Government teams care deeply about the people they serve—but unclear roles can lead to confusion, duplicated effort, and missed opportunities. This post explores how product and design teams can clarify responsibility for user needs, strengthen collaboration, and build practices rooted in shared stewardship.

A growing number of essential public services are now digital-first—but not everyone has reliable devices, broadband, or safe places to connect. Digital inclusion requires more than better interfaces; it means building systems that work across low-bandwidth environments, rural communities, older populations, and people experiencing housing instability. Public service must expand access, not simply shift who is included.

Public-centered design is the discipline of shaping public services, policies, and operations around the needs and lived experiences of the people they affect—while strengthening trust, equity, and long-term public value. This glossary entry defines the term, explains its benefits, and outlines how organizations can apply it to improve outcomes for communities and public servants alike.

The Experience Tapestry™ weaves together ten strands of how people encounter public systems—from individual interactions like user experience to systemic forces like environmental impacts. This framework helps leaders see not just isolated touchpoints, but the connections between them that shape trust, dignity, and resilience in public life.

Environmental Experience (EnX) highlights how the design of public systems impacts the natural world—and in turn, people’s health, safety, and quality of life. From waste management and emissions to biodiversity and transit choices, EnX connects civic design to planetary stewardship. Designing for EnX means designing not only for today’s residents, but for future generations who will live with the outcomes.

Civic Experience (CivX) is about how people and communities engage with democracy—from voting and hearings to public comment, councils, and collective decision-making. Strong CivX fosters belonging and legitimacy, showing residents their voices matter. Weak CivX erodes trust, participation, and the sense of shared ownership in public systems.

Life Journey Experience (LJX) focuses on how services connect to the major milestones and transitions people encounter—from birth certificates and school enrollment to retirement benefits. Effective LJX ensures public systems anticipate these moments, rather than forcing residents to navigate silos. When designed well, LJX supports people at the moments that matter most, making civic systems feel coherent across a lifetime.

Community Experience (ComX) reflects how groups—not just individuals—interact with and are shaped by public systems. From neighborhood safety to schools, transit, and shared spaces, ComX influences whether communities feel supported or overlooked. Strong ComX fosters belonging and cohesion, while weak ComX deepens divides and distrust. Designing for ComX means designing for resilience across groups.

Resident Experience (RX) captures how people experience government itself—whether interactions feel fair, dignified, and trustworthy. RX reflects the social contract in action: when residents feel respected and supported, trust grows. When services are inconsistent or inequitable, trust erodes, often for entire communities. Designing for RX means designing for legitimacy.