canvas templates, design sprint guides, and access to global benchmarks and toolkits.
- Includes 30 days of follow-up support including advisory sessions, feedback on lab design, and implementation coaching for pilot initiatives.
- Innovation Readiness Self-Assessment.
- Pre-training lab concept review (if existing).
- Success metrics for team creativity, prototype development, and scalability tracking.
Target audiences
- Senior officials, ministers, and executive directors leading public sector transformation.
- Strategy, innovation, and future foresight teams within ministries and government agencies.
- Digital government and smart city departments seeking agile approaches.
- Policy designers, public sector entrepreneurs, and service delivery professionals.
- Think tanks, innovation centers, and public reform accelerators.
Curriculum
Models of innovation labs (internal, external, open labs, living labs)
Setting up the physical, digital, and strategic infrastructure
Behavioral economics, service blueprints, and rapid prototyping
Integrating experimentation with public sector accountability
Innovation maturity models and performance frameworks
Inclusion and trust-building through participatory design
Regional examples tailored for GCC reform and development agendas
