How often do you truly have a say in how the country is run? For most, our engagement peaks during elections when we mark an “X” on a ballot. While this small act holds significant weight, it often leaves us feeling detached from the ongoing decisions that shape policies, strategies, and services. In the interim, we are largely passive recipients of government services.
The Government Digital Service (GDS) standards have made strides in improving digital services by focusing on user needs. This user-centred approach has improved accessibility and efficiency of government services. Inspired by the private sector, recently there’s a push to create seamless, hyper-personalized experiences akin to Uber or Netflix. But in a government context, this drive for frictionless digital experiences risks distancing citizens from decision-making, reducing them to mere consumers of government services.
This transactional model may improve “satisfaction” with service delivery but fails to engage citizens on critical societal challenges like health, the environment, and community cohesion. Worse, it could exacerbate the isolation and atomisation already fostered by technology, further disconnecting individuals from their communities and diminishing their sense of agency.
Why citizen participation matters
Engaging citizens in policymaking and service design creates opportunities for prevention rather than reaction. When people have access to information and a platform to participate, they can make informed choices, contribute to better government decision-making, and co-create services that are contextually relevant.
Citizen-led initiatives are already demonstrating success. During the Covid-19 pandemic, community-driven efforts not only addressed immediate needs but also fostered peer-to-peer support networks, strengthening community cohesion. Jon Alexander’s book, Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us, highlights numerous examples of citizen-led projects delivering impactful results with minimal government intervention. These initiatives represent a shift from dependence on the state to empowerment, giving citizens dignity and agency in shaping their futures.
On a larger scale, participatory models like the Citizens’ Assembly of Paris provide frameworks for involving residents in municipal decision-making. Similar initiatives in Taiwan, under Audrey Tang’s leadership, have demonstrated how technology can empower citizens to collaborate and influence policy. Tang’s approach - open, transparent, and citizen-focused - offers a blueprint for how governments might foster meaningful participation.
The role of technology in citizen participation
Technology is a key enabler of citizen engagement. Platforms that allow for collective intelligence, such as pol.is, have proven effective in bringing together diverse perspectives and fostering consensus. When deployed responsibly, AI and data-driven tools can amplify these efforts by analysing vast datasets, identifying shared concerns, and ensuring inclusivity.
However, there are significant risks. Over-reliance on technology, particularly opaque AI models, can lead to exclusion, bias, and a lack of transparency. To mitigate these risks, governments must design tools that are open, explainable, and co-created with citizens. Organizations like the Open Data Institute (ODI) are working to promote trust in data and develop shared standards, ensuring that public infrastructure fosters collaboration rather than perpetuating existing inequalities.
As Richard Pope highlights in Platformland, public digital systems should avoid the hyper-smooth, frictionless design ethos of Silicon Valley. Instead, they should make the workings of these systems visible, inviting citizens to engage with and even co-create them. This requires a shift in design principles. From user-centred design to citizen co-created design.
From citizen experience to citizen participation
Moving from consumer-centric government services to citizen-driven participation represents a profound cultural and operational shift. It requires rethinking success metrics, prioritising well-being and community resilience over traditional measures like GDP. It also demands greater investment in grassroots initiatives and community-driven technology to ensure innovation benefits everyone, not just a privileged few.
This shift is already taking root. The Welsh Well-being of Future Generations Act, for instance, prioritises long-term societal benefits, ensuring policies account for future generations. Meanwhile, the UK Government Policy Lab and initiatives, like the “test and learn” strategy, signal a growing recognition of the need for citizen-driven reform.
A call to citizen
Baratunde Thurston’s How to Citizen reimagines citizenship as an active, participatory verb. This mindset encourages us to rethink our relationship with government and each other, embracing collective power to create a more inclusive, equitable society.
The journey from “user” to “citizen” requires bold experimentation, open collaboration, and a commitment to designing with, not just for, people. By involving citizens at every stage of policymaking and service design, we can move beyond efficiency-driven systems to create communities that are empowered, connected, and thriving.
At BJSS, we’re uniquely positioned to help you leverage this approach by utilising our expertise in research, design, technology, and strategy for Government services.
Read our paper to discover how we can work with your citizens to understand perspectives and deliver the services that work for them.