Shifting Toward Community-Led Innovation in Local Government

Key Insights

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  Community-centered design requires shifting decision-making power from traditional policymakers to residents and frontline staff.

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  Emotional capacity and vulnerability within design teams are critical to authentic community engagement.

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  Government bureaucracy and unrealistic timelines often inhibit true community-centered processes.

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  Trauma-informed design practices help teams navigate discomfort inherent in community-centered work.

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  Embedding city staff within project teams balances perspectives and facilitates collaboration.

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  Transparency in communication is a key ally in building trust with communities.

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  Sustained relationships and iterative engagement improve equity in community participation.

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  Initiatives like Montgomery County’s Design by People reverse traditional innovation hierarchies by involving residents as innovation architects.

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  Community members, unlike government staff, show up with full and complex needs that require holistic responses.

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  Creating safe spaces for government colleagues to express candidly requires time, relationship-building, and emotional support.

Notable Quotes