SOS (save our services): how design can survive and thrive in the era of government efficiency

Theme: Perma-crisis | Leadership

Now more than ever, public sector designers across the world have been watching with dread and trepidation as powerful people and political movements take a chainsaw to government departments in the name of efficiency.

In governments where service design is viewed as the added friction to fast-paced technology modernization, this dialogue is especially worrying.

This isn’t a new fear - designers have been fighting for their seat for years - but with every election, it’s becoming more urgent.

As daunting as it seems, there are many things a designer can do to navigate political shifts and uncertainty, while future proofing their practice and creating positive, lasting change.

This talk will help to soothe the anxious design mind while also offering ideas on how to adapt, survive and even strengthen our impact in times of upheaval and political shifts.

Participant takeaways:

• Grounding for designers feeling anxious in our current political climate
• Practical ideas for increasing the impact of design and future-proofing our practice
• Real-world examples of designers working within challenging circumstances to create positive change