WIP - Human-centred design in Policymaking: Bibliometric analysis and systematic review

Government and policy academics are increasingly adopting human-centric design (HCD) in policymaking to deal with increasingly complex societal challenges. However, current research is mainly concerned with the potential implication of design or design thinking approaches in public policy rather than focusing on how a specific human-centred design (HCD) tool can be used in policymaking. Although “design” and “human-centred design” are often used interchangeably in studies on policy design, it is important to make a clear distinction between these two concepts to employ appropriate methods when delivering public policies and services. HCD is a design approach which highlights the effects of the design on other stakeholders rather than those traditionally regarded as users. This paper aims to develop an understanding of (1) how the HCD concept has been used in policy research; (2) how HCD techniques have been used in policymaking, (3) the obstacles that civil servants and policymakers encounter when adopting HCD and viable strategies to overcome these challenges. These objectives were accomplished by using bibliometric analysis and systematic review. The research findings indicate that HCD techniques are used in formulating and executing policymaking. However, there are three key limitations to applying HCD in policymaking, namely inclusion, alignment with the current policy system and the risk of oversimplification. Successfully addressing these obstacles will facilitate the advancement and execution of HCD in policymaking.