Reimagining Civic Education: Applying the Build-Measure-Learn Model to Government Training

• Aaron Deutsch, Public Policy, University of Delaware

• Chase Barnes, Institute of Public Administration at the Biden School, University of Delaware

This project explores how the Lean Startup methodology can be applied to government training programs to enhance efficiency, responsiveness, and user engagement. Developed by Eric Ries, the Build-Measure-Learn (BML) feedback loop encourages rapid experimentation, data-driven decision-making, and continuous learning. While typically associated with startups, this model has growing relevance in the public sector, where innovation is often constrained by bureaucracy and limited resources. As a Summer Fellow at the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA), I sought to apply the BML model to the Local Government Training Program. This involved assessing past training efforts, identifying inefficiencies, and designing a more agile, user-informed system. We started by auditing and reorganizing historical training materials, identifying which practices were effective and which needed improvement. We then benchmarked against similar programs at peer institutions, including Georgia and Maryland, to gather comparative insights and best practices. From there, we began “building” the new iteration of the training program, selecting and scheduling relevant courses, and establishing a continuous feedback mechanism through post-training evaluations. This ensures that future improvements are grounded in real participant experiences, allowing for ongoing refinement of the program. Ultimately, this project demonstrates how methodologies like Lean Startup can bridge the gap between innovation and bureaucracy. It lays a foundation for a modernized civic education infrastructure—one that evolves with its users, prioritizes learning over rigidity, and embraces change as a feature, not a flaw.