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Public policies and programs are intended to improve the lives of citizens. Considerable efforts are currently being made to utilize evidence, conduct experiments, and use program monitoring to increase the likelihood that policies and programs will generate intended effects. We explore the neglected connection between design thinking and commissioning of public services and make a general argument for how design thinking can contribute to more effective commissioning. We use the case of charter schooling to show how acquiring and sharing knowledge of local contexts can improve service design and delivery. We conclude that paying greater attention to local collaboration and service enhancement through the application of design thinking can improve commissioning and contribute significantly to the pursuit of desired social and economic outcomes. ARTICLE HISTORY

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A bstra ctDuring the transition to long-term care (LTC), conversations that prepare individuals and their families for the possibility that the individual may be unable to make healthcare decisions in the future are often overlooked. This research uses a service design approach to understand the LTC transition experience in Ontario with attention to advance care planning.This case study involved qualitative methods to document the perspectives of LTC and advance care planning subject matter experts; and care partners of older adults who transitioned into LTC. This included unstructured interviews with experts; semi-structured interviews with care partners; and follow-up sessions with participants.Results showcased the complicated LTC journey in Ontario and the lack of an integrated approach to advance care planning. Despite the efforts of healthcare workers, many Ontarians have an incomplete understanding, even after transitioning to LTC.

In the early 1980s, global events and New Zealand’s government response drove the country towards economic collapse. Debt, inflation, and unemployment grew. To address the crisis, several legislative reforms in the style of New Public Management were passed between the mid-1980s and early 1990s. The currency was floated, price and income controls were relaxed, state-owned enterprises such as the national airline were corporatized, government accounting was scrutinized, and outputs rather than inputs were monitored in government departments. These reforms transformed New Zealand into a country that holds transparency and accountability in high regard. The economy recovered, and the population flourished and gained better access to a wider range of goods and services. This chapter analyses the reasons and the circumstances that led to the success of New Zealand’s economic reforms. The authors also discuss what economic vulnerabilities remain for New Zealand and consider the extent to which the New Zealand model offers lessons for other countries.