Going the distance for people

The promise and power of design research is beginning to take hold in the Government of Canada. Extending far beyond sticky notes and fun design-jams, the value is in creating nuanced and inclusive government services that work for people. This talk focuses on going the distance for the people we serve by keeping in mind that our ability to create change depends on how well we craft our processes and how far we push existing conditions.

At the Canadian Digital Service (CDS), we team up with federal departments and agencies to put people’s needs at the center of government services. Even in fast-paced development cycles, at CDS, we go the distance by employing mindful research practices to build digital solutions for diverse populations. Drawing on case studies from work with vulnerable populations and special needs groups, this talk calls for design researchers to commit themselves to a publicly-oriented model of human-centered design and service delivery.