Public Design
Practice (PONT)

Complex social issues have no clear owner. They belong to everyone and no one at the same time, often affecting multiple domains. Perspectives of stakeholders, such as governments, citizens, and businesses, are often not aligned.

A design approach therefore focuses heavily on gathering these perspectives. Designers look for shared values amid the contradictions. A design approach provides them with the tools and methods to understand what drives their various interests.

Complex social challenges often get stuck. By interpreting an issue differently, you create space to break open systems and develop new behavior, we call this; ‘reframing’. Designers are trained in this process, always questioning how a challenge is perceived. They focus on the desired future rather than the problems of today. With metaphors and imagination, designers bring new solutions to life. In this way, a design-oriented approach can break open stalled debates and help develop a long-term vision.

Imagination is essential when working on transitions, as people often only take action once they have a vision of what they are working towards. Therefore, shaping and visually designing are important tools in a design approach. By visualizing abstract ideas, feelings, and possible futures, they become easier to discuss. Designers work on concrete solutions by shaping products, services, and systems. By testing prototypes, they ensure solutions that align with real-world practice.

Complex issues cannot be ‘solved’ in a single project or step. Multiple small results are needed to achieve a large-scale system change. A design approach provides guidance in this. It is based on a learning rhythm: researching, developing, implementing, reflecting, and further developing. This way, you work step by step toward concrete results and bring these improvements directly into practice. Designers facilitate this process from a relatively neutral role, as the focus is on the core issue, not any one specific interest.