Designing for government services

Part of my interest in visualizing economic data comes from my belief that interaction and information design has a lot to offer the public sector in providing a better access to the data the government collects about itself and the society at large. But there are people currently looking at design’s impact in delivering government services. This is happening in the United Kingdom though an organization called the Design Council which is funded by the UK government, and promotes the use of design in both businesses and public services. The goal is to “demonstrate that design can play a vital role in strengthening our economy and improving our society”. My hope is that one day this type of organization will exist here in the US.

Here is an introduction to their design process from their web site.

Discover
The first quarter of the double diamond model marks the start of the project. This begins with an initial idea or inspiration, often sourced from a discovery phase in which user needs are identified. These include:

Market research

User research

Managing information

Design research groups.

Define
The second quarter of the double diamond model represents the definition stage, in which interpretation and alignment of these needs to business objectives is achieved. Key activities during the Define stage are:

Project development

Project management

Project sign-off.

Develop
The third quarter marks a period of development where design-led solutions are developed, iterated and tested within the company. Key activities and objectives during the Develop stage are:

Multi-disciplinary working

Visual management

Development methods

Testing.

Deliver
The final quarter of the double diamond model represents the delivery stage, where the resulting product or service is finalised and launched in the relevant market. The key activities and objectives during this stage are:

Final testing, approval and launch

Targets, evaluation and feedback loops.