Applying Design Approaches to Policy Making: Discovering Policy Lab

Abstract

This report reviews what design-based approaches bring to policy making. It results from an academic fellowship in which the author was embedded for one year in Policy Lab, a specialist team based in the Cabinet Oice of the UK government. he report combines insights and quotations from ethnographic research and interviews as well as commentary from other contributors to the emerging community of practice around policy innovation. Policy Lab was set up within the context of Civil Service reform and in particular the Open Policy Making agenda. Funded by and working with government departments, the Policy Lab team brings new methods and tools to policy making and supports their practical application by civil servants.