Rethinking Design in the Public Sector: A Relational Turn

The public sector (PS) has long been a significant client for design, playing a crucial role throughout the history of the field. From public transportation to education, healthcare, and national defense, several areas of public service and administration have relied on and continue to require design expertise. Power has consistently manifested itself through design, with welfare states, for example, seeking various material and immaterial design solutions to ensure accessible public services. To achieve these goals, they have commissioned a diverse group of designers, including information designers, product designers, service designers, interaction designers, clothing designers, interior designers, and architects. While much of design’s engagement with the PS has occurred through private firms that produce goods for public use—such as trams, dental chairs, school desks, and police uniforms—design requirements have always been shaped by the dynamics of public procurement, service provision, and public consumption.