As architects encounter challenges when comprehending and fulfilling the requirements of users and other stakeholders involved in the
architectural design project, participatory design, which involves non-architects in the design process, is perceived as one of the solutions. It is a developing practice that can lead to greater engagement of non-architects in the architectural design process and create designs that meet the needs and values of all participants.

Through field research, design, and iterations in workshops, a participatory design toolkit was proposed. It was designed for architects and users to communicate and accommodate personal, organizational, and spatial needs in the early phase of architectural design. The toolkit consists of three sessions supported by visual aids: the creation of common goals, unfolding spatial needs, and accommodating spatial needs. Communication starts with sharing personal and organizational values to formulate common goals, followed by exploration and identification on spatial needs of building users in relation to the common goals, and ends with collective visualization to accommodate needs with the architectural design.

Overall, this project highlighted the importance of participatory design in the architectural design process and the challenges and successes that can be experienced when incorporating it into practice. It suggested that by involving non-architects in the design process, architects and users can communicate their knowledge, need, and value, leading to appropriate architectural designs that are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and meet the needs of all stakeholders.

This project was organized with Kraaijvanger Architects, an architectural firm located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Design approaches are increasingly being employed by governments worldwide to address public service and policy issues. This book explores the evolution of these design practices within the context of local government, shedding light on the value they can create and how they become stabilized in six local government organizations. @en

In recent years, governments have increasingly pursued innovation by embed-ding design into their organizations. One particularly common approach to em-bedding design in government organization is to establish public sector innova-tion labs. These labs are described as contributors and facilitators of innovation in policymaking processes; however, less light has been shed on the role of in-house designers (including these labs) in fostering and managing the changes made by design practices within government organizations. In the current study, design management has been used as a theoretical lens to study the strategic activities of in-house designers in a Dutch municipality to embed design within the organization. The findings show the importance of strategic activity by in-house designers to foster design practice and resulting organizational changes and the need for participation of more organizational members in this activity. We conclude with setting an agenda for more research and practices on strategic activities to foster design practices and organizational changes in government.@en

Knowledge on how design practices evolve and become part of the daily practices of public organisations is still lacking. Prior to embarking on this research, we asked ourselves how this phenomenon should be studied in the context of public organisations. In the complex system of an organisation, practices are in constant flux, making it difficult to understand how a practice evolves based on certain factors such as leadership, legitimacy, or organisational culture. Adopting an alternative approach, including ‘time’ as an analytic element, we attempted to understand the evolution of design practices through a sequence of relevant past events. In a series of case studies of local government, we collected data through publicly available organisational documents related to design practices and visualised these data in a timeline. With the results, we constructed a narrative on how design practices have evolved over time in these organisations. This paper describes one case study at Kent County Council in the UK showing how this document-based, process-oriented research approach allowed us to capture the evolution of design practices in a public organisation over a 12-year period within a short research time and with greater objectivity. In conclusion, we argue that this longitudinal research method can be a new approach for researchers conducting studies on design practices within public organisations.@en

In the Netherlands, one of the government bodies solving complex problems is the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (‘Rijksdienst Voor Ondernemers’; RVO). Within RVO, X-lab is developing new ways of working to be better prepared to deal with these complex problems. In short, X-lab is RVO’s internal innovation lab that creates and collects different frameworks, methods and tools to support policy writers when they solve problems. They do this by co-creation, developing frameworks, experimenting and setting up processes. In practice it has been noted by X-lab that innovative ideas are being created with the help of X-lab, but not always successfully carried out in practice. Hence, X-lab is working on improving its methods and processes. A new method they are currently developing is flow design, which is seen as a good fit to solve the present complex problems. However, X-lab encounters problems scaling up the flow design method, therefore it is not practiced by many. I was approached to further investigate this problem. While investigating the problem, I noticed there are several underlying problems within flow design that do not allow flow design to live up to its full potential to deal with complex problems. This is mainly because after a flow design session no clear actions to solve the problem are designed after analysing the problem. Based on this insight, I decided to shift the focus of this research towards these underlying problems. Resulting in the following aim of this research: The aim of this research is to deliver a tangible product that enables X-lab to better deal with complex problems, supported by recommendations that are based on a thorough analysis of X-lab and flow design. Since I am a designer experienced in design thinking, the following research question was drafted: Where and how can design thinking support the trajectory of flow design within X-lab RVO? This thesis follows the structure of the double diamond as presented by the design council (2007). The starting point of this thesis was conducting research into X-lab and flow design. These results are evaluated and then compared to design thinking theories. Based on the outcome of this analysis several experiments were performed to develop the solution. As a final step this solution is validated and iterated. Resulting in two manuals and a decision-making canvas. The discovery phase The first phase of this thesis is the discovery phase. In this phase case studies and interviews are done to develop a theory explaining flow design. Based on this analysis several problems are identified which are arbitrary division, language, time limitation, lack of process and measuring impact. Of these problems lack of process is the most relevant problem and therefore it was selected to solve in this thesis. In this analysis it was concluded that flow design doesn’t live up to its full potential. According to the theories by Tuckmann (1972) and Snowden and Boone (2007), there need to be steps added after a flow design session, so that the group can live up to its full potential and so that complex/complicated problems are solved in the best possible way. Therefore, the question arises whether design thinking is a relevant theory to support in developing these steps and if so, how can it support flow design? The define phase: This question is answered in the second phase of this thesis, the define phase. With the help design thinking models, such as frame creation (Dorst, 2015) and the double diamond (Design council, 2004), the conclusion is made that design thinking is supporting when dealing with complex and complicated problems. Also, based on the design thinking models, two design thinking principles were drafted that can support flow design, which are:
•
To be able to perform next steps while solving a problem, their needs to be clarity in which steps to take and why
•
Secondly, these steps need to be taken using iteration and experimentation
The create phase:
The third phase of this process is the create phase. In this phase the solution is created and developed. To do so several experiments are performed to understand the moment of intervention, the use of frameworks, how to deliver clarity and their current way of experimentation. Based on these experiments a model is developed and tested. The result was a concept model, which had potential, but needed further iteration so that the user knows how to properly apply the model. This was done in the final phase.
The deliver phase:
The final phase of this thesis is the deliver phase. In this phase I have developed two manuals and a decision-making canvas which guides you through the necessary steps to take for solving a complicated or complex problem. These products were validated using a fictive case study. The evaluation pointed out that the product portfolio is succesfull, but where and how did design thinking support the trajectory of flow design? I will explain that based on the theories I have consulted in this thesis.
The support of design thinking:
Based on Tuckmann (1972) and Snowden (2007) and the interviews it can be said that the full potential of the current flow design process is not met. First of all, because in theory the potential is higher when all steps of the two theories are completed, and secondly, because flow design has no tangible outcome and therefore no clear actions to solve the problem are designed after analysing the problem. However, the final goal is to solve the problem, consequently the current flow design process could be improved.
So, flow design doesn’t perform all the steps of Tuckmann’s model of group development and also not of Snowden’s dealing with complex/complicated problems model. The missing steps in flow design are Tuckmann’s norming and performing steps and Snowden’s probe, sense and response steps for complex problems, and Snowden’s sense, analyse and response steps for complicated problems. The product portfolio was designed in such a way that it facilitates that all of Snowden’s and Tuckmann’s steps are performed. Furthermore, the validation showed that the product portfolio indeed delivered clear actions to solve the problem. Since, the product portfolio has been created with the use of design thinking, namely the methods of the double diamond and frame creation are being applied, I conclude design thinking supports the trajectory of flow design.
So, I have presented a product portfolio in this thesis which improves flow design. Furthermore, this product portfolio along with the thorough description I made on flow design itself has been written down in a tangible document that can be transferred to collegues within the organisation. Reflecting on the starting point of this project six months ago, I conclude that the side effect of this thesis is that the resulting product increases the potential scalability of flow design.
Lastly, the validation pointed out that improvements can be made on clarifying what type of problem you are dealing with and on how to use the action model more time efficient.

Design is today suggested as an alternative way of working in government contexts. Manydeveloped nations are trying to embed design in their public organizations. Yet recent studies have shown that design is not easily permeating into everyday practice of public organizations. This research therefore aims to understand what the current practice of design-embedding in government is like and its limitations by interviewing six experts in the design for government field. The research findings reveal that the changes created by the current design-embedding practice in government are not being actively sustained or amplified. Based on an understanding of organisations as complex systems, we suggest a further practice of design-embedding in which designers steward and stimulate design-led change energy within public organizations. This study shows that embedding design capability in professional organizations is more about design-led organizational change than passing on a design skillset to the organizational members.@en