Key Insights

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  Prediseño was the first public fund in Mexico dedicated to prototype-based design, introducing iteration into government funding.

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  Treating children and teenagers as users familiar with UX/UI made design programs more natural and engaging for younger audiences than traditional audiences.

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  Introducing design vocabulary like 'prototype' to bureaucrats was critical to gain funding and acceptance within government.

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  Oris Santos was a COVID-inspired fund shifting arts from physical to digital, combining mentorship with monetary support, making government processes more user-friendly.

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  Creating a design department within government with no prior structure or budget required rapid learning, adaptation, and a studio-like mindset.

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  Pat Helisco is Mexico's first public design residency exclusive to designers, focusing on social impact projects and providing a physical and digital platform.

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  Don Hill's concepts of 'dark matter' and 'trojan horses' helped them strategically navigate organizational culture and embed design quietly but effectively.

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  Collaborating between government and private collections enabled the first-ever design exhibition in a local government context, extending inclusion to overlooked stakeholders.

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  Branding a government design department to feel consumer-facing and approachable helped break stereotypes of government as square and institutional.

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  Embedding design within government infrastructure physically—occupying 30% of a heritage building and opening it to the public—symbolizes transparency and accessibility.

Notable Quotes