Abstract
This paper presents key insights from an ongoing international collaboration designed to explore and enhance the effectiveness of citizens’ engagement in designing public services (track 4 of ServDes.2018). Eight practitioner-led case studies that draw upon service design thinking and approaches to work with vulnerable and disadvantaged populations were examined to explore the experiences of participating in projects across a range of critical social service sectors (including community services, healthcare, housing, employment support, policing, and justice) in three countries. Within and cross-case comparison led to identification of key challenges related to engagement, power differentials, health concerns, funding and other economic and social circumstances that affected meaningful, sustained participation of the stakeholder groups. At ServDes we will share the lessons learned from a co- design process involving leaders and participants in the case studies about designing improvements in public services, with particular attention to engaging vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.
Keywords
co-design, vulnerable populations, public services
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/servdes2018.93
Citation
Mulvale, G., Moll, S., Miatello, A., Robert, G., Larkin, M., Palmer, V., Powell, A.,and Gabel, C.(2018) Co-designing public services with vulnerable and disadvantaged populations: Insights from an international collaboration, in Meroni, A., Ospina Medina, A. M., & Villari, B. (eds.), ServDes 2018: Service Design Proof of Concept, 18–20 June, Milan, Italy. https://doi.org/10.21606/servdes2018.93
Creative Commons License
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Conference Track
Research Papers
Co-designing public services with vulnerable and disadvantaged populations: Insights from an international collaboration
This paper presents key insights from an ongoing international collaboration designed to explore and enhance the effectiveness of citizens’ engagement in designing public services (track 4 of ServDes.2018). Eight practitioner-led case studies that draw upon service design thinking and approaches to work with vulnerable and disadvantaged populations were examined to explore the experiences of participating in projects across a range of critical social service sectors (including community services, healthcare, housing, employment support, policing, and justice) in three countries. Within and cross-case comparison led to identification of key challenges related to engagement, power differentials, health concerns, funding and other economic and social circumstances that affected meaningful, sustained participation of the stakeholder groups. At ServDes we will share the lessons learned from a co- design process involving leaders and participants in the case studies about designing improvements in public services, with particular attention to engaging vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.