Beeck Center Georgetown University Beeck Center: Social Impact + Innovation

Digital Service Network

Highlights

  • Share: We share stories about government digital service delivery to showcase digital innovation in practice, and maintain the DSN Resource Library with hundreds of artifacts, case studies, publications, and job descriptions to advance digital transformation in government.
  • Connect: We connect digital government leaders and engage through our communities of practice that promote sharing and replication of proven approaches to improving government service delivery.
  • Learn & Do: We conduct research to document, evaluate, and disseminate leading-edge approaches to government digital service delivery. We also support digital service delivery teams in their work, providing perspective, expertise, and assistance to get people the right help when they need it.

Governments are increasingly using data, design, and technology to transform public service delivery. These approaches center the people who use public services to drive toward better outcomes. The Digital Service Network (DSN) empowers governments to use human-centered strategies to deliver digital services that meet the needs and expectations of people who use them.

Our theory of change

We envision:

People have equitable access to easy-to-use and responsive government services.

 

This will take:

Growing and supporting an inclusive, cross-cutting network of empowered government employees who can learn and sustain the knowledge, skills, and abilities that enable human-centered digital transformation. 

 

We’ll know this has happened when:

Governments use human-centered strategies to deliver services that reflect
the needs and expectations of people who use them. 

We convene the DSN to document and share lessons and ideas about what works in digital government delivery, with a goal of enabling practitioners to replicate and scale proven approaches. We are a growing peer-learning network that helps digital government practitioners at all levels of government and with a range of backgrounds continue to grow and contribute to digital service delivery. We also connect newcomers with training, technical assistance, original research, and community support as they chart a new course in their organizations.

Some digital government leaders stand up dedicated, centralized teams to support digital transformation, while others take a more decentralized approach. The DSN connects and supports digital transformation however it is structured in government agencies, to promote and encourage digital best practices, human centered service delivery, and responsible and ethical data and design practices. 

Interested in learning more, accessing actionable, government-oriented resources and artifacts, and getting inspired by digital service success stories? Check out the Digital Service Network website and become a member to receive updates from the team!

 

 

How We Work

  • Convene and facilitate active practitioner-based communities of practice based on role, identity, and topic area
  • Publish original research on topics like crafting a strategy for government service delivery and policy tools for promoting digital transformation
  • Tell stories about leading-edge digital service initiatives in partnership with expert government leaders
  • Host interactive and action-oriented events like job fairs and webinars
  • Curate digital government resources and artifacts in the DSN Resource Library so governments can review and replicate rather than reinvent from scratch
  • Assist digital service teams with organizational development, hiring, and best practices

Team

Next Project Event

Centering Accessibility in Hennepin County

Centering Accessibility in Hennepin County
July 25, 2023
3:00 pm

Virtual
Join the Digital Service Network (DSN) for a webinar to learn more about how Hennepin County (MN) is centering accessibility in their work.
Digital Service Team Hiring Insights and Question Bank

Digital Service Team Hiring Insights and Question Bank
June 21, 2023
3:00 pm

Virtual
Join the research team from the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill School of Government’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program as they share insights and discuss the question bank they created for digital service teams to use and reference as they navigate hiring digital talent within government.

Project Updates

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Project Reports & Resources

Crafting a Theory of Change for Digital Transformation in Government

Crafting a Theory of Change for Digital Transformation in Government

This essay breaks down the component parts of a sound, explicit theory of change for digital transformation in government, and features advice and experiences from practitioners in the field.

Jan. 30, 2023

Wielding a Theory of Change for Digital Transformation in Government

Wielding a Theory of Change for Digital Transformation in Government

This essay explores three realms where digital service teams might consider wielding a theory of change—internally, with partners, and with executives—and features advice and experiences from practitioners in the field.

Jan. 31, 2023

Creating Impact in Digital Government: Successes, Challenges and Strategy of New York City’s Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer.

Creating Impact in Digital Government: Successes, Challenges and Strategy of New York City’s Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer.

This case study documents how the New York City’s Mayor’s Office of the Chief Technology Officer analyzes challenges and opportunities and disseminates this information to benefit the people of New York City and their collaborators in other governments.

Jan. 7, 2022

What We've Learned So Far

  • Held eight workshops for over 50 state, local, and tribal governments to capitalize on billions in American Rescue Plan technology funding.

  • Paired Beeck Center researchers to document and publish case studies and guides that other governments can put into action.

  • Convened an active network for digital service teams to share and scale best practices and get training and technical assistance.