Key Insights

• •

  Many civic designers come from diverse backgrounds beyond formal design education, including biology, programming, and graphic design.

• •

  Government workers are often highly dedicated and idealistic, contradicting common stereotypes of laziness.

• •

  Outdated technology and tools in government create significant workflow challenges, yet employees often develop ingenious workarounds.

• •

  Embedding anti-racist, trauma-informed, and decolonized practices into civic design is key to fostering equity in both processes and outcomes.

• •

  Building inclusive, supportive team cultures is as important as recruiting diverse talent to retain civic designers.

• •

  Transparent, accessible, and simplified hiring processes reduce barriers and anxiety for applicants with nontraditional backgrounds.

• •

  Job descriptions in government often bundle too many roles, deterring potential candidates who may fit one or more aspects.

• •

  Meaningful civic design impact arises from activities beyond interfaces, including improving policies, governance, and organizational cultures.

• •

  Networking and peer support are crucial in civic design to share challenges, celebrate successes, and avoid isolation.

• •

  The newly launched Civic Design Library crowdsources global civic design knowledge to foster peer-to-peer learning and accessible, reusable resources.

Notable Quotes