(Re)Form Durham
Durham's i-team launched a new initiative to make government forms simpler, easier, and less confusing.
Digne d'intérêt
Durham Extreme Makeover: Government Forms Edition – The COG BLOG
As Triangle J Council of Governments counts down to the kick-off of the Innovation Sandbox Series on Recruitment and Retention of Law Enforcement in January 2019, we wanted to take an opportunity to highlight the innovation that is already happening in our member communities. First up... the City of Durham and Durham County. Check out…
Durham Extreme Makeover: Government Forms Edition – The COG BLOG
Durham, N.C., Wants the Best Local Gov Forms in the Nation
A mix of human-centered design and behavioral science aims to make municipal forms easier to complete and process. (Re)Form Durham pairs city staff with researchers from Duke University’s Center for Advanced Hindsight.
Durham, N.C., Wants the Best Local Gov Forms in the Nation
Points forts
The City of Durham and Durham County launched a new initiative to make government forms simpler, easier, and less confusing.
Durham’s i-team is partnering with behavioral scientists to run interactive, form-redesign workshops.
The first workshop involved more than 40 people, who brainstormed ideas to improve some of the city and county’s most frustrating forms.
Résumé
Government forms are often confusing, lengthy, and frustrating – acting as an obstacle rather than a tool for citizens. Inspired by Washington, D.C.’s ‘form-a-palooza’, the City of Durham and Durham County set their sights on breathing new life into their forms.
Durham’s i-team is leading the initiative, and it has partnered with behavioral scientists from Duke’s Center for Advanced Hindsight to run interactive, form-redesign workshops. These ‘(Re)Form Durham’ events will enable citizens and government employees to work together to improve problem forms.
October 2018 marked the first (Re)Form Durham workshop, involving more than 40 residents and city workers. After brief training on key behavioral science principles, participants brainstormed ways to improve four particularly frustrating forms. These forms were nominated by attendees themselves.
The kick-off event was a resounding success, and it highlighted the fact that, with some basic direction, anyone is capable of innovation. The project didn’t involve new technology or special training – just pen, paper, and enthusiasm.