Idea to retire: IT-led service innovation

[Commentary] With the rising importance of technology in our daily lives and in the transformation of governmental operations and service delivery, the idea of “IT-led service innovation” must be abandoned.

The proposition here seems counter-intuitive. Today, public managers at all levels of the government often turn to technology as a solution to cut costs, improve operational efficiency, and meet the quality and performance expectations of the public. Given the prominent role of technology in these transformations of public service management and delivery, it is natural to think that the Information Technology (IT) Department or the Chief Information Officer (CIO) should lead a public organization’s groundbreaking initiatives. However, this idea is actually counterproductive and can stifle the effectiveness of innovative change in public organizations. Technologies are only delivery tools, not the ultimate goal. Innovation has to serve the mission and program goals of an organization and innovative ideas have to be grounded in the needs and interests of the target clients and service providers. Any adoption of a new technology should be considered within the core values and strategies of an organization.

[Alfred Ho is a faculty member of the School of Public Affairs and Administration at the University of Kansas. Edinger is the Chief Performance Officer for the City & County of Denver, Colorado.]