Summary
The Head of Design at the Ministry of Culture of Jalisco is the only public entity in Mexico working toward establishing public policy for design. The department has introduced design concepts such as prototyping and iteration in the Government through the design of open calls, funds, and exhibition. They have pioneered platforms such as Plataforma Activa de Diseño, or Pad Jalisco, (trad. Active Platform for Design) a space for design projects involving subjects that are connected to Government goals, including climate change, social equality and gender perspective. Through Plataforma Activa de Diseño, designers can receive funds and mentorship from other parts of the Government in order to improve their projects and introduce design in other public sectors. In addition to briefly discussing their most important projects, Kassim Vera, the Head of Design, and Sofía Delsordo, the department's Programme Leader, will talk about the main challenges in developing public policy for designers from a highly complex environment and share their experience navigating bureaucracy, legislation, and social vision of the role of the Government in the development of arts and creative economies.
Key Insights
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First public funding for design prototypes in Mexico introduced by the government
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Shift from traditional bureaucratic processes to a design-led approach in public service
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The importance of engaging youth and educators in design education
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Creation of the first public design residency program in Mexico
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The success of 'Or Santos Calisco' in aiding the arts community during the pandemic
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Utilization of design thinking to improve bureaucratic processes
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Strategic importance of design in public policy and community engagement
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Need for government departments to adopt a design mindset
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Design as a tool for social impact and civic participation
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The importance of branding and public perception in government initiatives
Notable Quotes
"We needed a public funding for design prototypes, the first of its kind in Mexico"
"Imagine a world where the government prototypes and iterates all the time"
"We had to work more like a design studio than a government's office"
"Design and strategy must go along together"
"Our proposal for UNESCO's IFC fund aimed to provide human-centered design skills to the arts sector"
"We had to reframe our projects rapidly in response to the changing context"
"Our initiative was the first local fund impacting nationwide specifically in mentorship"
"Good design needs better PR and the government has to be involved in the process"
"Design closes the gap between people and institutions"
"We wanted to make design public, visible, and useful to inspire others to follow suit"
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