Public services design

How should Government set about improving and innovating the public services that we all use? How can the organisations that provide these services, such as local councils, schools and the NHS best adapt to the social and technological changes that affect their customers and themselves?

We believe co-designing services with users and front line workers is the most effective and sustainable approach. Engine has been working with public sector organisations since 2004, helping them to innovate their services in a highly collaborative manner. Projects range from facilitating citizen engagement processes in the re-designing of services to the development of innovation processes within a local council.

Citizen engagement in the design of public services is seen as an essential part of civic life in many socially progressive democracies. But the challenges associated with meaningful and robust citizen engagement are considerable – not least are the political, practical and economical considerations that often go against the grain of a top-down, bureaucratic establishment. What’s really changed the landscape in recent years is a greater understanding of the long-term impact of disengagement by citizens in the public realm, on both individual lifestyles, and the health of communities.

The challenge for public sector organisations is not only to consult more effectively with citizens, but to develop altogether new forms of engagement. Many need to reorganise themselves to seek out opportunities to collaborate at the very local level with users and staff and to act upon what they learn.

At Engine, we’ve been developing tools and methodologies for the co-design of public services. We’ve been invited to design and run projects with organisations including Kent County Council, Wycombe District Council, North East Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust and the Department for Education and Skills (as was). We’ve learnt a lot and continue to develop our thinking. We see this work and that of others as contributing to an emerging practice and we’re keen to do more.

Case studies

Nesta Getting into business - made easy
Design Council Schools Renaissance
Creative and Cultural Skills Better choices for creative learners
Design Council Matchmaking designers and SMEs

Viewpoints

Platforms for participation
15 ways to improve your service
Organisational challenges of public service co-design

Publication

Engine and the public policy think tank Demos have co-authored a book called Journey to the Interface about how public service design can connect users to reform.