Book Review: Solving Public Problems – A Practical Guide to Fix Our Government and Change Our World

Abstract

This is a book review on Solving Public Problems written by Beth Simone Noveck (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2021, 352 pgs.) Dr. Noveck is widely known as an evangelist for digital innovation. But in this book, she focuses on the need to develop a cadre of “public problem solvers” to fix government more broadly. She outlines four sets of skills they need to be successful and the steps that need to be taken to build the capacity to involve both public servants and citizens in tackling public challenges. Her book is a plan of action that is supplemented with exercises at the end of each chapter and a free on-line training course with video tutorials and worksheets.