Design and the Public Sector: Contemporary Methods and Practice

The DRS2026 track titled “Design and the Public Sector: Contemporary Methods and Practices” examines the expanding relationship between design and the public sector, situating design as an active process in shaping public services, institutional change, and governance practices. Building on a trajectory established across DRS2022, DRS2024, and now DRS2026, this third Design for Policy and Governance Special Interest Group (PoGoSIG) hosted track reflects a shift from foundational and integrative concerns toward a more systems-based orientation. The following contributions are organised around four central themes: AI and New Technologies, Design and Infrastructure, Hope and Imagination, and Participation in Policymaking. Drawing on 34 papers from 15 countries, the track highlights how design is increasingly embedded within public sector contexts, mediating relationships between citizens, institutions, and technologies while advancing more reflexive, participatory, and future-oriented approaches to policy and governance.