Public Design Map in Latin America
Help us trace out the first collective map of public design in the region.
At Public Design, we believe understanding the region means connecting perspectives, experiences, and learning from local contexts.
That is why we are building a collaborative map to make visible initiatives, actors, and public design practices across Latin America.
This effort seeks to strengthen networks, open conversations, and activate new forms of collaboration to transform the public sphere.
At Public Design, we believe understanding the region means connecting perspectives, experiences, and learning from local contexts.
We are building a collaborative map to make visible initiatives, actors, and public design practices across Latin America.
We aim to strengthen networks, open conversations, and activate new forms of collaboration to transform the public sphere.
Participate! Are you an innovation and public design professional or researcher?
We invite you to answer the following survey.
We aim to answer questions such as:
What is the role of design in the formulation of public policy?
We aim to answer questions such as:
What is the role of design in the formulation of public policy?
WHAT IS "PUBLIC DESIGN"?
The intentional use of design approaches and tools - such as human-centered research, co-creation, service design, and systems thinking - to address problems and processes in the public sector. In this project, public design:
Structures, policies, and public services from inclusive and collaborative perspectives.
Citizens, civil servants, and organizations into the definition of problems and solutions.
With decisions and services that respond to real contexts.
Design can transform power relations and ways of governing.
With limited resources and diverse regulatory frameworks.
Public Design in Latin America manifests in multiple ways: in projects promoted by international organizations, innovation teams that operate within the public or private sector, consolidated service units, and many other forms that continue to emerge in the region.
If you recognize your work or practice in any of these ways, we invite you to join the Public Design Map and help make this growing network visible.
Are you a public design researcher or professional?
Your experience can transform how we understand and practice public design in Latin America.
With your participation you help us map the network of public design and innovation in the region.
Complete the survey and share it with colleagues and collaborators who are also part of this community.
Are you a public design researcher or practitioner?
Your experience can change how public design is understood and practiced in the region. This map is built with you.
Complete the survey and share it with colleagues and collaborators who are also part of this community.
We are in the initial diagnostic phase. This first stage will allow us to gather broad information about who practices and promotes public design and innovation in the region.
In a second stage we will zoom in on relevant cases to document good practices and lessons that can serve as inspiration.
Soon you will find here:
An interactive map with people, projects and institutions.
Survey results and key visualizations.
Reference case studies that show achievements, challenges and lessons.
An academic and regional publication that integrates this knowledge into the literature on public design in Latin America and the world.
This project brings together a group of institutions and people who work and research public design in the region.
Led by /
Unit is an innovation and strategic service design consulting firm with more than 5 years of experience driving change in Latin America. It has worked with public institutions, private companies, social organizations and international bodies.
Public Design Collective, a collective of researchers studying public design in Latin America.
With the support of /
Center for Design, a platform for interdisciplinary design research and part of the College of Arts, Media and Design at Northeastern University and the Royal College of Art, through Design Futures.
Research Team
Nicolás Rebolledo
Co-Principal Investigator
Director at Unit, Senior Professor of Service Design at the Royal College of Art.
Sofía Bosch
Co-Principal Investigator
Founder and Lead Collaborator of the Public Design Collective, Teaching Researcher in Design at Northeastern University.
Valentina López
Researcher
Senior Consultant in Political Culture and Creative Economies at Unit.
Tina Rosado
Researcher
Northeastern University. Collaborator at Public Design Collective.
Zabel Revuelta
Researcher
Senior Service Design Consultant at Unit.
Diana Villa
Independent Advisor
Luca Gaspari
Research Assistant
Northeastern University
Vicente Puig
Art Director
Art Director at UNIT