Special Workshop – An IDK Workshop on Design for Public Services (By invitation only)

Venue: PwC Experience Centre – Catalyst Hub, Wanchai

Design thinking – a discipline that uses design-based techniques to tackle any type of organisational or business challenge – has been explored internationally as a tool for government looking to be more innovative in public service delivery.

The special workshop on Design for Public Services is presented by the Institute of Design Knowledge (IDK), a division of Hong Kong Design Centre.

In this workshop, you will:

  • Understand the principles and benefits of using design thinking to solve complex problems;
  • Explore local and Australian government case studies that have incorporated design thinking in their approaches;
  • Apply what we have learned to our own challenges

Prof. Eric Yim, Chairman of Hong Kong Design Centre, and Patricia Lau, Deputy Commissioner for Efficiency of the Efficiency Office will deliver opening remarks for the workshop, followed by a sharing by Dr. Edmund Lee, Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre, on cases and design development in Hong Kong.

Two leading facilitators, Chris Hara from PwC Australia and Guy Parsonage from PwC Hong Kong will provide a learning session and share their proprietary methodology, ‘The Difference’. During the sharing session, you will also get a chance to deep dive into the successful cases such as how they came up with a blueprint for the Hong Kong Smart City, and how they built a spatial data platform, etc.

Forum 3 – Public Sector Innovation

Design is strategic problem solving and good investment.

With new technologies and shifting cultures, public sectors and business industries need to change the ways of thinking, collaborating and communicating with stakeholders and the public.

Facing complex challenges, a multidisciplinary approach to framing, analysing and solving problems is much needed.

Design is for all. The time has come for all to embrace design thinking, using a people-centred approach to read deep into user insights and to place the needs and aspirations of users and citizens ahead of the administrative needs.

Forum 3 looks at impactful cases and stories that use people-centred design approach for public sector innovations, such as public service design, smart city development, the making of creative economy and city vibe, cultural programming, health and care.

  • How might we infuse creativity into public sector?
  • What should be added to the toolkit for policy-makers, decision makers, civil servants, executives and professionals from non-profit and for-profit sectors as we envision and design for future cities?
  • Where are the new opportunities for collaboration across public, private, non-profit and academic sectors?
  • How can governments and businesses make the best of new technologies to respond to the shifting aspirations and needs?
  • How do we better communicate and collaborate in the digital era?