Name: Can human-centered design solve systemic social challenges and transform government?
Uploaded: 2022-09-23T12:55:45.051Z
Duration: 601.35
Description: Scott Weiss, a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow, introduces the design thinking and human-centred design methodologies of well known design and innovation consulting firm IDEO. "Government can't solve this alone and the tech industry won`t save us." said Weiss. He explains how human centred design can help to solve many social challenges.

Can Human (Expert Opinion) Hassan Fix V1.mp4

Can Human-Centered Design Solve Systemic Social Challenges and Transform Government_.vtt

English

{{00:00:01}}
IDEO is a pretty famous design
and innovation consulting firm,

{{00:00:29}}
that's responsible for designing
some of the most notable and

{{00:00:36}}
famous products and services that
exist in the world right now.

{{00:00:39}}
But what I find them to be most
successful in is really popularizing

{{00:00:44}}
and mainstreaming a problem solving
methodology called design thinking

{{00:00:48}}
and human- centered design.

{{00:00:51}}
So when I came to IDEO in 2010 I was
enveloped in this worlds that taught

{{00:00:59}}
me really how to view problem solving
through an optimistic lens and really

{{00:01:08}}
helped me better understand the shared
language of design and design thinking.

{{00:01:13}}
I was introduced to a really
mindblowing and a design

{{00:01:19}}
category called systems
design and systems thinking.

{{00:01:22}}
And that really sparked this journey,
this new journey for me, that shaped

{{00:01:30}}
kind of the current state of my career.

{{00:01:33}}
And more recently, I was introduced
to this two year fellowship program

{{00:01:38}}
that brings in public, excuse me.

{{00:01:41}}
It brings in private sector
experts to government, to work

{{00:01:44}}
with senior government leaders to
help them solve problems related

{{00:01:49}}
to modernization and innovation.

{{00:01:51}}
And the question that I've been
bringing to all of my work lately and,

{{00:01:58}}
you know, over the past five years or
so is how can human centered design

{{00:02:01}}
solve systemic social challenges?

{{00:02:04}}
Especially in the wake of COVID.

{{00:02:06}}
When we have been exposed to a
lot of brokenness in our systems,

{{00:02:11}}
how can we apply this methodology
to addressing and then designing

{{00:02:18}}
for some of these challenges.

{{00:02:20}}
No matter what the design challenge,
it goes through this process and it's

{{00:02:26}}
divided, as you can see, it's divided
up into three key phases, inspiration,

{{00:02:31}}
ideation, and implementation.

{{00:02:34}}
And ideally there's an
interdisciplinary team being tasked

{{00:02:38}}
with this problem and applying
these, these three phases in this

{{00:02:44}}
methodology to solving that challenge.

{{00:02:47}}
New York city Metro transit authority
approached a design agency to help

{{00:02:52}}
them redesign the turnstile experience.

{{00:02:57}}
Let's say, make it more
modern and innovative.

{{00:03:00}}
They would go out into the
world and better understand how

{{00:03:03}}
human beings and how users are
experiencing this challenge.

{{00:03:08}}
So they would immerse in current
state of New York MTA, they would

{{00:03:15}}
talk to subject matter experts.

{{00:03:17}}
They would look at sort
of analogous case studies.

{{00:03:21}}
Like for instance, they might go to
Disney world and look at how Disney

{{00:03:25}}
employees shepherd humans through their
security lanes and registration, just

{{00:03:32}}
to generate lots of inspiring insights.

{{00:03:36}}
And then from there, they would
put all of those ideas across all

{{00:03:39}}
of those research modes into a
synthesis kind of blender and out

{{00:03:46}}
of that synthesis, they'll start to
identify themes and patterns that

{{00:03:50}}
can be used to brainstorm ideas that
are feasible, viable and desirable.

{{00:03:59}}
And then from there they can
begin to prototype and test in a

{{00:04:03}}
low-risk manner, how those insights
kind of connect to the prototype.

{{00:04:09}}
And then they would figure out
and interpret,  an implementation

{{00:04:12}}
strategy and really test and
refine based on user feedback.

{{00:04:17}}
And I know that was just one case
study, but you can start to see

{{00:04:20}}
how applying that to all sorts
of challenges, including these

{{00:04:23}}
very complex systems challenges
can all be centered and grounded

{{00:04:28}}
in this, in this process.

{{00:04:32}}
What's most inspiring and profound
to me about design thinking,

{{00:04:37}}
it's not just the process,
but it's really the underlying

{{00:04:40}}
values that drives the process.

{{00:04:43}}
And David Kelly and Tom Kelly, who are
co-founders of IDEO, like to describe

{{00:04:49}}
this notion of creative confidence.

{{00:04:51}}
What's interesting about innovation and
creativity, no matter where you sit in

{{00:04:56}}
your organization or government, that
you have the capacity to be creative.

{{00:05:00}}
And, the process gives you permission
to be creative, which is what is

{{00:05:04}}
so inspiring to me about that.

{{00:05:05}}
And I carried that with
me throughout my work.

{{00:05:09}}
Optimism is another one that I find
to be incredibly motivating because

{{00:05:14}}
it's really not about happiness.

{{00:05:15}}
Although happiness can be an emotion
that drives towards solutions

{{00:05:21}}
and optimism is more around the
belief in the art of the possible.

{{00:05:25}}
There's a kitty Hawk, the Wright
brothers picture on the, on the

{{00:05:27}}
bottom left there and I really like to
think about how they were approaching

{{00:05:32}}
this challenge and really believed
that that human flight was possible.

{{00:05:40}}
Empathy is the secret sauce and
it's really getting into the shoe.

{{00:05:46}}
Of users and learning from them
using those learnings to drive

{{00:05:52}}
towards opportunities and solutions.

{{00:05:56}}
Experiential thinking
is really important.

{{00:05:58}}
It's immersing and in the challenge.

{{00:06:01}}
You know, I worked on a retail
project and actually worked in the

{{00:06:06}}
store for two days to get a better
sense of what that end to end

{{00:06:09}}
process was like experientially.

{{00:06:12}}
And then have fun.

{{00:06:13}}
I like to say, especially with
government stakeholders and partners,

{{00:06:16}}
that while the work we're doing is
quite serious, we don't have to take it

{{00:06:20}}
so seriously, creating a really playful
and creative environment can really

{{00:06:26}}
help teams drive towards the solutions
much, much, much more dynamically.

{{00:06:32}}
So I really see this opportunity,
especially in COVID era, as a gift

{{00:06:37}}
and been encouraging stakeholders
and have both private and public

{{00:06:43}}
sector stakeholders to think
about this as an opportunity to

{{00:06:46}}
come together more effectively.

{{00:06:48}}
And, it's clear, especially in
COVID and COVID world that our

{{00:06:53}}
governmental and social systems
are not really designed to help us.

{{00:06:56}}
However, I am surrounded by, you
know, thousands and thousands,

{{00:07:02}}
there are 2.5 million federal
employees that are passionate

{{00:07:05}}
and caring and impact driven.

{{00:07:07}}
They're just not given the tools and,
and sort of processes to drive change.

{{00:07:13}}
So I think there's an opportunity here
to really look at the systems that

{{00:07:19}}
are currently being used to deliver
services, start to reorganize ourselves

{{00:07:23}}
around those systems to deliver
meaningful products and services

{{00:07:27}}
and usable products and services.

{{00:07:30}}
Bureaucracy is not
necessarily a negative thing.

{{00:07:33}}
Bureaucracy is important and it
protects citizens in certain cases,

{{00:07:37}}
like how the FDA has many checkpoints
in their approval processes for

{{00:07:43}}
new drugs, vaccines, et cetera.

{{00:07:47}}
And that is okay.

{{00:07:49}}
I think bureaucracies
unfairly indicted sometimes.

{{00:07:53}}
But what isn't okay, and I think that
we should address more actively is

{{00:08:00}}
that complacency can be this belief
that we do not have the capacity

{{00:08:05}}
to create change because this
machine is so large and complicated.

{{00:08:08}}
I disagree.

{{00:08:09}}
And I think that this is an opportunity
for us to bring more imagination and

{{00:08:13}}
creativity to some of these challenges.

{{00:08:16}}
This idea that
technology is the answer.

{{00:08:20}}
And that technology is by
its very nature innovative.

{{00:08:23}}
I disagree with that as well.

{{00:08:25}}
I think that they often get
conflated and that innovation

{{00:08:29}}
means lots of things.

{{00:08:30}}
Innovation means it could be a
pencil to certain communities.

{{00:08:35}}
It could be how teams
meet more efficiently and

{{00:08:38}}
effectively to solve challenges.

{{00:08:41}}
So just wanted to oppose
that because it has been a

{{00:08:48}}
counterproductive argument, I feel.

{{00:08:51}}
And I really think that the hope
is that instead of solutioning

{{00:08:56}}
around technology, we solution
around human beings and mindsets.

{{00:09:00}}
And,that's where I feel like
there's real opportunity to

{{00:09:04}}
catalyze a public service movement.

{{00:09:08}}
What's also been clear is government
can't solve these challenges alone,

{{00:09:13}}
despite there being such amazing,
talented, smart, passionate people.

{{00:09:18}}
There's only so much because
of how government is currently

{{00:09:22}}
organized that it can do to
create a more equitable society.

{{00:09:28}}
A mentor of mine and a former IDEO
colleague, who's the chief creative

{{00:09:31}}
officer of IDEO, but he likes to say
if there's ever a time to lead with

{{00:09:36}}
kindness and service, now is that.

{{00:09:39}}
We're sort of all in the service
industry right now, as we think

{{00:09:42}}
through how we come out, the
other side of this more resilient

{{00:09:49}}
and more equipped to deal with
future strife and challenges.

IDEO is a pretty famous design
and innovation consulting firm,

that's responsible for designing
some of the most notable and

famous products and services that
exist in the world right now.

But what I find them to be most
successful in is really popularizing

and mainstreaming a problem solving
methodology called design thinking

So when I came to IDEO in 2010 I was
enveloped in this worlds that taught

me really how to view problem solving
through an optimistic lens and really

helped me better understand the shared
language of design and design thinking.

I was introduced to a really
mindblowing and a design

category called systems
design and systems thinking.

And that really sparked this journey,
this new journey for me, that shaped

And more recently, I was introduced
to this two year fellowship program

It brings in private sector
experts to government, to work

with senior government leaders to
help them solve problems related

And the question that I've been
bringing to all of my work lately and,

you know, over the past five years or
so is how can human centered design

When we have been exposed to a
lot of brokenness in our systems,

how can we apply this methodology
to addressing and then designing

No matter what the design challenge,
it goes through this process and it's

divided, as you can see, it's divided
up into three key phases, inspiration,

And ideally there's an
interdisciplinary team being tasked

with this problem and applying
these, these three phases in this

New York city Metro transit authority
approached a design agency to help

Let's say, make it more
modern and innovative.

They would go out into the
world and better understand how

human beings and how users are
experiencing this challenge.

So they would immerse in current
state of New York MTA, they would

They would look at sort
of analogous case studies.

Like for instance, they might go to
Disney world and look at how Disney

employees shepherd humans through their
security lanes and registration, just

And then from there, they would
put all of those ideas across all

of those research modes into a
synthesis kind of blender and out

of that synthesis, they'll start to
identify themes and patterns that

can be used to brainstorm ideas that
are feasible, viable and desirable.

And then from there they can
begin to prototype and test in a

low-risk manner, how those insights
kind of connect to the prototype.

And then they would figure out
and interpret,  an implementation

strategy and really test and
refine based on user feedback.

And I know that was just one case
study, but you can start to see

how applying that to all sorts
of challenges, including these

very complex systems challenges
can all be centered and grounded

What's most inspiring and profound
to me about design thinking,

it's not just the process,
but it's really the underlying

And David Kelly and Tom Kelly, who are
co-founders of IDEO, like to describe

What's interesting about innovation and
creativity, no matter where you sit in

your organization or government, that
you have the capacity to be creative.

And, the process gives you permission
to be creative, which is what is

And I carried that with
me throughout my work.

Optimism is another one that I find
to be incredibly motivating because

Although happiness can be an emotion
that drives towards solutions

and optimism is more around the
belief in the art of the possible.

There's a kitty Hawk, the Wright
brothers picture on the, on the

bottom left there and I really like to
think about how they were approaching

this challenge and really believed
that that human flight was possible.

Empathy is the secret sauce and
it's really getting into the shoe.

Of users and learning from them
using those learnings to drive

Experiential thinking
is really important.

You know, I worked on a retail
project and actually worked in the

store for two days to get a better
sense of what that end to end

I like to say, especially with
government stakeholders and partners,

that while the work we're doing is
quite serious, we don't have to take it

so seriously, creating a really playful
and creative environment can really

help teams drive towards the solutions
much, much, much more dynamically.

So I really see this opportunity,
especially in COVID era, as a gift

and been encouraging stakeholders
and have both private and public

sector stakeholders to think
about this as an opportunity to

And, it's clear, especially in
COVID and COVID world that our

governmental and social systems
are not really designed to help us.

However, I am surrounded by, you
know, thousands and thousands,

there are 2.5 million federal
employees that are passionate

They're just not given the tools and,
and sort of processes to drive change.

So I think there's an opportunity here
to really look at the systems that

are currently being used to deliver
services, start to reorganize ourselves

around those systems to deliver
meaningful products and services

Bureaucracy is not
necessarily a negative thing.

Bureaucracy is important and it
protects citizens in certain cases,

Expert Insight

Scott Weiss, a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow, introduces the design thinking and human-centred design methodologies of well known design and innovation consulting firm IDEO.
"Government can't solve this alone and the tech industry won`t save us." said Weiss.
He explains how human centred design can help to solve many social challenges.

Human-Centric

Government

Market research

Research

Innovation

Human Insights

thumbnail_scott-weiss-headshot-958702f13daa6803122358ea368181d07ae20591429bdfb7a8b82d97b09fd592.jpg

xsmall_scott-weiss-headshot-958702f13daa6803122358ea368181d07ae20591429bdfb7a8b82d97b09fd592.jpg

scott-weiss-headshot-958702f13daa6803122358ea368181d07ae20591429bdfb7a8b82d97b09fd592.jpg

Scott Weiss

White House Presidential Innovation Fellow

Scott Weiss explains what human-centred design is.
No matter what the design challenges are, it should goes through the same human-centred design process: Inspiration, ideation and implementation
The most inspiring thing about design thinking is the underlying values that drive the process such as empathy, optimism and thinking experientially.  

Chapter 1: How can human centred design solve systemic social challenges?

Scott Weiss discovers opportunities inside the existing systems which are no longer working effectively during Covid times. 
The governmental and social systems are not designed to help us. But there is a potential to design these systems to deliver meaningful products and services. 