The Public Sector

Visitor: Jonathan Romm, Aho/Halogen

We talked about identity, rather than branding. The importance of symbols as identifiers, such as logos. When organizations expand, moves into new markets and/or changes, it needs to reflect that. It needs to make the transformation from within the core and out to the visual identity. 

It’s all about relations. To the users, the public, the employees.

Transformational

Ferniss: Service Interaction Design

Adheasion: Service design intervention

Core: Organizational transformation:

We discussed the transformation from NSB -> VY, and the role and relation NSB  has to the public. That it always takes time for the public to adjust to the new identity. It’s also a concern that the tax money is used on something that sounds commercial and superficial, and not dealing with the real organizational issues. Even though that might not be the case. And this illustrates the importance of peoples connection and relations to the symbols of the public services.

Visitor: Frida Almqvist, Ph.D fellow, AHO

Implementation

An issue for service design has been that concepts are either not realized, or implemented without the designers in the process, and therefore not in holistically and according to the designed brand and service.

Therefore it’s important to design for the implementation. We were introduced to the method of Roadmapping. Where you co-create the implementation strategy with the clients so that it’s feasible and strategically smart. It's important to involve the users in workshops, for the aforementioned reasons, but also for the ownership of the clients to the proposed solutions.

A question arose:

“Is implementation always the goal for design?”

“It could be a steppingstone” - Jonas

Visitor: Kaya, Designit

Branding/reputation=Breputation?

The public sector not identifying with the terminology, branding, because it's not necessarily about selling or getting more clients. For them, it's about their reputation and how they are being perceived by others.

Workshop

Being aware of the tone of voice with the participants of workshops in the public sector. 

Skepticism is always there, and we have to deal with it. The issue is often about the person feeling responsible and criticized, rather than a problem with the workshop facilitator which is being confronted about it.

To deal with skeptical participants one should come into the workshop being interested, committed and diplomatic, rather than trying to defend or sell oneself but have confidence in the process and methods of design. 

Framing Insights

By first highlighting the positive insights, participants is more receptive of looking at the more challenging or problematic insights. 

Critique

Being critiqued is a strategic opportunity to give a good explanation and impression. This constructive and positive attitude is core to design and can be applied to design in general. Ex. a critical article in a newspaper could be a good opportunity to show the public a different side of the coin.

Proposals

Visitor: Heidi from Halogen

Designing for policies

Understanding/be aware of the complexity, from the government to end users. This is design material.

The bureaucratic gap. Bringing the end user context and needs to the top level of planning in the government.

All systems have been designed, but not necessarily by designers or with a user-centered approach.

Workshops

High-level people in the government can be uncomfortable about an innovation process because of its open-ended nature, and not with a defined solution. 

Its important to acknowledge, respect and create a sense of trust to have a fruitful process. 

A challenge could be the fear of losing power, other power struggles and responsibility. So be clear about the roles.

Finding the sweet spot in the edge of the comfort zone.

Visual communication has a great impact on the discussion in the way it can say a lot at a glance and highlight the most important aspects. It can also legitimize seemingly obvious, and underrepresented, important aspects. Take account for emotional, as well as rational arguments.

Design?

Design still being perceived as a superficial luxury. 

Here is a small neat trick:

Visitor: Josina Vink

Today we had a visit from Josina Vink that talked about her experience working in the public sector in Toronto, Canada, within the mental health and addiction sector.

Bottom-up changes

Changes already happen by getting people together to talk through the conflicts and tensions, not only to identify underlying problems or gathering insights for a solution later on, and that having those talks causes a ripple effect throughout the process.

System thinking

By using the iceberg model they came down to deeper levels of understanding the root causes. Working through the events, patterns, structural systems, and mental models.

Working in silos is very much present, and effects the holistic understanding and the sense of responsibility.

There were seemingly more holistic understanding of their mental health and context among the users and their peers, versus a more clinical understanding from the people working in the service. 

Discussing Delight

Should delight be the end goal of any design challenge, or is it relevant according to whether your basic needs are met. Is it most relevant to the top layers of Maslow´s pyramid?

Visitor: Simon Clatworthy

Can we design tap water?

What is branding, and what can it do in the public sector?

Should it even be called a brand, or identity, and what's the difference? Could we call it something else?

Is every service a brand, unintentionally or not, or is it a brand when actively taking actions to be perceived in a certain manner?  

How can a branding process influence culture within a big organization?

How do you ensure commitment and a successful implementation?