By Lilia Guan

 

IT innovation has captured the attention of governments on a global scale, but the need to create innovative technology and uses for it within the public sector has proven to be a challenge.

 

Frank Huynen - founder of the Innovation Dialogue with Government (INDIGO) Program and Hewlett Packard's Director of Strategy and Innovation for the Global Government Industry Group in Belgium, recently came out to Australia to talk about his project with the Flemish government.

 

In 2005 Mr Huynen launched the INDIGO program to provide information technology services to all policy domains of the Flemish government and is focused on turning policy objectives into real programs.

 

The program provides innovation in three primary transformation areas; enhancing operational efficiency; improving quality; and aligning information technology trends.

 

“The IT innovation agenda has been rolling out on a global government scale for the last couple of years,” Mr Huynen said.

 

“Having a master plan like the Flemish Government in Belgium would help all governments meet their objectives and face any crisis.”

 

While technology was being developed at a fast rate, governments have a difficult challenge in keeping up a continuous effort in maintaining a good level of knowledge to apply IT for longer term use, Mr Huynen said.

 

“It’s a difficult challenge which our [government] clients are trying to address,” he said.

 

“By having a good dialogue to allow them to get access to what’s in the IT pipelines so they can implement business intelligence platforms, to determine what needs to be rolled out was a first step.

 

“Governments at times can also be constrained by budget concerns which forced them to think outside of the box when it comes to technology innovation within departments.”

 

Mr Huynen said IT innovation wasn’t constrained to what governments can do within their own departments but also what agenda the government can set for its citizens.