An office to power digital innovation
The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs sees digitization as an important factor shaping the future and wants engage with it more directly, both internally and externally. In other words, it is time to challenge oneself and encourage others.
A government ministry is always divided into different departments and units, all of which deal with different topics and target groups. Digitalization, however, is an overarching phenomenon that must be dealt with holistically. In addition, civil society has very different needs when it comes to seeking digital solutions to the challenges it faces. Finding and tailoring answers to all questions is the ultimate task.
Listen first, then act: Instead of providing ready-made answers to the Ministry, we first zeroed in on its needs and those of civil society. Innovation also often means working towards something that is yet unknown and undiscovered. Thus, in this uniquely oriented office, it is especially important for us to be constantly on the lookout for original approaches.
Together with the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, we have developed various approaches to better promoting digital innovation. This has affected both the orientation of the Ministry’s digital policy and has fed into projects carried out by the Innovation Office itself that are especially aimed at organized civil society. The goal is to identify digital innovation levers that as many actors as possible can take advantage of. This is to be achieved initially through hackathons, networking events, a toolbox and the preparation of best practice guidelines and information on specific topics. The Innovation Office is still young; this is only the beginning.
Further information is available at www.innovationsbuero.net.
Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth