Why now?
The most pressing issues facing cities are complex - they are no longer addressable by a single way of thinking. We are asked to do more with less, especially in this time of hardship and uncertainty. More than ever, we need solutions in government that resonate with citizens.
Every public servant, from front line workers to executive leaders, should be equipped with the skills to identify opportunities for innovation, gather insights, design effective solutions, and measure the impact of their work.
Once you learn the civic design process, there is no problem too big to solve. It can be repeated to create products, services, and systems - inside and outside of government. The health of our communities depends on our ability to solve hard problems. This introduction to civic design will equip you with all of the tools you need to be an agent of change in your community.
Hi, I’m Alex.
I am a civic designer and social entrepreneur. In 2014, I founded Cities Reimagined, a civic design firm that employs principles of design to solve complex challenges in urban cities. I am a graduate of the London School of Economics with a Master’s Degree in Cities. People know me as a relentless optimist, someone who gets things done, and can bring even the most divisive groups together around a shared mission.
After completing undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, I spent a few years working as a social worker with at-risk mothers and their babies. On one memorable occasion at the Department of Social Services, I watched my client wrestle a food stamps application so long that it touched the floor. From that moment on, I have been obsessed with solving civic problems by placing users at the center of the design process.
My background in business gives me a knack for developing urban solutions that work for people, planet, and profit. I believe that the future of cities lives in this triple bottom line framework.
When I'm not rapid prototyping and playing design games with clients, I am learning to play fiddle in the Johnston Family Band.
Read more about my most recent work here.