Summary
As part of a MHCLG funded transformation programme, we were tasked with redesigning an outdated, manual planning system into one fit for the 21st century. Planning officers were grappling with systems that didn’t meet their needs. They were spending a lot of time on manual tasks and dealing with the impacts of human error. Our brief was to deliver a planning service designed by its users, in this case local authority planning officers. We took a radical approach of embedding with a team of subject matter experts, sharing knowledge around digital and agile as we went. This approach meant that user needs drove every action we took but also that the transformation of thinking and approaches from agile and service design started to have an impact on the local authorities themselves. We developed a set of design principles to keep both user needs and our collective vision at the heart of the process with a focus on moving from documents to data, reducing ‘noise’ and bringing the right information to users at the right time.
Key Insights
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Service designers have a crucial role in the long-term viability of public services.
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Viable services must function well and also be sustainable and scalable.
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Interdisciplinary teams enhance the design process and service quality.
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Embedding agile practices in public sector organizations supports adaptability and responsiveness.
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User engagement leads to tangible improvements and confidence in design decisions.
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Service design isn't just about desirability; feasibility and viability are also critical.
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Continuous iteration and user testing uncover nuances and improve service quality.
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Creating a robust service ecosystem requires collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders.
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Design principles grounded in user needs can empower users to participate in the design process.
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Investing in community building is essential for sustainable service development.
Notable Quotes
"Service designers should be going beyond the viable to establish all the things that the service needs to flourish in the long term."
"Working services over extensive mapping helps us ensure a focus on creating solutions that really meet needs."
"Agile is an accessible means of creating and responding to change within public services."
"We can’t create better planning processes without the active engagement of planning teams in every stage of design."
"The narrative of collaboration fosters confidence and empowers users to advocate for change."
"We believe that change is fundamentally about people, and service design must operate in that context."
"Success is about showing that shift towards users building services, which frees designers to take on new roles."
"Good services come from individuals and interactions, not just processes and tools."
"Our vision has always been to create something scalable and transformative at a national level."
"A coalition of the willing has organically developed into a community for change."
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