Abstract
This article presents a methodological model for innovation in public services centred on a deep understanding of service users’ expectations and needs. The model was developed through a University–State co‑design process involving the Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana and Chile’s Government Lab (Laboratorio de Gobierno). An applied research and collaborative design methodology was employed, using a mixed‑methods (qualitative and quantitative) approach. Data were collected through semi‑structured interviews and documentary review, complemented by co‑creation workshops and expert validation sessions. The resulting model enables the identification and closure of gaps between institutional perceptions and the public’s actual needs. Although its application is still at a pilot stage, its comparative use is envisaged across public agencies in Chile and Latin America as a pathway to strengthening participatory and inclusive governance.
Keywords
public innovation; human‑centred design; co‑design; public services.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.519
Citation
Ferrer-Mavarez, M., Aguirre-Villalobos, E.R., Valenzuela-Zubiaur, M., Mendez-Sanchez, R.E., and Torres-Bustos, H. (2026) People-centred public innovation: A co-design model between university and state, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.519
Creative Commons License
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Included in
People-centred public innovation: A co-design model between university and state
This article presents a methodological model for innovation in public services centred on a deep understanding of service users’ expectations and needs. The model was developed through a University–State co‑design process involving the Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana and Chile’s Government Lab (Laboratorio de Gobierno). An applied research and collaborative design methodology was employed, using a mixed‑methods (qualitative and quantitative) approach. Data were collected through semi‑structured interviews and documentary review, complemented by co‑creation workshops and expert validation sessions. The resulting model enables the identification and closure of gaps between institutional perceptions and the public’s actual needs. Although its application is still at a pilot stage, its comparative use is envisaged across public agencies in Chile and Latin America as a pathway to strengthening participatory and inclusive governance.