Open Door
Capstone Design Project / 2022
Service Design
User Research
Digital Product
The Challenge
As a society, we face numerous complex social challenges, problems like climate change, that demand coordinated efforts between the public and our government. While progressive policies are an important tool for guiding social change, they require buy-in from everyday people and this is threatened by falling public trust in political institutions.
The Outcome
Open Door reimagines the process of policy consultation to create positive experiences of civic engagement and increase public involvement in decision making. Through this process the service aims to strengthen public-government connections and lay the groundwork for progressive social change.
How could we bring young adults into the process of policy creation as a way strengthen public-government connections and lay the groundwork for social change?
Process
This project began with a comprehensive discovery phase that incorporated both primary and secondary research techniques. Literature on participatory governance was reviewed, socio-political trends were analyzed, 6 interviews were conducted with subject matter experts in policy and government, and 18 workshops were held with target users.
I found that people feel removed from the federal government and unheard. Government is a black box that lacks transparency and public-facing accountability, and people don’t feel able to impact decision making. Understanding is also a key ingredient for effective advocacy, which is currently impacted by the complexity and accessibility of information.
Building on findings, I moved through a process of iterative prototyping, user testing, and revisions. As I progressed towards the final outcome, some feedback that was incorporated included the need to fit into busy lives, be considerate not to overwhelm users with too much information, and make the value of getting involved explicit to increase interest.
Key Insights
1) that public understanding is key to effective advocacy. This means making information accessible
2) that involvement and participation help people feel heard and reflected
3) that public facing transparency is key to accountable government action and building trust
4) that positive experience of government services can build public trust and support.
Opportunity
Positive experiences with government services and greater involvement can build public trust and support. New methods of engagement are needed that increase public involvement, build levels of understanding, and promote transparency.
Response
Open Door is a digital platform that updates the process of public consultation to make it accessible and appealing for young adults. It improves on current outreach by providing an engaging and interactive way to understand a proposed policy, contribute informed ideas, and reflect on results. Each consultation involves novel visual storytelling and accommodates varied levels of investment. The current needs, future desires, and barriers perceived by everyday people, impact planning and justify policy decisions, contributing to an open data approach to governance that fosters transparency and accountability.
Last updated June 2022