From 2023 to 2024, the staatslabor conducted three half-day training sessions for employees of the Department of Spatial Development and Economy of the Canton of Lucerne. The focus was on learning and applying user-centric approaches in the context of the public administration, alternative decision-making processes, and collaboration techniques that promote hierarchy-free and open cooperation.

In the fall of 2023, the staatslabor supported the Swiss Conference for Vocational, Educational and Career Guidance in shaping rapid and precise strategy cycles. The focus was on the impact of technological changes on vocational, educational and career guidance. The project was focused on conveying relevant tools for designing strategy processes as well as the elaboration of specific strategic areas of action in response to technological change. 

The "Chance Digitalität" program is an engagement of the Jacobs Foundation, which has been led by the staatslabor since 2023. Together with education policy makers, school administrations and school authorities, the program engages with the culture of digitality and advocates for effective and equitable education in Switzerland. As part of a preliminary study, the staatslabor developed offerings for education administrations. These offerings are now being implemented and further developed as part of the program. The staatslabor acts as an incubator for the "Chance Digitalität" program.

Since 2020, the staatslabor has been supporting the Federal Office of Personnel (FOPER) in developing and implementing an Innovation Fellowship Program. The fellowship gives talented experts working outside of the federal administration the opportunity to take on significant challenges within the federal administration over a period of 12 months. The goal is to increase the innovative capacity of the federal administration. Following a successful first run in 2022, new talents have started to make an impact in the federal administration in spring 2024.

From 2021 to 2022, the staatslabor supported the Cantonal Government of Lucerne in developing a comprehensive digital strategy for the canton. In a collaborative process involving stakeholders across the administration, we accompanied the development of a pioneering strategy for the canton's approach to digital transformation in the economy, society, and public administration. The strategy serves as a long-term instrument for the canton to take into account the overall societal impact of digitalization.

In 2021 and 2022, the staatslabor accompanied the Zurich Metropolitan Conference in the development of a "Vision 2050". In a participatory process involving the association's bodies, we developed a new vision which targets the challenges of the Zurich metropolitan area and formulates action-oriented responses to them. We also supported the Metropolitan Conference in implementing the new vision.

From 2020 to 2022, the staatslabor worked with the Federal Parliament services to promote innovation within the organization. To do so, we used the staatsBox, our tool that allows everyone to develop, discuss and test new approaches in a simple and structured way. Various projects resulting from these reflections have been implemented within the Parliament to improve its functioning.

Between 2019 and 2022 we supported the gender equality offices of the city and canton of Bern in setting up a platform for exchange and learning called Werkplatz Egalité. We involved companies in the process and asked the question: „How can we develop an offer that really corresponds to the needs of SME in terms of promoting equality and diversity at work?“ This platform is now well established and used by the Bernese business community.

In a pilot project between 2021 and 2022, we explored the expectations and needs of the youngest citizens regarding the state. We worked with a primary school class in the city of Thun and were interested in how far an online platform could promote direct exchange between children and the public administration and thus increase their participation in key areas such as ecology, spatial planning, education or the police.

In 2021, the staatslabor launched the project Innovation Champions. In this project, young people support public administrations in making state services more modern and user-friendly. Since the start of the project, more than 20 young people and six administrative units from the canton of Aargau have already taken part. The pilot phase will last two years and is financially supported by the Lottery Fund of the canton Aargau and the federal government within the framework of the Child and Youth Promotion Act.

In March 2020, at the very beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the Federal Department of Home Affairs (EDI) mandated the staatslabor to initiate and manage a COVID-19 Civil Society Contact Point, serving as a link between the federal administration and Swiss civil society initiatives. The Contact Point received requests from entities regarding the Federal Council Coronavirus Crisis Unit (KSBC) and allowed a targeted exchange between the public administration and civil society initiatives.

Between late 2020 and early 2021, the staatslabor brought a concept which had already proven its effectiveness abroad, "Dry January," to Switzerland. "Dry January" is a global movement of people who abstain from alcohol in January. The initiative was adapted for Switzerland in collaboration with the main organizations for alcohol prevention and with potential consumers, and was promoted by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). With around one million participants, the campaign was a success in its first run.

In close collaboration with the National Library’s management, the staatslabor designs and implements a participatory process to update the institution's strategy in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.

Our staatsBox is an entrepreneurial tool specifically designed for public servants. It is currently in prototyping and will be available shortly. Feel free to let us know if you are interested, so we can keep you updated (more).

In 2018, the staatslabor facilitated the review and update of the "Digital Switzerland" strategy as part of a one-day strategy workshop. Commissioned by the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) and together with representatives from the interdepartmental coordination group as well as experts from business, science, politics, and society, the update of Switzerland's national strategy on digitalization and new technologies was advanced.

In 2018, the staatslabor advised the Child and Adult Protection Authority of the Canton of Vaud on new ways of collaboration. Together with its employees, the organizational and collaborative culture was assessed, and various proposals were developed to make collaboration more agile and user-centric.