In collaboration with government agencies, local businesses and communities, the Civic Design Lab improves public services by applying a racial equity lens, human-centered design and systems thinking to public sector problems. It uses a data-centered approach to make government more accessible to residents and employees by designing solutions that meet the diverse needs and values of the people and government it serves.
The Civic Design Lab is the methodology the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation uses to assess and develop new initiatives. In 2019, Oakland’s Department of Race and Equity and the Department of Transport used a design approach with City staff and local communities to examine Street Sweeping, Parking and Towing services. These sessions suggested ways to eliminate and reduce the service fines and fees which disproportionately affect low-income residents.
OFPI has partnered with Citibank to fund a program of service design projects across the City:
Civic Design Lab improves public services by applying a racial equity lens, human-centered design and systems thinking to public sector problems.
- Rent Adjustment Program: a redesign of the online process to make it more user-friendly for both tenants and property owners, improving the Healthy Housing inspection process, and streamlining partnerships.
- Oakland Promise children’s savings account parent liaisons to redesign their role in sign up, marketing and ongoing parent engagement.
- Alameda County workforce development and the City of Oakland Health and Human Services to map the prisoner re-entry journey identifying opportunities for service collaboration.
To date, over 100 staff and community members have used the City’s design services across seven different service areas.
