The final piece in our Innovations in Public Policy series asks: Can ‘design’ help bridge the gap between policymaking and delivery, and reinvent the ‘craft’ of policymaking?
In the context of heightened uncertainty and urgency to tackle global crises, governments also face system complexities which exacerbate the challenge of delivering on policy intent. This piece by Catherine Durose (Professor of Public Policy and Co-Director of the Heseltine Institute), Rainer Kattel (Deputy Director and Professor of Innovation and Public Governance at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose), Lucy Kimbell (Professor of Contemporary Design Practices at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London), Ramia Mazé (Professor in Design for Social Innovation and Sustainability at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London) and Liz Richardson (Professor of Public Administration in the Department of Politics, University of Manchester) highlights the potential of design as an approach to innovate policymaking processes.
Design is emerging as a practical, iterative and collaborative method for addressing complex issues. This piece highlights examples including policy labs, integrated design of digital services and community-led initiatives to tackle climate change show that embedding design in government can lead to more effective, joined-up and democratically legitimate policymaking. The growing use of design across the UK government and internationally signals its potential to encourage creativity, experimentation and real-world engagement.
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