Civic Punks

Derek Alton

This is my experiment in creating interesting podcasts about public sector innovation. Disclaimer: All opinions on this channel are my own opinions or the personal opinions of those who I interview.

  1. -1 ДН.

    When Innovation Stops Changing Things

    Public sector innovation was supposed to help government change. But what happens when innovation becomes part of the system it was meant to challenge? In this conversation, I sit down with Nicholas Gruen, a longtime voice in public sector innovation, to talk about why the field may have lost some of its edge. We get into perpetual pilots, reform work that never quite lands, and the strange way innovation can become another layer of process rather than a force for real change. We also talk about one of Nicholas’s bigger ideas: the gap between the systems world and the life-world. Systems help us see patterns, scale, and structure. But when they drift too far from real human experience, things start to go sideways. This one is a thoughtful, slightly uncomfortable conversation about change, institutions, and what it takes to keep reform connected to real life.

    12 мин.

  2. -4 ДН.

    What Comes After Human-Centred Design?

    Roger Watson has been one of the leading voices shaping the practice of design in government in Australia — as a practitioner, teacher, author, and long-time champion of better public services. I sat down with Roger in Sydney to talk about how he found his way into this work, the personal experiences that shaped his interest in government design, and why he believes the field needs to evolve. We also dig into the idea of Design Thinking 3 — what comes next after earlier waves of design practice — and some of the ideas behind his upcoming book, including the conditions needed to create truly innovative spaces: labs, temples, podiums, and academies. It is a thoughtful conversation about design, government, innovation, and the spaces we need to build if we want public institutions to think and act differently.

    39 мин.

  3. -5 ДН.

    Michael Baskin on AI, Tools, and Doing Your Best Work

    There’s a lot of pressure right now to be more efficient, more effective, and somehow keep up with a steady stream of new tools—especially AI. In this conversation, I sit down with Michael Baskin, Chief Innovation Officer for Montgomery County, to talk about how he actually approaches that challenge in his work and life. This isn’t just a conversation about tools. It’s about process, judgment, and the underlying philosophy Michael uses to get the best out of himself without losing what makes his work human. He moves fast, and there’s a lot of wisdom packed in here for anyone trying to work smarter, stay grounded, and figure out what real effectiveness looks like right now.

    38 мин.

  4. 21 АПР.

    Shannon Salter on Designing Government Around Life Events

    Derek sits down with Shannon Salter, Head of the Public Service for the Government of British Columbia, to explore BC’s vision for redesigning government around life events instead of programs and departments. They talk about what that shift really means, how you make it real inside a large public system, and what it takes to work across silos and levels of government.

    18 мин.

  5. 17 АПР.

    I participate therefore I am

    This is part of a series I’m calling Rent Free. The idea is simple. I ask people about a concept that’s living rent-free in their head. Something that’s shaping how they see the world and how they show up in their work. This time, I sat down with my good friend, and someone who consistently inspires me, Almero Oosthuizen. For Almero, what is living rent-free is the quote: “I participate, therefore I am.” Originally from Mugendi Kanampiu M’RITHAA, it’s a reframe on the African philosophy of ubuntu. We like to think we are our values. Our beliefs. The things we say we care about. But if you look at it honestly…you are what you participate in. Where you spend your time. What you contribute to. How you show up. So the real question becomes: Am I actually participating in the things I say matter? Or just talking about them?

    12 мин.

  6. 13 АПР.

    Government is doing this wrong

    I think we’re still designing policy for a world that doesn’t exist anymore. Last week I was in Canberra for the OpenFisca and Policy Innovation Conference, right after Government Innovation Week in Melbourne. Two very different conferences… and honestly, it felt like they were talking about two completely different realities. At OpenFisca, the conversation went deeper. Less about “what’s new” More about “why isn’t this working?” This video is my attempt to make sense of that. In it, I explore: Why policy isn’t really a product anymore (it’s something you’re constantly managing) How tools like Rules as Code, digital twins, and synthetic data are starting to change the game  Why government might be losing its own institutional memory and the question I can’t shake: as AI becomes more central… what do we choose to keep human? It feels like we’re in an in-between moment. The old way isn’t holding up. The new way isn’t fully formed. And we’re kind of stitching it together as we go. Curious how this is showing up where you are.

    7 мин.

  7. 10 АПР.

    What Happens When Urgency Meets Bureaucracy

    There’s a tension at the heart of government that we don’t talk about enough. On the front lines, everything feels urgent. You’re dealing with real people, real problems, right now. You see what’s broken. You feel the pressure to act. Then there’s the center. The place where resources sit. Where decisions get made. Where the stakes are bigger, the scale is wider… but the urgency isn’t always there in the same way. And when these two worlds collide? That’s where things start to break down. My friend Almero Oosthuizen who is living both worlds, as an Emergency Doctor and as an Innovation Specialist for the Department of Health in the Western Cape of South Africa. Together, we explore that friction: why the frontline often feels ignored, why the center moves more slowly than it should, and why both sides are actually right (and wrong). If we’re serious about making government work better, we need to understand this tension, not just complain about it. Curious how others are experiencing this where you are. Drop a comment and let me know.

    44 мин.

  8. 8 АПР.

    Ukraine and Agentic AI: A Glimpse of the Future of Government

    We might be starting to see the future of government take shape… and I’m not sure we’re ready for it. In this video, I unpack Ukraine’s latest roadmap on the Agentic State — one of the first real attempts to move from theory to practice when it comes to AI in government. This builds directly on my recent conversation with Manuel Kilian, where we explored the idea of the Agentic State. But this time, the question is different: 👉 What does this actually look like when a government tries to build it? We get into: What the Agentic State actually is The three types of agents Ukraine is building (public-facing, internal, compliance) The underlying architecture — shared infrastructure, orchestration, and data layers Why this is about more than just AI tools — it’s a shift in how government operates And some of the big, uncomfortable questions this raises for public servants I’ve been sitting with this one for a bit. There’s something real here — but also a lot we don’t fully understand yet. 🔗 Related Videos ▶️ My interview with Manuel Kilian on the Agentic State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSg96u2aDUc ▶️ Explaining “Rules as Code” (and why it matters): https://www.instagram.com/p/DWvshluEhjB/ 🧠 Why this matters This isn’t just about technology. It’s about what happens when AI becomes part of how government actually runs — how decisions get made, how services are delivered, and where accountability sits. If you’re a public servant (or care about how government works), this is a conversation worth paying attention to. 👋 About Civic Punks I make videos exploring how government works — and how it could work better. If you’re into public sector innovation, digital government, or just trying to make sense of where things are going… 👉 consider subscribing and following along 🗣️ Let me know what you think Are we actually ready for something like this? Or does this still feel a bit too far off?

    5 мин.
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This is my experiment in creating interesting podcasts about public sector innovation. Disclaimer: All opinions on this channel are my own opinions or the personal opinions of those who I interview.

Информация

  • Автор
    Derek Alton
  • Годы выхода
    2025 - 2026
  • Выпуски
    49
  • Ограничения
    С ненормативной лексикой
  • Авторские права
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Сайт подкаста
    Civic Punks