Summary
In his opening keynote, Christian Bason, CEO, Danish Design Centre, will share insights from his nearly two decades of work with civic design as an approach to human-centred innovation and sustainable change. Based on his experience from running MindLab, the Danish government’s innovation team, as well as academic research and hands-on design projects with public organisations, Christian will assess the past and present of civic design. He will suggest that while it may seem there is a clash between the empathy, creativity and formgiving in design versus the objectivity, analytics and rationality of bureaucracy, they can be reconciled. The world needs both stability and change, and civic designers who can embrace both perspectives have the potential of transforming how we run government to the benefit of people, society and the planet. Christian will end his presentation by proposing some future directions for civic design that can unleash its full potential in the years to come.
Key Insights
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Civic design emphasizes human-centered approaches and empathy to understand citizen needs.
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Engaging communities in the design process can lead to innovative solutions for complex public issues.
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Civic design helps transcend traditional bureaucratic constraints, fostering adaptability in public services.
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Embedding design methodologies within government can enhance responsiveness and civic value.
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Collaboration across sectors is vital for addressing systemic challenges and improving services.
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Civic design can facilitate transparency and accountability within public institutions.
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The integration of ethics and inclusion is crucial, especially when leveraging technology in governance.
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A focus on sustainable and equitable growth can inform economic development initiatives through design.
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Civic design can inform public policy by modeling potential outcomes through co-creation and prototyping.
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Transforming organizations to prioritize human creativity can enhance engagement and innovation throughout the public sector.
Notable Quotes
"Civic design is about discovering what kind of changes are needed."
"Civic design is challenging because it’s about more than just managing change."
"We need to balance bureaucracy with the ability to change and transform."
"Civic design is about reimagining public problems and opportunities from the perspective of citizens."
"Designers have the incredible capacity to make the abstract tangible."
"We must engage marginalized voices in articulating both problems and creative solutions."
"Democratic accountability and transparency are critical in service delivery."
"Civic design can reduce homelessness by 50%."
"The design approach is the only way the public sector can be developed in ways that make sense for citizens."
"Empathy and citizen engagement need bureaucracy to thrive."
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