Ashley Cortez
Design Lead, NYC Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity, Service Design Studio
Devika Menon
Service Design Strategist, City of Philadelphia
Nidhi Singh Rathore
Assistant Professor of Design, Corcoran School of Arts & Design at George Washington University
Danita J. Reese
Service Design Strategist, City of Philadelphia
Mari Nakano
Director of Design, NYC Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity, Service Design Studio
Summary
This session is a panel discussion about what community-centered design looks like in local government. We’ll talk about why it’s important to collaborate with communities, the conditions that are required to practice community-centered design, and what it looks like in action.
Key Insights
-
•
Community-centered design empowers residents and frontline staff by involving them in decision-making processes.
-
•
Service design in local government is a young practice that requires an agile mindset and an iterative approach.
-
•
Establishing trust with communities is key; this can be built through honest, vulnerable interactions and transparent communication.
-
•
Emotional capacity and vulnerability among government staff help create a safe environment for community engagement.
-
•
Time is critical; both to build relationships and to allow for genuine community engagement without rushing projects.
-
•
Each municipality has unique dynamics, but shared values around community engagement unite these service design teams.
-
•
Tools and frameworks need to be designed with accessibility in mind to meet diverse community needs.
-
•
Addressing historical inequities in government requires a concerted effort to shift decision-making power to impacted communities.
-
•
The culture of local government must evolve to embrace vulnerability, reflection, and open dialogue to support community-centered practices.
-
•
Creative partnerships and collaborations can help bridge the gap between residents and government, fostering innovative solutions.
Notable Quotes
"Community members and direct service providers embody and shape the community itself."
"Community-centered design is about shifting decision-making power to those most impacted by policies and services."
"Listening is essential; we have to meet communities where they are."
"When engaging communities, we are learning as much from them as they are from us."
"It’s about being uncomfortable, authentic, and critically reflecting on our intentions at every turn."
"The core of community-centered design is having conversations that prioritize resident voices over bureaucratic processes."
"Cultivating a culture of vulnerability and transparency enhances collaboration in government settings."
"Sustainability in community-driven projects involves connecting initiatives with long-term funding and support."
"Time spent building relationships pays off in fostering a strong foundation for ongoing community engagement."
"Transparency is your greatest ally when navigating challenges in government projects."
More Videos
"We need to articulate clear outcomes in order to measure our success effectively."
Kristin Skinner Kamdyn MooreGroup Activity: A Deep Dive Into Value and Outcomes
October 23, 2019
"The goal is not to take notes; the goal is to think effectively."
Jorge ArangoThe Best of Both Worlds: How to Integrate Paper and Digital Notes (1st of 3 seminars) (Videoconference)
April 5, 2024
"Order and chaos are very different columns of modes."
Prabhas Pokharel Mayo NissenOrder and Chaos: New Ways of Collaborating on Synthesis and Storytelling
March 10, 2022
"The assistive technology tools on mobile are free and built into the devices, making access easier."
Sam ProulxMobile Accessibility: Why Moving Accessibility Beyond the Desktop is Critical in a Mobile-first World
March 10, 2022
"It's vital to weave a narrative into research insights to compel actionable responses from decision-makers."
Roberta Dombrowski Sam Duong WoloszynskiMaking Research a Team Sport
March 11, 2022
"We risk imposing one dominant way of designing over others."
Josina VinkNavigating the pitfalls of systems thinking in service design
December 4, 2024
"Design operations professionals must facilitate collaboration between human effort and AI efficiency."
Angelos ArnisNavigating the Rapid Shifts in Tech's Turbulent Terrain
October 2, 2023
"If we can partner with someone doing well in the government space, we can mitigate our risk."
Ted NewardTheme 4: Enterprise Organizational Journey
June 4, 2019
"Change has to come from within the community."
Maria SkaadenPanel Discussion: Methodologies and Work Environments
November 8, 2018
