This discussion paper was prepared for the Consultation on the Co-Design of Public Policy and Services, Singapore, 2-3 December 2013.

The consultation provided an opportunity for experts and practitioners to discover and debate public service innovation trends and applications. Two discussion papers were prepared for the event, one on social innovation and the other on design thinking.

This paper supports UNDP’s evidence-building work on design thinking. It illustrates how design thinking approaches have contributed to solving public service challenges, and explores the potential that is yet to be tapped. It also outlines forms and degrees of institutionalization of design thinking within public service administrations.