The Lost Year

Key Insights

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  Public sector design challenges operate on slow-changing infrastructure layers that hold the most power despite less visibility.

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  Removing outdated government processes, like the VA’s Form 8 dropout, can save decades of manual labor annually.

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  Design efforts that integrate multiple state benefit programs can drastically reduce enrollment time, as seen in Vermont's document uploader pilot.

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  Civic tech is a 50-year project; meaningful progress requires patience and understanding systemic legacies from groups like Helsinki Design Lab and Code for America.

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  Government employees are often passionate and aware of problems but lack the tools and paths to realize solutions.

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  Coalition-building and respect for existing institutional experience are crucial for sustainable change in public sector design.

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  Design systems and accessible tooling empower policy-adjacent roles, enabling more inclusive contribution in government projects.

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  Nava, founded during a crisis, aims for equity and inclusion with majority women staff and expanding apprenticeship programs to break traditional access barriers.

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  The scale of public sector problems can be overwhelming; focusing on what is within your control helps maintain motivation and effectiveness.

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  Repairing public institutions is foundational to addressing broader societal crises like racial injustice, climate change, and democratic decline.

Notable Quotes