Design Thinking Can Help Governments Deliver Better Services.

• Position: News & Numbers

Governments are using design thinking techniques to realize the next generation of service delivery--which will focus on the experience of government, according to "Creating the Ultimate Government Experience," a report from Government Technology and IBM. "New government services consist of three layers: infrastructure and data, applications and services, and end-user experience. Governments have focused on the first two layers--the solution, rather than the experience." But end-user experiences are key to knowing what new services constituents need. "Design thinking techniques provide a framework that involves the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process."

The report summarizes three core principles of design thinking to help organizations deliver better services: 1) Focus on user outcomes that are informed by qualitative and quantitative research; 2) Use insights from a cross-section of stakeholders for a broad range of perspectives and solution ideas; and 3) Roll out solutions in a series of small iterations that can be continuously evaluated and improved.

As citizens have better and better customer experiences in the public sector, they expect that level of technology from government, as well. And providing excellent customer service translates into significant business benefits, the report says. One example is shortening procurement timeframes. The report cites New...