Focusing on the principles of experimentation (rather than the methods) unlocked cities’ ability to test their ideas in their own unique way
Four things we’ve learned about experimentation in local authorities
- Focusing on the principles of experimentation (rather than the methods) unlocked cities’ ability to test their ideas in their own unique way
- Framing experimentation as a lens through which to achieve impact can help local authorities embed it in their work
- Having clarity on the why, or the vision for the project, enables local authorities to embrace uncertainty on the how
- Fostering a peer network gave individual local authorities the courage and support to be pioneering
Through ASToN, we learnt that working through cycles of test-learn-iterate was often not just an unfamiliar and uncomfortable premise for public officials, but went against both the mechanisms and regulations of municipal authorities. For example, when the Municipality of Bizerte was looking to source a partner to develop a minimum-viable-product (MVP) of their solution, they found that existing procurement processes required them to provide a detailed, long-term, fixed scope of work, which left limited space to iterate the product based on learnings. In short, a fixed experimentation method would have been un-adapted or irrelevant for local authorities, and would not have supported them to actually test their assumptions.
We went back to the first principles of experiments:
1. Experimentation is a way to build certainty about an idea
2. Local authorities are looking to develop, roll out and scale uncertain ideas
3. Evidence is what helps us determine whether we’re on the right track
Anchored around those principles, we supported cities through powerful questions or sharing varied methods to set them up for success with their ideas. In the example of Bizerte, they were able to leverage an existing Private-Public Partnership (PPP) with a technology company to develop an MVP, which would help them build clarity on the typology of partner and product they’d need to source in a later, more extensive procurement process.
Recommendation for local authorities who want to experiment: experimentation isn’t dogma and can be compatible with your ways of working. Start by using the principles of experimentation to anchor what you’re already doing.
