TorCHI  Toronto Region Computer Human Interaction

Government: A New Frontier for Design 

Chris Govias, Chief of Design, Canadian Digital Service

Date: Thursday, June 14, 2018

Time: 6:45pm: Networking | 7pm: Presentation
Location: Best Institute, 

Cost: Free for Active Members, RSVP Required
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Abstract: It's doubtful that government would be considered a compelling environment for a designer. But thanks to new initiatives, user centred design is transforming policy and service delivery. Designers at all levels of government, federal to municipal, are creating work that has real, meaningful impact on peoples' lives.

As governments adopt technology to become more user-centric, the role of the designer is more critical than ever. The past decade has seen the advent of incredible technologies that have connected us like never before. But as these technologies have matured and been widely adopted, we haven't properly considered their impact. They can be detrimental, harmful, and even dangerous to our lives and our culture. As designers, it's up to us to decide and guide how these technologies are applied to our society.

Bio: Chris Govias is a Canadian designer who has spent the past decade in London, UK. He's worked with startups, charities, and Fortune 500 companies including Expedia, where he was a Design Lead. As Head of Design for the Ministry of Justice UK, he was on the forefront of delivering transformative, user-centred government services. He returned to Canada to become the first Chief of Design with the Canadian Digital Service, a new initiative from the Government of Canada to deliver simple, easy to use services for all Canadians.

Chris’s work on Spacelog.org, which converted scans of NASA transcripts from early space missions into a searchable, accessible, linkable website, won praise from the Huffington Post, the Atlantic, Popular Science, BoingBoing and NPR, to name a few. His work has also appeared in Applied Arts, the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt Design Magazine, and Communication Arts.

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