a2i Programme is a globally recognized Public Service Innovation Lab, hosted within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), which has gone beyond small scale piloting to nationwide, large scale implementation. As the Bangladesh government’s innovation intermediary, a2i’s activities are defined by the following core tenets:
- Applying bottom-up-approach to solving citizen problems through user-centered design thinking methodology called empathy training.
- Encouraging civil servants to think out-of-the-box and redesign services by taking risks.
- Simplifying services by using a2i’s signature ‘Service Process Simplification’ technology prior to service digitization.
- Whole-of-government approach and PPPs to public service delivery through the convening part of PMO to bring various public sector agencies and private sector organizations.
- Measuring innovation in simplified terms like time, cost, and visit reduction in accessing public service.
- Emerging culture of data-driven decision making across the government
- Increasing use of modern technologies, like artificial intelligence and blockchain, within the government.
This workshop intends to share insights and examples on how a2i’s initiatives have effectively reduced hassle to receive public services and improved quality of life for mostly the underserved communities as Bangladesh transitions from an LDC to a middle income country. This has been possible because of an environment where innovators from public and private sectors, academia, and research bodies can co-create development solutions and have it replicated at mass leading up to achieving SDG targets and national development targets.
Now underserved rural and urban citizens can easily access any of over 150 e-services from any of over 5,000 one-stop shops spread across Bangladesh thus saving them millions of dollars that they previously had to spend in traveling to the distant government offices at district level, not to mention the hassle endured having to stand in long queues. In a study conducted over 92 e-services (covering issues like health, agriculture, education, license, utilities, safety nets), it was found that until 2017 there have been savings of 1.2B person days, US$ 2.9B in cost and 471M visits.
The government is taking significant steps to develop empathy among civil servants to address citizen’s needs, build skills within them to design simplified services, and also effectively use social media to encourage citizen participation in decision making.
The a2i model is being replicated in many developing nations (also called Southern nations) in the form of South-South Cooperation by a ‘South-South Network for Public Service Innovation (SSN4PSI)’ anchored in Bangkok office of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation.
In this workshop, a rich panel of senior policy makers and innovation experts will reflect upon the importance of developing an enabling innovation ecosystem within the government by linking with non-government actors.
The lessons learned from Bangladesh and the insights shared by the experts will provide necessary know-how to governments, private sector organizations and development partners trying to build an innovation ecosystem to simplify and digitize service delivery for increased citizen satisfaction and improved standard of living.
For any information regarding the workshop and a2i, please contact Dr. Ramiz Uddin at ramizuddin@a2i.pmo.gov.bd. Please visit us at www.a2i.pmo.gov.bd for more details and follow us over twitter @a2i_bd.