Public sector organizations are increasingly adopting design approaches to address complex problems. Design thinking focuses on questioning basic assumptions, centering on desired outcomes rather than predetermined solutions, and leading projects into the unknown future instead of making decisions based on past practices. For public managers, a design attitude means proceeding responsibly without a clear best solution, with an aim to invent new approaches and leave things in a better state than before through open-mindedness and focus on positive impact.

1. Leading with design attitude

3. In search of a new
relationship

4. Public sector organisations are
trying design on for size

5. That is all fine. But
what does, or could,
design mean to
public managers?

8. “Managers, as designers, are thrown
into situations that are not of their
own making yet for which they are
responsible to produce a desired
outcome. They operate in a problem
space with no firm basis for judging
one solution as superior to another,
and still they must proceed.”

9. “A design attitude views each project
as an opportunity for invention that
includes a questioning of basic
assumptions and a resolve to leave
the world a better place than we
found it.”

10. ”Which decision should I make?”
“What should I make a decision about?”
From decision- to design attitude

11. Questioning basic assumptions

13. Centering on outcomes

15. Leading the unknown

17. Making the future concrete

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