Long-Term Design Practice in the Public Sector and the Transformation of the Designer’s Position

Reflections from a Case Study of a New Department Development Project at a Public High School

Abstract

This study examines a public high school department development project in which the author participated, presenting one possible image of a designer engaged in long-term public-sector practice. The author first joined as an external proposer working with local residents and later became an internal coordinator supporting implementation within the school. The study explores how this positional shift reshaped stakeholder relationships, practical roles, and the author’s way of thinking, showing that public project designers need broad skills and a will grounded in empathy.