The city just took another step forward in fostering innovation within its municipal operations, closing out the 11th Cohort of the Academy for Municipal Innovation (AMI), a joint venture with Thomas Jefferson University. For 10 weeks, city employees paired with Jefferson professors tackled complex problems facing our urban landscape, all through a lens of design thinking and systems-based approaches, as reported by the City of Philadelphia.
This year, 20 city workers from 17 departments and 4 from SEPTA met weekly to refine problem statements, brainstorm solutions, and tackle complex city issues. Through AMI's 11th Cohort, they showed that cross-departmental collaboration can break down silos and lead to more effective ways of serving citizens, as detailed by the City of Philadelphia.
"Participants dug deeply into understanding complex problems, working collaboratively across departments to break down silos, and developing innovative solutions that can be applied to the work we do every day," outlined the reflection piece published on the city’s official website. The emphasis was on 'systems thinking in action'—a methodology that looks at the bigger picture to find sustainable, interconnected solutions to the problems cities face.
The innovation and public sector progress underscored by the AMI demonstrates a commitment to keeping the city dynamic, something that's not just good on paper. It reflects the real willingness to rethink, retool, and reengage with the process of governance, which is essential if the city aims to become more efficient, equitable, and responsive.
