Getting the public to care about consultations is a challenge facing public sector bodies across the UK. People don’t want to respond to long, dull proposals about issues that don’t directly affect them. What’s the point?
Well, Cardiff social design group ARK are trying to change this situation. ARK is a weekly meetup of designers, artists and other interested people who share an passion for social design. I like the model, bring an informal group together but give it structure by focusing the meetings on delivering insights around the consultation.
Surely this can model work wherever design groups come together, how about the next Service Design Thinks or UX Brighton trying this? The current list of UK government consultations is available here.