Conversational Design: Improving participation and decision-making in public organizations

Designers in public organizations face the challenges of managing influential stakeholders, shifting priorities, and the complexities of drafting and implementing policy. Often, they lack the headspace to think deeply about designing for effective public engagement.

"Conversational Design" helps designers within public and social organizations improve co-design and informed decision making practices. The book offers practical tools and case studies to stimulate participation and foster better conversations, all aimed at achieving shared goals. It also provides a fresh perspective on consolidating data from civic conversations into actionable insights for policymakers. This critical, often overlooked step ensures that citizen voices have a stronger impact on design and policymaking processes.

By presenting a novel understanding of design, this book serves both practitioners and scholars of design, as well as professionals in related fields that use objects and tools to shape social situations. It guides readers in making informed decisions on complex social challenges.

Michael Arnold Mages is an Assistant Professor of Experience Design and Information Design/Data Visualization at Northeastern University. He has designed and developed conversationally oriented software and online communities since 2002 and holds a PhD in Design from Carnegie Mellon University.