Why was this publication needed?
Olof Schuring: “Many colleagues within the Justice and Security ministry are still unfamiliar with what a design-based approach actually entails. We recognise a design question in many of the issues we encounter. We are often able to make that translation, but it has not yet become embedded throughout the entire organisation. By confronting colleagues with more than 40 example projects, we hope they will realise: perhaps my issue also contains a design question.”
Rick van Vliet: “These examples have existed for years, but you cannot find them together at one place. Many projects have proven impact, but were not yet sufficiently visible. Now they are. This is version 1.0 and we hope that designers, policy makers, and practitioners will respond with: ‘I have a similar project,’ or ‘This is still missing!’”
What do you hope to achieve among colleagues in the safety domain?
Olof: “We want to show that design does not have to be intimidating. We are good at analysing and researching, but truly concretising and experimenting is often more difficult for us within the ministry. Yet that is precisely what gives energy and makes our work more efficient and meaningful.”
Rick: “With this publication we can inspire colleagues and invite them to participate. It shows that even a small intervention can already make a difference in how citizens experience safety.”
You deliberately refer to it as a digital version 1.0. What does that mean?
Rick: “We decided to begin now, even though new examples will continue to appear. The online publication is a snapshot, so adjustments can be made over time. For now, we have something we are proud of and that will hopefully prompt a response.”
Olof: “A version 1.0 also means that we want to continue learning. Safety issues are never finished, and neither is design. Therefore this publication must also be able to keep developing.”
Wich examples in the publication resonate with you almost personally?
Rick: “For me, it is Social Design Police by Marjon van Gelderen. This project demonstrates that a police officer is much more than the uniform that person wears. By taking off or altering the uniform, a completely different interaction with residents emerges. It creates space for the human being behind the work.”
“Another project that really speaks to me is the educational programme Op kamer. Detainees begin working on reintegration from their cells: they develop skills, acquire knowledge, work on music, health, or a positive mindset. Instead of remaining stagnant in their cells, young detainees are already building their future.”
Olof: “A favourite example for me is Witte Was. As the justice system, we seize large numbers of items and then destroy them. This project opens the conversation: can we return the societal value of these items to the community? Think of status holders who could benefit greatly from them. For me, Witte Was is both symbolic and functional.”
“It also appeals to me because I am often a fan of projects that seem small, but can have a large impact. Auctioning a disco ball for social purposes sounds playful, but it directly touches on sustainability, ownership, and reuse within the safety domain.”
What makes a design-oriented approach so powerful in this field?
Olof: “You shift from talking and analysing to making and changing. That is not a gimmick, but a design for long-term impact. It does demand something from our organisation, because it does not fit neatly into a classic assignment with a clear beginning and end, which is what we have been accustomed to for a long time.”
Rick: “For me, its strength lies in helping us look first at the human being behind a role. Whether that person is an officer or a detainee. Safety ultimately revolves around people, not systems.”
Does design thinking also make your work more enjoyable?
Olof: “We work with taxpayers’ money, so what we do is always serious. But still, we are people who contribute to society with heart and soul. And yes, when you create something new together and you see that it works, that brings joy. I believe that joy also reflects in the result.”
Where are the blind spots that you can still address?
Olof: “The group within the Makers Collective, in which creators with a design mindset in the safety domain have joined forces inside the government, is not growing very rapidly. The projects we saw four years ago at Dutch Design Week are now in this publication. That is wonderful, but it also raises the question: are we in a bubble? Are these all the initiatives? Or are there places where much more is happening? We are very eager to discover that.”
Finally: what do you expect from professionals who encounter this online publication?
Rick: “That they feel engaged. It does not need to be grand. Even a small change in approach can have a significant impact on how someone experiences safety.”
Olof: “That they may take some distance from the familiar work process and ask themselves again: are we doing the right things? And above all: call us, email us, get in touch, share your project. Let us know what is missing. Only together can we truly renew the safety domain.”
The publication can be viewed here!
The video below briefly takes you through the publication, click here to discover the publication yourself!