Beeck Center Georgetown University Beeck Center: Social Impact + Innovation

Digital Service Network

Highlights

  • Documenting methodologies of digital service teams in state, local, tribal, and territorial government.
  • Supporting a community of practice to share and replicate proven approaches to deliver services and carry out missions. Leading training and technical assistance on topics such as investing American Rescue Plan funds for data and technology infrastructure.

Governments are creating digital service units to transform how they deliver services and carry out missions by building up a digital infrastructure. These teams pioneer technological innovation while incorporating new roles into government, such as user researchers, human-centered designers, software developers, and data scientists. Our work documents their approaches to scale what works through our action-oriented network. 

Governments carry out policies and practices in a digital world. Many are investing resources and political capital in dedicated units to support digital transformation, but it’s still early days. It’s important to learn from the leading pioneers over the past 10 years to inform this work.

Since 2019, the Beeck Center has embedded researchers in leading state and local digital service teams to understand how they operate, prioritize, and are resourced and supported. We convened the Digital Service Network to share what works with a goal of replicating and scaling proven approaches. We help leading digital service teams continue to succeed and connect newcomers to training, technical assistance, and community support as they chart a new course in their governments.

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.