Innovative Approaches to Policy Development
Disclaimer: The summaries and interpretations provided on this page are unofficial and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS).
Summary
- Serge Bijimine serves as Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy at Transport Canada and as Policy Community Champion for the Government of Canada
- The current policy environment is characterized by multiple crises happening simultaneously, known as polycrises, which is different from dealing with individual challenges one at a time
- Operating in constant crisis mode leads to solving one crisis while creating another, resulting in a cycle of crisis-to-crisis management
- The traditional approach to policy development, which involved taking 18 to 24 months to create perfect policies and frameworks, is no longer viable because circumstances change too rapidly
- By the time traditional policy frameworks are completed, the foundational assumptions they were based on are often no longer valid
- Modern policy work requires thinking long-term while moving faster and maintaining flexibility to adjust during implementation
- Innovation requires creating protected spaces for teams to make mistakes, as innovation and mistakes are inherently linked
- The best innovations often emerge from mistakes made along the way, and no sector has achieved innovation without first experiencing failures
- Innovation cannot be controlled or managed directly; leaders can only create the right environment and protect people to allow innovation to flourish
- Working effectively in public service innovation requires skill in navigating the system while maintaining necessary check-ins and flexibility
- Being innovative in government is an art form that not everyone can master, and success depends on various factors beyond individual control
- During the pandemic, Transport Canada used an adaptive approach with the airline industry, gradually opening operations while learning and adjusting policies incrementally
- This adaptive method involved opening small sections, learning from results, adjusting policies, then expanding further in a deliberate process
- The airline industry approach demonstrated both successes and failures but allowed for very rapid adjustment and adaptation to changing circumstances
Actionable Advice
- Take a step back when in crisis mode to see the bigger picture and think in longer-term perspectives
- Create protected spaces for teams to make mistakes and learn from them without fear of punishment
- Allow experimentation as a fundamental part of the innovation process
- Develop skills to work within existing systems while maintaining flexibility for innovation projects
- Conduct regular check-ins to maintain necessary oversight while preserving project flexibility
- Use adaptive methods when implementing new policies by opening gradually, learning, and adjusting incrementally
- Build and maintain a good professional network to identify opportunities and understand how to contribute effectively
- Don't hesitate to pursue innovative ideas and present them to managers who appreciate new thinking
- Actively offer help to colleagues to learn about different roles and identify opportunities
- Ensure you work for managers who share your values, particularly regarding innovation
- Look for managers who are themselves innovative if you want to pursue innovative work
- Always be willing to help others as it makes you a valuable colleague and provides learning opportunities
- Use your innovative thinking to develop new solutions and business approaches