The People Lab aims to empower the public sector by producing cutting-edge research on the people of government and the communities they are called to serve. Using evidence from public management and insights from behavioral science, we study, design, and test strategies that can solve urgent public sector challenges in three core areas:
1. Strengthening the government workforce
How to recruit, retain and support diverse talent in the public sector that can effectively and equitably respond to the changing needs of residents.
2. Improving resident-government interactions
How to mitigate the burdens that residents face when they interact with their government, and increase trust and satisfaction in those interactions.
3. Reimagining evidence-based policymaking
How to better include excluded voices in the design, implementation and evaluation of government innovations, and support the equitable adoption of best practice at scale.
- Investing in government infrastructure and the government workforce are essential components of solving systemic challenges.
- Academia can play a more direct role in responding to pressing public sector challenges without sacrificing scientific rigor.
- Consciously focusing on equity and involving excluded voices in the design and evaluation of programs measurably improves public service delivery.