Summary
At the inaugural Civic Design Conference, curators including Ariel, Sarah, and the opening speaker reflect on extensive teamwork and collective effort over the past year to define civic design’s philosophy and impact. They curated over 150 proposals and selected speakers who illustrate the multifaceted nature of civic design across different levels of government and countries. The session underscores a shared vision among civic designers for an accessible, equitable future driven by human-centered design despite challenges and inevitable failures. Featured stories include Christian Bason from Denmark defining civic design, designers in Belgium advancing inclusion during COVID, designers in British Columbia responding to migrant food supply needs, and a Mexican Ministry of Culture initiative to embed design thinking in government problem-solving. A panel with women leading design labs in Philadelphia, New York City, and Montgomery County reveals commonalities and uniqueness in local civic design efforts. The day concludes with strategies for sustaining and extending civic design work beyond individual projects, emphasizing the ongoing journey and collaborative spirit in improving societal challenges through design.
Key Insights
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The conference was shaped by hundreds of hours of collaboration and the review of over 150 speaker proposals.
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Civic design is rooted in human-centered design principles aiming for accessibility and equity in public services.
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Failure is embraced as a vital part of the journey in civic design, fostering closer collaboration and improvement.
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Christian Bason from Denmark provides a pioneering definition of civic design that resonates globally.
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COVID-19 created unique opportunities to advance inclusion in digital public services, as seen in Belgium.
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In British Columbia, civic designers rapidly adapted food supply assistance for thousands of migrants during the pandemic.
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Mexico’s Ministry of Culture established a space and policy to integrate design thinking in governmental problem-solving.
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A panel of women leading design labs from Philadelphia, New York City, and Montgomery County highlight diverse but interconnected approaches.
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Sustainable civic design efforts require ongoing collaboration and systems to extend impact beyond individual projects.
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The conference fosters a new global civic design community, emphasizing interdependence and shared purpose.
Notable Quotes
"Today marks both an end and a beginning for civic design."
"We stormed, formed, and designed this gathering together across seasons and Zoom backgrounds."
"We are united by a shared vision of an accessible, equitable future using human-centered design principles."
"Failure will bring us closer as much as success does in this work."
"There is no destination in civic design; there is only the journey to improve the world one project at a time."
"Christian Bason offers a definition of civic design that gives us our first sparks of relief and excitement."
"COVID was a long-awaited opportunity to push forward inclusion in digital service delivery in Belgium."
"Thousands of migrants required quick, empathetic food supply solutions during the pandemic in British Columbia."
"Design thinking is now a government policy and space in Mexico’s Ministry of Culture."
"By working further together, we foster a new community of civic designers shaping society worldwide."
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