Leveraging Civic Design to Advance Equity and Rebuild Trust in the US Federal Government
Summary
The promise of good civic design may only be realized when it is equally good for everyone. In large and complex systems, we may never fully achieve this. But it is the work of civic designers to persist and lead change. The importance of this commitment is abundantly clear around Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access. On his first day in office, President Biden issued Executive Order 13985 On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. Learn how service designers are embracing this catalyst for change at different levels of the federal ecosystem.
Key Insights
-
•
The 2021 Equity Executive Order requires a whole-of-government transformation to address systemic inequities across federal agencies.
-
•
Customer experience improvement cannot be detached from addressing equity; understanding diverse experiences is essential.
-
•
Civic design practices such as systems thinking, stakeholder engagement, and iterative problem framing are central to implementing equity initiatives.
-
•
Redistributing power by involving people with lived experience in design processes is key to creating equitable government services.
-
•
Federal-level policy work and agency-level service delivery efforts are complementary and inform one another in advancing equity.
-
•
Building cross-functional teams, including external equity fellows, enhances capacity to meet executive order goals.
-
•
Engagement models, including learning communities and interagency roundtables, facilitate collaboration and shared knowledge among agencies.
-
•
Respecting both internal agency expertise and the expertise of customers is crucial to effective equitable design.
-
•
Power in government can be used ethically to foster equitable outcomes through responsibility, reflection, and reciprocity.
-
•
Iterative testing and adapting of equity assessment tools and engagement methods help refine approaches under complex government constraints.
Notable Quotes
"Citizen participation is like eating spinach—everyone agrees it’s good, but few actually do it meaningfully."
"Equal solutions still leave some people out; tailoring based on needs actually provides equity."
"The equity executive order calls for a whole-of-government transformation—think about the scale of that."
"Customer experience cannot truly be good if some are left out or excluded, either intentionally or unintentionally."
"We have the responsibility to redistribute our power and include those who have a stake in the work we do."
"We built an equity learning community with 25 virtual sessions, 4 interagency roundtables, and one-on-one consultations with 37 agencies."
"Government isn’t always trusted, so we worked with local partners to connect with underserved communities."
"Reflecting on our power as implementers of policy, we must reciprocate by giving back information and value to those we engage."
"Iterative engagement models mean we test, learn, and adapt rather than seeking a perfect solution from the start."
"Civic designers are in a privileged position; with privilege comes the power to empower the voices of those we serve."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"The subtle art of taking care of yourself and giving a f in ways that generally encourage coherent behaviors."
John CutlerThe Alignment Trap
November 29, 2023
"The term ‘study’ rings of academia and reinforces power dynamics; I prefer continuous engagement instead."
Jemma Ahmed Robert Fabricant Sean McKay Llewyn Paine Kate Towsey Noah BondTheme Panel
March 11, 2025
"No one wants to hear a story that makes them feel bad; you have to create a safe environment that offers hope."
Jon FukudaStorytelling for DesignOps
August 17, 2023
"Data is not just numbers; it tells us the story of student learning."
Kristin SkinnerFive Years of DesignOps
September 29, 2021
"If you have an unmet need, pairing can help address it by matching offers and needs within the team."
Christopher Taylor Edwards Valerie RoskeDesign as a Team Practice, A Practical Guide to Cross-functional Collaboration
September 30, 2021
"It’s critical that research does not cause distress to participants; trust must be fostered with transparency and safety."
Amy Paris Danielle ThierryDelivering Equity: Government Services for All Ages, Languages, Sexual Orientations, and Gender Identities
December 9, 2021
"A new joiner meeting someone 10 months in who’s still meeting new people shows the scale and complexity of JP Morgan."
Julie Gitlin Esther RaiceDesign as an Agent of Digital Transformation at JPMC
June 9, 2021
"Even though we are virtual, we are still a community and obligated to treat each other with respect and kindness."
Louis Rosenfeld Bria AlexanderOpening Remarks
March 27, 2023
"Investing time in people, relationships, and collaboration pays off in stronger teams and better user experiences."
Davis Neable Guy SegalHow to Drive a Design Project When you Don’t Have a Design Team
June 10, 2021
