The Human Element People First: Devika Menon on Participatory Service Design

About this episode

Devika Menon discusses her career in service design and the importance of human-centered and participatory design.

In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello engage in an inspiring conversation with Devika Menon , a service design and delivery lead at the City of Philadelphia. They explore Devika's diverse career journey, from her early days in animation film design to her current role in civic design. The discussion highlights the importance of human-centered design, the challenges of working within government systems, and the significance of participatory service design. Devika shares insights on navigating uncertainty, the impact of cultural experiences on design thinking, and the value of collaboration in creating sustainable change. Episode Recommendations: Book: Good Services: Decoding the Mystery of What Makes a Good Service Book: Braiding Sweetgrass

People in this episode

Hosts: Lee-Sean Huang, Giulia Donatello

Guest: Devika Menon

Topics covered

• service design
• human-centered design
• civic design
• participatory design

Keywords

• design thinking
• collaboration
• cultural experiences
• government systems

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Good Services: Decoding the Mystery of What Makes a Good Service, Braiding Sweetgrass

Books & works: Decoding the Mystery of What Makes a Good Service Book: Braiding Sweetgrass

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