Navigating uncertainty and complexity in public administrations

Experimental governance helps administrations manage uncertainty and complexity by mobilising actors, experimenting in safe spaces, coordinating across boundaries, balancing competing interests, and institutionalising lessons learned. Strong governance and innovation performance are closely linked. Regions with higher quality of government attract more innovation funding and produce better outcomes, underscoring the role that public sector capacity plays in innovation ecosystems. Case studies show experimental governance in practice, revealing how different policy contexts shape which functions are prioritised and how they interact. Recommendations include developing tools to empower public administrations to engage in experimental governance: support for experimental clauses, developing sharing repositories, developing internal staff capacity to engage in innovation