Genève Lab is the living lab of the Geneva cantonal administration – the Switzerland regional level. In recent years, the Canton of Geneva has understood the importance of taking better into account the challenges of the digital age, and to this end, in October 2016, the Genève Lab was officially launched with the main mission of supporting the State of Geneva’s cantonal public administration in its digital transition, addressing the transformation brought about by the challenges of the digital age.
To accomplish its mission, Genève Lab operates on a participative approach inspired by living lab methodologies, involving local stakeholders and users (including citizens, SMEs and academic institutions) in digital innovation projects, to draw from collective intelligence, and co-create administrative services and solutions. When launched, the Genève Lab was the first permanent structure of its kind in Switzerland, whether at the federal, cantonal or municipal level.
More in particular, the Genève Lab has been instrumental in organizing and facilitating co-creation by local stakeholders of the State of Geneva’s “Digital Public Policy” and “Smart City” programs. Both initiatives were supported by the State Government and are central to its long-term commitment to sustainable development. This case study analyses as specific initiative the co-creation of Geneva’s Digital Public Policy.