Leading Public Design: Discovering Human-Centred Governance

Leading Public Design: A New Approach to Governing Public Institutions Christian Bason presents a powerful framework for understanding and learning an emerging management practice known as leading public design. Drawing on over a decade of work, Bason explores how public organisations can be redesigned from the outside in, shaping policies and services that are truly useful and meaningful to citizens. Through detailed case studies, the book highlights six key management practices that leaders in government can use to involve citizens, staff, and other stakeholders in innovation processes. These practices challenge assumptions, leverage empathy with citizens, handle divergence, navigate unknown territory, experiment, and rehearse future solutions through prototyping. By adopting this approach, public institutions can create more public value and move towards a human-centred governance model. This book offers a pathway to a new way of governing public institutions, one that is relational, networked, interactive, and reflective. It promises a more human yet effective public sector, where organisations are designed to co-produce better outcomes with all of society's resources.