Promoting Multi-actor Collaboration for New Online Service during Public Health Emergency: Roles of an Innovation Lab at Local Government

Collaborative approach to public sector innovation becomes increasingly popular in the public sector. This paper examines the role of innovation labs in facilitating multi-actor collaboration for the development of new online service in emergency response, using the case of the Seattle Innovation and Performance Office (Seattle IP) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study reveals that the Seattle IP acted as a crucial liaison, fostering connections among city departments, technology companies, and citizens. It aligned goals, integrated resources, and transferred collaborative innovation knowledge to other cities. Key determinants for its success included its position within the mayor's office, an adaptive structure with dedicated staff, and the urgency of the pandemic. However, financial sustainability for scaling up the online testing registration was identified as a challenge. The findings emphasize the strategic importance of innovation labs in enhancing the public sector's capacity for rapid, coordinated, and human-centric service innovation during crises.