Summary
While the use of design in government is on the rise, there is a question about whether this way of working in government can be sustained in the long-term. If you are interested in building design capacity in government, do you start with a dedicated team of experts, or with grassroots frontline staff? Using examples from city governments from around the world, this presentation will explore the pros and cons to each approach, its impact on sustainability, and the additional factors that help embed design in government (i.e.: senior leadership buy-in, dedicated resources, storytelling, measuring impact, etc.).
Key Insights
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Civic design is growing globally, with strong adoption at city levels and emerging state and national level presence.
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Denmark and Singapore are early pioneers in integrating civic design nationally.
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The US began serious civic design efforts around 2013 with the Office of Personnel Management’s Lab at OPM.
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Integrating behavioral economics into civic design has enabled cities like Anchorage and Syracuse to achieve multi-million dollar savings.
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Measuring impact with quantitative baselines not only demonstrates success but also builds buy-in from government stakeholders.
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Storytelling using visuals, resident quotes, and experiences helps build empathy and sustain support within government entities.
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Teaching civic design through project-based learning, boot camps, and open office hours creates internal advocates and scales the practice.
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Planning ahead by engaging a broad base of senior leaders and budget managers early is essential for sustaining innovation in government.
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Rapid prototyping helps maintain momentum past ideation and accelerates moving towards implementation.
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Contractors can evangelize civic design effectively by showcasing case studies with measurable returns on investment relevant to government priorities.
Notable Quotes
"Design is growing in government at all levels worldwide, with city governments showing the most significant growth."
"Integrating skills like data analytics and behavioral economics amplifies the power of design to solve complex problems."
"Measuring impact wasn’t something I was taught as a designer, but it’s now central to how I work every day."
"Telling your story helps government stakeholders see how your work is different and builds empathy for the people you serve."
"Build time into your project plan to tell your story along the way, not just at the end."
"Teaching others civic design creates your biggest advocates and project partners in government."
"Planning ahead and engaging senior leaders and budget officers early is up to you—no one else will advocate for this work."
"Cities like Seattle increased testing capacity by thousands per day by using design to improve processes during COVID."
"Rapid prototyping keeps momentum from the idea phase and helps teams move toward implementation."
"Contractors can catalyze civic design adoption by showing measurable outcomes from case studies in similar service areas."
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