Communities of Practice for Civic Design

Key Insights

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  Communities of practice require active leadership and cannot be self-sustaining or entirely self-organized.

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  The UK Government Digital Service’s user-centered design community included around 3,500 to 4,000 practitioners across multiple government departments and public sector bodies.

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  Community gatherings with structured agendas but ample breaks foster both knowledge sharing and informal connections necessary in government work.

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  Scaling training is achieved by building a network of facilitators from within the community rather than relying solely on a central team.

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  Visual tools like posters, stickers, and physical artifacts help embed design principles and culture, though replicating these in remote work is challenging.

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  The UK Government Design System is community-driven, with contributions reviewed by a working group and the community manager facilitating co-design workshops.

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  Clear, consolidated communication like monthly newsletters is essential to help large, distributed communities stay informed without overload.

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  Inclusive practices, including recruitment events for underrepresented groups and tailored courses, improve diversity and accessibility within the community.

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  The International Design and Government Community connects over 2,500 public sector designers across 70+ countries, fostering shared learning internationally.

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  Despite strong community impact, lack of internal advocacy and competing priorities (e.g., COVID, Brexit) can lead to funding loss, highlighting the need for ongoing senior stakeholder engagement.

Notable Quotes