Independent demonstration projects: A teaching case on innovation

ABSTRACT Independent Demonstration Projects is a strategy to innovate for government without prior approval of officials. The innovator implements their idea as a minimum viable product, independent of the government. Once the innovation is operating, it creates pressure on officials to sustain and expand it with government resources. This case illustrates the strategy with a factual example of innovating public access to government records in Virginia. The narrative presents two major decisions: (1) What strategy should the innovator use to get the government to make data available to the public? and (2) Once the innovator created a demonstration version, what else did he need to do so the government would adopt his innovation? The narrative is followed by teaching notes with suggested discussion questions. The case can be useful for teaching government innovation, civic hacking activism, administrative burden, and open government.