Introduction

The civic engagement is an important hall mark of democracy. Ours has been one of the oldest and richest democratic traditions that have involved people in matters of public policy. Autocracy and totalitarianism have checked its growth especially in colonial period. With the advent of welfare state in post independent India, lot of hope was raised for people taking more interest in matters of public policy and governance. However, to problems of inaccessible education and lack of awareness, it was a challenging task to promote the idea of civic engagement. Further, we were mostly treated as beneficiaries by the state for a variety of programmes, projects, policies. 

It was only in late 1970s that the western world acknowledged the importance of peoples’ participation in matters of governance with a call ‘minimum government and maximum governance.’ Thus emerged the idea of co-designing of public services whereby the citizens were to be treated as collaborators and partners, not as client, customers, and beneficiaries. It began as a process of consultation with stakeholders who had something to do with a public service. It is quite different from peoples’ participation because it involves the persons who are going to plan, deliver, and affected by a particular service. To be successful people must think collectively, avoid power imbalance, and work as partners. For this we need to have an ethical approach where human emotions and intelligence shall focus on overcoming their differences, keeping in mind the result of collaborative effort. 

In our country numerous projects have been launched to deliver a plethora of services. There is a need to strike a balance between traditional with a modern outlook in the delivery mechanism. How people are affected by a variety of services that have been offered by such measures is to be understood in terms of co-designing. Through this, we would like to enquire how stakeholders are able to develop partnership, collective thinking, and overcome power imbalances in co-designing of public services. The people must be consulted before starting any public service. This is possible if they are provided with adequate information, have decision-making power, are comfortable with this process of co-designing, and are aware of collective benefits. As such this paper will try to strike a balance between ethics of process and ethics of outcome in the co-designing of public services. 

Co-designing: Meaning and Need

Co-design, co-production, and co-creation are terms that are often used interchangeably to describe the development of initiatives involving multiple stakeholders. While there are similarities between these concepts, they have essential distinctions for public health, particularly related to the role of stakeholders and the extent and timing of their engagement 1.Co-creation is an overarching guiding principle that encompasses co-design and co-production. It refers to the collaborative approach of creative problem-solving between diverse stakeholders at all stages of an initiative, from problem identification and solution generation through to implementation and evaluation. Co-design describes active collaboration between stakeholders in the design of solutions to a pre-specified problem. Co-production refers to implementing previously determined solutions to a previously agreed problem with emphasis on the most efficient use of existing resources and assets.

Since co-design serves as a tool for co-creation, and co-creation involves different stakeholders in the co-production of a service, co-design and co-production can be positioned under the umbrella of co-creation. By understanding the differences between these concepts, we can create public services that are more responsive to the needs of citizens and more effective in achieving their goals.

Co-designing public services is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it helps to ensure that public services are better targeted and more responsive towards users. Secondly, it enables the government to create public services that are more efficient and effective in addressing the needs of the citizens. Thirdly, co-designing public services can help to foster cooperation between different groups and reinvigorate trust between citizens and public servants. Fourthly, it can help to generate more innovative ideas and achieve economic efficiencies by improving responsiveness. Finally, co-designing public services can help to identify and create outcomes or products that combine lived experience and professional expertise.

The Ethics of Co-designing

“Ethical design refers to design that resists manipulative patterns, respects data privacy, encourages co-design, and is accessible and human centered. Currently, no universally sanctioned framework exists.”1 (Stephen Gosset, Senior Staff Reporter at Built In).

From a practical point of view, co-design is a movement, a mindset about challenging the imbalance of power held by individuals who make decisions about others. To delve into this novel perspective, co-design includes a re-balancing of power between designers and stakeholders, meaning that both categories are viewed as partners under the spectrum of equality, contributing either with their live experience or their professional expertise.

The following must be considered while co-designing a public service:

• Autonomy – how does the participant maintain their freedom of choice, right to choose and independence when engaging in this intervention?

• Nonmaleficence – causing no harm to others, above all doing no harm. What if things don’t go right – what are your responsibilities for the wellbeing of people involved with your project?

• Beneficence – How does your intervention contribute to the wellbeing of the person or people you are serving?

• Justice – treating equals equally and unequal’s unequally but in proportion to their relevant differences.

• Fidelity – How do you intend to follow through with what you said you would? What happens if you don’t?

• Legal – What is the legislation that you need to be aware of? e.g. are you working with young people, how are you intending on keeping private information confidential?

Key points of safety when working with a target group what things will keep them well and safe? How do you enable people to tool-up before engaging in the conversation? How much of your own experience do you intend on sharing, to what ends and why?

Methods and tools of Co-designing

There are several methods and tools that can be used for co-designing public services. Here are some of the most used methods and tools:

1. Design thinking: Design thinking is a human-centred approach to problem-solving that involves empathy, ideation, prototyping, and testing. It can be used to create innovative solutions to complex problems.

2. Service design: Service design is a process that focuses on creating user-centered services that are efficient, effective, and satisfying. It involves understanding the needs of users, designing services that meet those needs, and testing and refining those services over time.

3. Co-production: Co-production is a process that involves the active participation of citizens and other stakeholders in the design and delivery of public services. It can help improve the quality of public services by leveraging the strengths of both the public and private sectors.

4. Visualizations: Visualizations can be used to help stakeholders understand complex information and data. They can include diagrams, charts, and other visual aids.

5. Prototyping: Prototyping involves creating a scaled-down version of a product or service to test its functionality and usability. It can be used to refine the design of public services and ensure that they meet the needs of users.

6. Focus groups: Focus groups involve bringing together a small group of people to discuss a specific topic or issue. They can be used to gather feedback on public services and identify areas for improvement.

7. User research: User research involves gathering information about the needs, preferences, and behaviors of users. It can be used to design public services that are tailored to the needs of users.

8. Stakeholder interviews: Stakeholder interviews involve gathering feedback from stakeholders about public services. They can be used to identify areas for improvement and ensure that public services are designed to meet the needs of all stakeholders.

By using these methods and tools, we can create public services that are more responsive to the needs of citizens and more effective in achieving their goals.

Role of different Stakeholders in Co-designing of Public Services

NITI Aayog, or the National Institution for Transforming India, is a policy think tank of the Government of India that provides both directional and policy inputs to the government. NITI Aayog has been mandated to foster cooperative federalism, evolve a national consensus on developmental goals, and act as a platform for resolution of cross-sectoral issues between Center and State Governments, capacity building, and to act as a Knowledge and Innovation hub 5. NITI Aayog can play a crucial role in co-designing public services in India by providing a platform for structured and regular interaction with states and by fostering cooperation between the public and private sectors. NITI Aayog can also help ensure that the co-design process is inclusive and representative of all stakeholders, especially those who are marginalized or underrepresented. 

By leveraging its expertise, resources, and innovative ideas, NITI Aayog can help create public services that are more responsive to the needs of citizens and more effective in achieving their goals. Think tanks play a vital role in shaping public policy by providing research-based inputs to the government and other stakeholders. 

They are independent organizations that conduct research, analysis, and advocacy on various issues of public interest. The Centre for Policy Research (CPR) is one of India’s leading public policies think tanks that has been nurturing and supporting scholarly excellence since 1973. It has been actively involved in co-designing public services in India by conducting research and providing policy recommendations to the government. In addition to CPR, there are several other think tanks in India that are contributing to the co-designing of public services. For instance, the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) initiative by the Indian government aims to create a robust digital infrastructure that facilitates seamless public service delivery and allows businesses to design novel solutions on top of the DPI layers. Think tanks such as CPR and the DPI initiative are playing a crucial role in co-designing public services in India by providing research-based inputs and policy recommendations to the government and other stakeholders. 

Jan Sunwais, or public hearings, can be an effective means of co-designing public services in India. Social audits, which trace their emergence in movement-led Jan Sunwais to their current institutionalised role in India’s founding national employment legislation, are an important accountability strategy. Jan Sunwais are public meetings in which individuals and groups critically assess the implementation of government programs, policies, and law as well as actions of private entities. These social audits are an important element of grassroots advocacy to identify the gaps between the actual and desired impact of important social and economic rights such as the right to food, health, pensions, and employment as well to expose violent crimes. While technocrats use the term to mean a watered-down form of government regulation, social movements have restored the term to its original Latin meaning ‘audire,’ meaning to hear. Social audits are a forum that forces governments to hear the people.

PRIs by design provide the citizens direct access to the elected representatives, which enables them to demand for supply of basic services, viz health, education, potable drinking water, sanitation including solid and liquid waste management, housing, electricity, physical and electronic connectivity, and other services mandated in the respective State Panchayat Raj Acts. Gram Sabha is a platform for citizens to participate in the co-designing of public services at different levels. It allows citizens to share their ideas, suggestions, and feedback on various government initiatives and policies. Gram Sabha is the primary body of the Panchayati Raj system and by far the largest. It is a permanent body. The power to annul a decision of the Gram Sabha rests with the Gram Sabha only. All other institutions of the Panchayati Raj like the Gram Panchayat, Block Panchayat and Zilla Parishad are constituted by elected representatives.  

Civil servants can facilitate co-designing public services in India by following these steps:

1. Identify and engage with stakeholders: The first step is to identify the stakeholders who will be involved in the co-design process. These can include citizens, community groups, NGOs, and other organisations. Once the stakeholders have been identified, it is important to engage with them in a meaningful way. This can involve holding community meetings, conducting surveys, and using social media to reach out to stakeholders.

2. Provide support and resources: Stakeholders may face barriers to participation, such as language barriers, lack of access to technology, or lack of transportation. It is important to provide support and resources to help stakeholders participate in the co-design process. This can include providing translation services, offering transportation, or providing childcare services.

3. Create a safe and inclusive environment: It is important to create a safe and inclusive environment for stakeholders to participate in the co-design process. This can involve creating a code of conduct that outlines expectations for behavior, providing training for facilitators, and ensuring that the physical environment is accessible and welcoming.

4. Ensure that stakeholders have decision-making power: It is important to ensure that stakeholders have decision-making power in the co-design process. This can involve creating a diverse steering committee that includes representatives from marginalised communities, providing training for facilitators on how to ensure that all voices are heard, and creating a process for stakeholders to provide feedback on the co-design process.

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a vital role in co-designing public services in India. NGOs are organizations that are concerned with handling different types of activities that aim for the benefit of society at large, especially the underprivileged people. NGOs can act as catalysts of social, economic, political, or cultural change, implementers of programs, and partners in the development process. NGOs can help ensure that the co-design process is inclusive and representative of all stakeholders, especially those who are marginalised or underrepresented. They can identify and engage with marginalised communities, provide support and resources, create a safe and inclusive environment, and ensure that marginalised communities have decision-making power in the co-design process 20. NGOs can also help ensure that the co-design process is transparent and accountable. They can provide information about the process, including its goals, objectives, and outcomes, and ensure that the process is fair and unbiased.

In addition, NGOs can help ensure that the co-design process is effective by providing expertise and knowledge in areas such as community development, social justice, and human rights. By ensuring that the co-design process is inclusive, transparent, and accountable, NGOs can help create public services that are more responsive to the needs of citizens and more effective in achieving their goals.

Citizens play a crucial role in designing public services in India. They are the primary beneficiaries of public services and have a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities that these services present. By involving citizens in the design process, public services can be tailored to meet their needs and preferences. According to a research paper on Designing Citizen-Centred Public Services, service design is increasingly playing a role in determining how government services are provided to citizens. Government services touch upon every aspect of daily life and the ‘users’ of these services are the widest target audience imaginable – citizens of any demographic description. Citizen engagement can help improve development results by using citizen engagement in a variety of ways: to elicit information and ideas, support public service improvements, defend the public interest from ‘capture’ and clientelism, strengthen the legitimacy of the state in the eyes of citizens and bolster accountability and governance in the public sector. In addition, citizen engagement can help ensure that the co-design process is inclusive and representative of all stakeholders, especially those who are marginalised or underrepresented. 

It can identify and engage with marginalised communities, provide support and resources, create a safe and inclusive environment, and ensure that marginalised communities have decision-making power in the co-design process.  By involving citizens in the design process, public services can be tailored to meet their needs and preferences. Citizen engagement can help ensure that the co-design process is inclusive and representative of all stakeholders, especially those who are marginalised or underrepresented.

Cases of Co-designing of Public Services

There are several examples of co-designed public services in India. One such example is the e-Choupal initiative launched by the Agribusiness Division of the Indian conglomerate ITC in 2001. The initiative aimed to improve ITC’s access to high-quality soybeans by creating a digital marketplace that connected farmers directly with buyers. Another example is the Co-Creating Digital Public Services project, which aims to co-create (public) value for public administrations and citizens through the co-creation of digital public services. The project reviews key literature and concepts relating to the co-creation of digital public services and considers what kind of digital public services allow for meaningful citizen participation. It also reviews traditional participatory approaches that provide the basis for co-creating digital public services, such as co-production of public services, co-design, and civic open data use.

These examples illustrate how co-designing public services can lead to better outcomes for citizens. By involving citizens in the design process, public services can be tailored to meet their needs and preferences.

It is possible to have co-designing of public services at national, state, and local levels in India. In fact, the Indian government has launched several initiatives to promote co-designing of public services at different levels. For example, the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) aims to speed up e-Governance implementation across the various arms of Government at National, State, and Local levels, guided by a common vision and strategy. In addition, the National Policy on Disaster Management (NPDM) lays down institutional, legal, financial, and coordination mechanisms at the national, state, district, and local levels to ensure effective disaster management. The policy emphasises the importance of coordination and collaboration between different levels of government to ensure that disaster management efforts are effective.

Furthermore, the report by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank highlights the importance of decentralising both spending and revenue authority to improve the allocation of resources in the public sector by linking the costs and benefits of local public services more closely.

By involving citizens and other stakeholders in the design process, public services can be tailored to meet their needs and preferences. By leveraging the strengths of both the public and private sectors, we can create public services that are more efficient, effective, and satisfying. MyGov is an innovative platform to build a partnership between citizens and the government with the help of technology for growth and development of India. MyGov provides a platform for citizens to participate in the co-designing of public services at different levels. It allows citizens to share their ideas, suggestions, and feedback on various government initiatives and policies. MyGov also provides a mechanism for citizens to participate in nation-building activities, such as quizzes, polls, and discussions 16. In addition, MyGov provides a platform for citizens to connect with government officials and other stakeholders. 

It allows citizens to engage with government officials and provide feedback on public services. This can help ensure that the co-design process is inclusive and representative of all stakeholders, especially those who are marginalised or underrepresented. By providing a platform for citizens to participate in the co-design process, MyGov can help create public services that are more responsive to the needs of citizens and more effective in achieving their goals. The role of technology in co-designing public services is multifaceted. Technology can be used as an enabler to facilitate the co-design process, as well as an objective to create digital public services that are more responsive to the needs of citizens.

According to a research paper on Co-Creating Digital Public Services, technology can be used as an enabler to co-create (public) value for public administrations and citizens through the co-creation of digital public services. The paper reviews key literature and concepts relating to the co-creation of digital public services and considers what kind of digital public services allow for meaningful citizen participation. It also reviews traditional participatory approaches that provide the basis for co-creating digital public services, such as co-production of public services, co-design, and civic open data use. In addition, technology can be used as an objective to create digital public services that are more responsive to the needs of citizens. For example, the e-Choupal initiative launched by the Agribusiness Division of the Indian conglomerate ITC in 2001 aimed to improve ITC’s access to high-quality soybeans by creating a digital marketplace that connected farmers directly with buyers. This initiative demonstrates how technology can be used to create digital public services that are more efficient and effective.

Challenges of Co-designing Public services in India

Ensuring that the design of public services is culturally sensitive is crucial to creating public services that are inclusive and equitable. Here are some ways to ensure that the design of public services is culturally sensitive:

1. Understand the cultural context: It is important to understand the cultural context of the communities being served. This can involve conducting research, engaging with community leaders, and consulting with experts in the field.

2. Identify and engage with diverse stakeholders: It is important to identify and engage with diverse stakeholders, including those who are marginalized or underrepresented. This can involve holding community meetings, conducting surveys, and using social media to reach out to community members.

3. Provide support and resources: Marginalised communities may face barriers to participation, such as language barriers, lack of access to technology, or lack of transportation. It is important to provide support and resources to help these communities participate in the co-design process. This can include providing translation services, offering transportation, or providing childcare services.

4. Create a safe and inclusive environment: It is important to create a safe and inclusive environment for stakeholders to participate in the co-design process. This can involve creating a code of conduct that outlines expectations for behavior, providing training for facilitators, and ensuring that the physical environment is accessible and welcoming.

5. Ensure that stakeholders have decision-making power: It is important to ensure that stakeholders have decision-making power in the co-design process. 

This can involve creating a diverse steering committee that includes representatives from marginalised communities, providing training for facilitators on how to ensure that all voices are heard, and creating a process for community members to provide feedback on the co-design process. By following these steps, we can ensure that the design of public services is culturally sensitive and that public services are designed to meet the needs of all citizens.

There are several limitations of technology-based approach in co-designing public services. One of the primary limitations is that technology-based approaches may not be accessible to all citizens, especially those who are marginalised or underrepresented. This can create a digital divide and limit the participation of certain groups in the co-design process. Another limitation is that technology-based approaches may not be appropriate for all types of public services. Some public services may require face-to-face interactions or other forms of communication that cannot be facilitated by technology. In addition, technology-based approaches may not be effective in addressing complex social and cultural issues. Co-designing public services requires a deep understanding of the social, cultural, and economic context of the communities being served. Technology-based approaches may not be able to capture the nuances of these contexts. Finally, technology-based approaches may not be able to address ethical concerns related to the co-design process. Ensuring that the co-design process is inclusive, transparent, and accountable requires a careful and nuanced approach that may not be possible with technology-based approaches alone.

Ensuring that marginalised communities are included in the co-design process is crucial to creating public services that are inclusive and equitable. Here are some ways to ensure that marginalised communities are included in the co-design process:

1. Identify and engage with marginalised communities: The first step is to identify the communities that are most likely to be marginalised or underrepresented. This can be done by conducting research, engaging with community leaders, and consulting with experts in the field. Once these communities have been identified, it is important to engage with them in a meaningful way. This can involve holding community meetings, conducting surveys, and using social media to reach out to community members.

2. Provide support and resources: Marginalised communities may face barriers to participation, such as language barriers, lack of access to technology, or lack of transportation. It is important to provide support and resources to help these communities participate in the co-design process. This can include providing translation services, offering transportation, or providing childcare services.

3. Create a safe and inclusive environment: It is important to create a safe and inclusive environment for marginalised communities to participate in the co-design process. This can involve creating a code of conduct that outlines expectations for behavior, providing training for facilitators, and ensuring that the physical environment is accessible and welcoming.

4. Ensure that marginalised communities have decision-making power: It is important to ensure that marginalised communities have decision-making power in the co-design process. This can involve creating a diverse steering committee that includes representatives from marginalised communities, providing training for facilitators on how to ensure that all voices are heard, and creating a process for community members to provide feedback on the co-design process.

Co-designing public services can be done using either an expert-driven approach or a user-driven approach. An expert-driven approach involves relying on the expertise of professionals to design public services. 

This approach can be useful when designing complex public services that require specialised knowledge and skills. However, it may not always consider the needs and preferences of users. On the other hand, a user-driven approach involves involving citizens and other stakeholders in the design process. This approach can help ensure that public services are tailored to meet the needs and preferences of users. By involving citizens in the design process, public services can be more responsive to the needs of citizens and more effective in achieving their goals. Both expert-driven and user-driven approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. The choice of approach will depend on the specific context and the needs of the stakeholders involved.

Co-designing public services in India is a complex and multi-faceted issue that requires a nuanced approach. Here are some of the issues that need to be addressed:

1. Inclusivity: One of the primary concerns is ensuring that the co-design process is inclusive and representative of all stakeholders, especially those who are marginalised or underrepresented. This requires a deep understanding of the social, cultural, and economic context of the communities being served.

2. Transparency and accountability: Another ethical concern is ensuring that the co-design process is transparent and accountable. This means that all stakeholders should have access to information about the process, including its goals, objectives, and outcomes. It also means that there should be mechanisms in place to ensure that the process is fair and unbiased.

3. Power and authority: Co-designing public services in India raises questions about power and authority. Who has the power to make decisions about the design of public services? How can power be shared among stakeholders to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard?

4. Technology: The role of technology in co-designing public services is multifaceted. Technology can be used as an enabler to facilitate the co-design process, as well as an objective to create digital public services that are more responsive to the needs of citizens. However, it is important to ensure that the use of technology is ethical and equitable.

5. Capacity building: Co-designing public services requires a range of skills and expertise. It is important to build the capacity of stakeholders to participate effectively in the co-design process. This can involve providing training and resources to help stakeholders develop the skills they need to participate in the process.

In conclusion, co-designing public services in India is a complex issue that requires a careful and nuanced approach. By addressing the issues of inclusivity, transparency and accountability, power and authority, technology, and capacity building, we can create public services that are more responsive to the needs of citizens and more effective in achieving their goals.

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