IPU Innovation Tracker

A quarterly electronic bulletin from the Centre for Innovation in Parliament

Welcome to the Innovation Tracker!

The Innovation Tracker is a blog about recent innovations in the way parliaments do their work. It is where MPs and staff find ideas for solving some of the problems they face in running an effective parliament. It covers all types of innovation in parliament, including (but not limited to) digital technologies.
The Innovation Tracker also provides regular news from the Centre for Innovation in Parliament, a partnership between the IPU and parliaments to support parliamentary innovation through improved use of digital tools.

All parliaments are invited to contribute ideas for inclusion in the Innovation Tracker via this online form or by e-mail to [email protected]. The Innovation Tracker is published online every three months in English, French and Spanish.

We’ll also be tweeting regularly about innovation in parliament using the hashtags #parliament #innovation. We look forward to hearing from you! 

The Spanish versions of the Innovation Tracker are published on the website of the Hispanophone Hub (cip.camara.cl) which is hosted by the Chamber of Deputies of Chile, in the framework of CIP. Translations are kindly provided by IPU GRULAC. 

See also
Centre for Innovation in Parliament
Latest issues

Issue 25

Parliamentary Libary © Rob Lewis, Parliamentary Services Media Library, The Federal Assembly - The Swiss Parliament
In this issue, we explore how the Senate of Spain applied the IPU’s Maturity Framework for AI in Parliaments and discovered that strong technical progress could mask significant gaps in governance and democratic impact. We also examine how the Federal Assembly of Switzerland is embedding trust at the heart of its AI design, going beyond efficiency to uphold democratic values
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Issue 24

The Parliamentary Assembly in Sarajevo (credit: Jennifer Boyer)
In this issue, we explore how the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina used a strategic IT assessment to bridge critical infrastructure gaps and chart a path to digital maturity. We also introduce the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) new Maturity Framework for AI in Parliaments, a practical diagnostic tool to help parliaments navigate their artificial intelligence (AI) adoption journey. Additionally, this
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Issue 23

● National Dialogue on Climate Action
In this issue, we look at how parliamentarians can engage with citizen science platforms, using the lens of human security. We also gain insights into the artificial intelligence (AI) journey of the House of Commons of Canada, and into how it is putting a human-centred approach first. Additionally, we explore how the Chamber of Deputies of Chile is supporting parliaments
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Issue 22

Bundestag
In this issue, we report on how the German Bundestag is using its artificial intelligence (AI) governance model to find ways to prioritize specific AI projects and balance various institutional needs. We also explore how members of the National Assembly of Zambia are engaged in shaping the digital transformation of their parliament. This issue also includes updates on the activities
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Issue 21

fiji
In this issue, we report on parliamentary innovations in three areas: broadcasting, training on AI tools, and the TikTok platform. We also provide updates on the activities of the IPU Centre for Innovation in Parliament hubs, which bring together parliaments around common interests.
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Issue 20

Austrian Parliament building.
In this issue, we report on new ways of doing business: real-time reporting on parliamentary proceedings in Austria and citizen-initiated legislation in Thailand. We also share tips from parliamentary experts from the launch of the IPU’s Guidelines for AI in Parliaments.
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Issue 19

mauritius
In this issue, we report on how parliaments operating in challenging environments are bringing innovation into the heart of their functioning. The three examples – from the National Assembly of Mauritius, a group of Pacific small island developing States, and the National Assembly of Malawi – all show how a combination of political will and technical capacity can modernize parliament and further open up the institution to the people.
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Issue 18

jamaica
In this issue we get an MP’s perspective from Jamaica on how tech matters in daily parliamentary work, as well as an example from Austria of how data visualizations can help MPs and the general public to navigate the national budget. Importantly, this edition also introduces the first set of “Use cases for AI in parliaments” created by the parliaments in the IPU’s Centre for Innovation in Parliament (CIP) community that are at the forefront of experimenting with AI in parliamentary work.
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Issue 17

Brazil deputees
In this issue, we report on developments within the Centre for Innovation in Parliament and its hubs, including: a new Issue brief on Using generative AI in parliaments, an initiative by the Parliamentary Data Science hub to co-create guidelines on AI governance, and a new chapter in the history of the Southern Africa regional hub.
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Issue 16

AI in parliaments
In this special edition of the Innovation Tracker we look at the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in parliaments, and how the technology can transform a wide variety of settings, including parliaments. We hear from three experts leading parliamentary work on AI, and look at two case studies of AI at work in parliaments.
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Issue 15

namibia
In this edition we look at two aspects of digital transformation in parliaments. Firstly, the all-digital chamber and the potential positive impacts on delivering services to members, achieving increased openness and a greener working environment. Second, we look at the considerations that parliaments have for adopting the cloud (or not).
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Issue 14

Parliament of Malawi
In this edition we look at the highlights of the discussions during the launch of the World e-Parliament Report. We look at how the Chamber of Deputies of Italy and the Parliament of Malawi digitally transform parliamentary processes and work, and announce the 3rd edition of the Transforming Parliaments webinar series.
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