Design types in diversified city administration: The case City of Helsinki

Abstract

Design is increasingly used to develop public services, and considerations have arisen regarding how to gain best value from it. Design ladders and design maturity models are commonly also referenced in the public sector, but we argue that their adequate use must rest on an informed view of the diversity of design activities in public-sector organizations. The world’s major cities are large and highly diversified organizations. Our inductive case study of one of them, the city of Helsinki, reveals 23 design activities, distinct in terms of the process, outcomes or agency that design has. These activities can be grouped into six different clusters. These lay the ground for each other and support the cultural transformation of the organization into being a more citizen-centric organization. At the same time, they also create a design management challenge and confusion over what ‘design’ is and what it can do.

Keywords:

• City organization
• public sector
• service design
• human-centred design

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sampsa Hyysalo

Sampsa Hyysalo is Full Professor (PhD, Dos) of Co-Design at Aalto University. He researches designer user relations and how the two can be bridged in novel ways in different contexts.

Kaisa Savolainen

Kaisa Savolainen (DA, MSc) is postdoctoral researcher at Aalto University. Her research focuses on the user perspective in different fields.

Antti Pirinen

Antti Pirinen, DA, is University Lecturer in Spatial and Service Design at Aalto University’s Department of Architecture. His research addresses human-centered and co-design in the context of space and related services.

Tuuli Mattelmäki

Tuuli Mattelmäki is associate professor in Design at Aalto University. She is expert in service design and co-design with a special interest in implementing design approaches and creative methods for supporting change.

Päivi Hietanen

Päivi Hietanen (M.S.Arch) works as City Design Manager for the City of Helsinki. She manages Helsinki Lab that promotes design thinking within the city organization.

Meri Virta

Meri Virta is Consultant at the City of Helsinki, City Executive Office. She works with strategic development challenges and focuses on design and systemic change.