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Summary
Join us for a discussion about Michael's path into the federal government, working to solve problems and design better products and services for the American public and attempting to establish design operations at a government agency and across government.
Key Insights
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Government design practices are significantly behind private sector practices, often taking years to catch up.
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The importance of building a design community is critical to connect disparate design teams within government agencies.
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Many design initiatives within government are undertaken by contractors, which complicates communication and integration.
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Research practices in government design are often siloed, preventing shared knowledge and collaboration across teams.
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A strong understanding of design processes is necessary to effectively implement design operations in government settings.
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Navigating government bureaucracy requires diplomacy and relationship-building to foster collaboration and overcome obstacles.
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Creating a centralized design team and design system can enhance the overall effectiveness of design within government.
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Career paths for designers in government are poorly defined, making it difficult to recruit and retain talent.
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Enabling designers to access tools and resources is essential for improving design outcomes in government.
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The shift towards service design is crucial to improving governmental services delivered to citizens.
Notable Quotes
"Government's design is nascent; we are still seven plus years behind the industry."
"There are lots of little pockets of design that are disconnected and need to be connected."
"Design operations in government is about diplomacy and relationship-building."
"The federal hiring process is a beast; it requires a lengthy resume that details years of your life."
"It's challenging to navigate the bureaucracy; government is intentionally designed to move slowly."
"The lack of official design roles limits our candidate pool when hiring."
"Creativity in design requires a balance of governance to maintain effectiveness."
"Design roles in federal government often end up classified under unrelated job titles due to outdated classifications."
"I believe in mentoring and want to see younger folks come into government and progress in their careers."
"Continuous building and sharing of knowledge across teams will strengthen our design practices."
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