City of Gainesville.
Taking a city from bureaucratic nightmare, to citizen-centered Department of Doing.
Role: Writer + Experience Designer | Agency: IDEO
Learning: Great stories and great experiences are built the same way.
IDEO were tasked with making The City of Gainesville the most citizen-centered place in America.
While helping the team wrangle the complex systems and processes into a user-centered experience, I also focused on the power of words to change the way both citizens and employees saw local government.
Goodbye Departments of Permitting, Compliance, Real Estate and Inspection. Hello Department of Doing.
Goodbye Permitting Officers and Building Inspectors. Hello Action Officers.
Goodbye Compliance Form 201A and Permitting Application 1004. Hello Grow It Yourself Kit.
By simply giving everyone a whole new set of language, there was a powerful flip from both sides of the conversation, from one of government-focused rules, regulations, permits and inspectors, to one of citizen-centered action.
