Designing Public Policies, Programs and Services G (11651.1)

New methodologies for facilitating meaningful engagement have become increasingly important in a world in which many of the responses to the critical public policy problems we face need to be co-created with citizens and stakeholders. This unit focuses on the growing academic and practice-based interest in design and assesses its contribution to public sector production. It argues that design has an essential role to play in building trust with citizens and stakeholders, eliciting knowledge of policy and delivery problems that public organisations do not possess and monitoring and supporting the needs and aspirations of target groups over time. However, the success of design is all in the doing. Done badly it can destroy trust systems; done well it can help solve policy and delivery problems, stabilise contested policy environments, and improve life chances. This unit is delivered in partnership with Australia's leading design agency ThinkPlace and provides an applied introduction to the theory and practice of designing public policies, programs and services.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the concept of design-thinking, and related concepts and tools;
2. Critically evaluate the use of design tools in policy and public administration practice;
3. Apply various design tools to inform innovative policy and program design and implementation and
4. Apply creative problem solving skills to adjust design tools to best adapt to the context and overcome barriers.

Prerequisites

This unit is only available to students in SCC301 Graduate Certificate in Leading Public Sector Innovation.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

• None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.