Public Service Design: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Service innovation gains increased scholars’ and practitioner’s attention due to its potential to improve the performance of public sector organizations (Hollanders et al., 2013; Hughes, Moore, & Kataria, 2011;... [ view full abstract ]

Service innovation gains increased scholars’ and practitioner’s attention due to its potential to improve the performance of public sector organizations (Hollanders et al., 2013; Hughes, Moore, & Kataria, 2011; Innobarometer 2010 Analytical Report Innovation in Public Administration, 2011). Design is considered as an essential component of the public sector innovation theory (Omachonu & Einspruch, 2010), and co-production of public services (Bovaird, 2007). Thus, the complex nature of innovation process in the public sector and counter-productiveness of one-size-fits-all solutions to challenges related to this process (Julnes, Gibson, & Park, 2016), emphasize the need to apply and develop service design approach (Design Commission, 2013; Donetto, Pierri, Tsianakas, & Robert, 2015; Saco & Goncalves, 2008), preferably a user-centered one (Public Administration Select Committee, 2008, p. 9). So far research on public service design has covered various areas, like conceptualization (Thoelen et al., 2015; Whicher, Swiatek, & Cawood, 2013), methods and tools (Donetto et al., 2015; Kankainen, Vaajakallio, Kantola, & Mattelmäki, 2012; Wang, 2014), effects and their evaluation (Ferrari & Manzi, 2014; Ravneberg, 2009). Increasing amount of scholar contributions calls for some systematization of existing knowledge. This paper employs a systematic review of the literature and provides a framework and analytical account of how public service design has been studied since 1980. This study contributes to the field by recognizing main theoretical, empirical and methodological trends pertaining to public service design and by providing an agenda for future studies. Hence, the results aim to advance understanding of public service design, and in particular its contextual conditions for application as well as cultural implications on Public Management in general.