Summary
The pandemic made it painfully clear that the failure of critical public services causes real harm, both physical and financial. Our healthcare system is being overwhelmed, millions are pouring onto unemployment, and we’ve seen an unprecedented number of people trying to access government programs. It has never been more important for government services to be simple, effective, and accessible to all, yet we're far from that vision today. In this talk, Sha Hwang, co-founder and chief operating officer of Nava Public Benefit Corporation, will discuss the opportunities designers have to build government services that prioritize equity and resiliency—and the responsibility that comes with designing systems that serve millions of people.
Key Insights
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Civic tech is a long-term commitment framing a 50-year project to rebuild government trust and infrastructure.
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Addressing outdated government processes, like the VA’s 80-year-old Form 8, can save thousands of labor hours annually.
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Successful public sector design requires understanding the structural incentives and limitations internal to government organizations.
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Design at scale in government demands balancing immediate influence with awareness of what’s outside one’s control.
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Open-source design systems empower non-technical stakeholders, improving agency staff capacity and project ownership.
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Small pilot programs, like Vermont's document uploader, can dramatically reduce enrollment times and improve service delivery.
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Modernizing public services often requires systemic change, policy collaboration, and persistent, patient rollout across regions.
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The design community must approach public service design with humility about decades of institutional challenges and restraints.
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Nava's apprenticeship program addresses barriers to entry in civic design, emphasizing diversity and inclusion.
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Public institutions’ failure to meet basic needs threatens society’s ability to solve broader existential crises.
Notable Quotes
"The fast layers get all the attention, but the slow layers have all the power."
"None of this was inevitable, but systems have dispositions whether intentional or unintentional."
"Every thousand people enrolled through healthcare.gov was roughly equivalent to a life saved down the line."
"Progress takes work. It costs time, attention, energy, and operates on intimidating timescales."
"People in government understand the problems; what they often lack is the investment in tools and skills to get there."
"We cannot give our best work if we are not taking care of ourselves."
"A society that can’t take care of its people maybe doesn’t deserve to solve some of the challenges it faces."
"Political progress is won by coalitions, not just the actions of heroic individuals."
"The cracks in our safety net widened during the pandemic have existed for decades and require sustained action."
"Do not let the fire that brought you here be the fire that burns you out."
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