The Surge Team
The Surge Team, housed in the Canada School of Public Service, provides support on projects across government where quick action or breakthroughs are needed. We are a multi-disciplinary team of policy professionals that bring diverse skills, perspectives, and tools allowing us to support a variety of projects across government such as policy briefs, presentations, facilitated sessions, and even SaaS solutions.
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Team Traits
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Team Skills
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Collaborative
We work in close collaboration with our partners, meeting regularly to ensure proper direction on our project and adjusting course as needed.
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Problem Solving
We approach problems from many perspectives, using our diverse backgrounds and skills to find unique solutions to complex issues.
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Rigorous
We think things through carefully, testing ideas and solutions thoroughly.
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Briefing
We excel at simplifying large and complex amounts of information, providing knowledge to others by making ideas and fact accessible.
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Adaptable
We are able to work on a variety of projects and can pivot quickly to meet our client's needs.
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Research and Analysis
We work closely with subject matter experts across wide areas of study collecting and disseminating information on a variety of subjects.
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Surge Team Services
How We Work
The Surge Team works in short sprints and deep dives to improve the quality of products. Our work is iterative and collaborative, learning from failures and successes. We think carefully, quickly, and constantly. We ask questions throughout the life a project analysing thoroughly, consulting, collaborating, refining, and iterating. Our projects are often non-linear, redefining problem statements and generating more research as we move forward, but we work quickly and iteratively changing course as needed. Our approach is most effective with engaged and collaborative partners as we use these regular touchpoints throughout the project to build off your expertise and respond to your needs.
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Past Projects
Since December 2018 we have worked with several organizations including the Privy Council Office, the Department of National Defense, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Employment and Service Delivery Canada, and many others to deliver over 50 projects with more than 150 individual deliverables. These projects have contributed to learning, innovation, and policy priorities across the Government of Canada. Our projects touch on varying aspects of government including public administration, innovation, indigenous relations, and national security. Our deliverables each require a variety of skills to complete including research, deck building, co-ordination, facilitation, storytelling, and many more.
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Examples of Projects:
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Online Transition Planner and Checklist: A tool to support Government transition
Partnership with the Privy Council Office
Centralized a checklist of tasks to be completed for all incoming and outgoing Ministers, staff, and offices
Deployed a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) tool across the GC
Provided an enterprise-wide view of transition activities for the Privy Council Office
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Behavioral Insights Blended Services Pilot: Facilitated Workshop Learning
Partnership with the Policy Community Partnerships Office, Privy Council Office, and Behavioral Insights Team
Applied a team-based learning-by-doing approach to teach public servants about Behavioral Insights and make concrete progress on real problems
Combined expert-led training and one-on-one support to develop BI-based interventions for real world challenges
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Reconciliation Primer: Policy Brief and Learning Tool
Partnership with Health Canada
Primer for public servants on the need for reconciliation and the role they can play
Developed in consultation with Indigenous public servants and policy experts
Content contributed to the app Reconciliation: A Starting Point
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Modern Public Engagement: Facilitated Discussions and Engagement Framework Development
Partnership with Transport Canada
Curation of tools and resources relevant to public engagement that will support TC's Transformation Plan
Provides a public engagement framework in prototype format that articulates 5 broad phases of engagement and explores best practices
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