Online platform EarlyBirds recently published an ebook that aims to explore how public sector organisations can meet the staggering requirements of citizens who live in an increasingly digital world. Their team believes that building a network of both experts as well as material resources can be mutually beneficial to such organisations, especially since they may otherwise be forced to redundantly solve the same problems. EarlyBirds is committed to developing a future where innovation is driven by open cooperation for the common good, and many public sector services play a crucial role in this future. Their eBook can be downloaded through their website.

Titled ‘Enabling a Digital Transformation Strategy: Public Sector,’ the eBooks recognises that public sector agencies currently have to grapple with an ever-increasing form of digital disruption. For instance, many populations in developing countries are beginning to move between industrial stages, and the need to consistently deliver a solid standard of public service is expanding as well. Given the nature of these organisations, a disruption in the availability of any service could wreak havoc on public welfare, regional economies and so on — with health care, education and so on being among the most necessary foundations to any nation’s growth.

The challenges are myriad, however. Many will realise that delivering these services effectively will require an enormous financial investment no matter what strategies are chosen, but certain avenues will naturally prove more fruitful than others. EarlyBirds holds the belief that the best strategies do not have to be developed in a vacuum, however, and solutions for seemingly unique situations are often in development (or have already been set in motion) at other agencies or organisations.

As the platform states in their introduction to the ebook, “Governments face a colossal challenge of delivering services to millions of citizens quickly and efficiently regardless of location, ability and affluence. They must also consider data security, privacy and public data literacy. A clear digital transformation strategy and aligned leadership focused on developing workforce skills, digital culture and end user needs are essential. This eBook examines key digital transformation themes and discusses ideas of how to create a digital transformation strategy.”

The key to such a strategy, the platform argues, is cooperation. Open innovation ecosystems already exist (with one prominent example being EarlyBirds’ own network), and these can be used to propel otherwise stagnant projects forward based on a much wider base of expert contribution. Public sector organisations, in other words, may benefit from approaching their problems in the same way a business might — only with success being measured in a well-supported population rather than financial outcomes alone. This method has the benefit of shortening the development time for even the most complex ideas, thereby reducing costs induced by delays and so on. In turn, this leaves more room for resources to be allocated to other projects that perhaps have steeper needs for investment.

The EarlyBirds platform launched towards the end of 2019 with the intent of facilitating this relationship between Innovators (startups, scaleups and mature), Early Adopter organisations and Subject Matter Experts. EarlyBirds is fuelled by these three main types of contributors and now boasts access to a growing big data pool of over 1.3 Million innovators. The SME Consultant led programs as designed to solve complex organisational challenges and seize opportunities or resolve specific business challenges.

There are a number of options available including self-service use of the platform with ability to search the big data pool of innovators and use the unique Innovation Project capability to manage and coordinate activities. The assisted SME led programs include Explorer an enterprise approach that provides innovation maps and blueprints, solution days and dedicated SMEs as a service. The Challenger program is designed to solve a business challenge in short, interlinked phases and draw solutions options curated from the big data pool of Innovators. Today, many subscribers and customers can attribute their rapid pace of cost-effective innovation to the platform and their SME led programs.

Those who wish to learn more about EarlyBirds’ vision are welcome to contact Mr Kris Poria and Mr Jeff Penrose for further details. Their ebook, Enabling a Digital Transformation Strategy: Public Sector, can be accessed through their website as well.