Faculty member Rachel Abrams reports in two parts from the Gov 2.0 expo and summit in D.C.—a gathering to bring government leaders and innovators of Web 2.0 together to explore how technology can enable transparency, participation, collaboration, and efficiency at all levels of government. Abrams notes the opportunity here, especially, for the designer to step forward.
“Service designers—who tend to be rigorous thinkers, great story-tellers, and experienced opportunity-spotters—have a way of framing possibilities and, much like regulators, a knack for turning what seems ridiculous today into the obvious and expected of tomorrow. And they are seasoned brokers of client requirements and end-user needs. So when Silicon Valley’s product innovation meets the Beltway’s org charts, it will be designers who are representing the interests of citizens at the center of any Gov 2.0 initiative.”