how public design - tax
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
The letter
Participating citizens
Writer
Architecht
Graphic designer
Eye tracking expert
Activist
New apartment owner
CartoonistCartoonist
Nurse
School teacher
Christianit (living in the free town of Christiania)
Priest
Rhetorician
Poet
Numerologist
Individual interpretations
The current letter
School teacher
I let a I let a I let a I let a childchildchildchild in 5th grade in 5th grade in 5th grade in 5th grade readreadreadread the the the the texttexttexttext, and , and , and , and afterafterafterafter
readingreadingreadingreading it it it it hehehehe crupledcrupledcrupledcrupled it and it and it and it and threwthrewthrewthrew it out. I it out. I it out. I it out. I feelfeelfeelfeel the same the same the same the same
waywaywayway. …The . …The . …The . …The boyboyboyboy saidsaidsaidsaid: : : : YouYouYouYou have to have to have to have to bebebebe an an an an adultadultadultadult to to to to
understand understand understand understand thisthisthisthis. I . I . I . I thoughtthoughtthoughtthought: : : : ThereThereThereThere areareareare not not not not manymanymanymany of of of of usususus
whowhowhowho areareareare not not not not adultsadultsadultsadults. … I . … I . … I . … I feelfeelfeelfeel likelikelikelike puttingputtingputtingputting mymymymy fingers fingers fingers fingers intointointointo
mymymymy earsearsearsears and and and and sayingsayingsayingsaying lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala. It is . It is . It is . It is paternalisticpaternalisticpaternalisticpaternalistic
and and and and parentparentparentparent likelikelikelike so so so so youyouyouyou feelfeelfeelfeel likelikelikelike not not not not listeninglisteninglisteninglistening. . . . YouYouYouYou do do do do
not not not not seeseeseesee the the the the carecarecarecare for the society in for the society in for the society in for the society in thisthisthisthis letter. letter. letter. letter.
Cartoonist
I was startled at the
corrected assesment.
First you have read
through 1½ pages of
numbers that you can
understand the originunderstand the origin
of and then comes
this strange amount
where suddenly the
house is worth less.
What do they mean
by that?? What is
happening?
Writer
I tried to understand why it is
so difficult to understand
these kind of writings from
the public sector. It is difficult
because they refer to some
vanishing points where there
is no argumentation for why
things are as they are –
where the author does not
have to explain. Why thesehave to explain. Why these
numbers? Who made up
these numbers?
Architecht
It is a bit sad now – I
noticed the word
”asbestos” – but once it
was someones dream.
Perhaps they build the
house themselves.
Someone loved it once. … Someone loved it once. …
Architechts have a strange
mix of creative and very
square. The creative
makes it difficult for us to
deal with text so I have
ignored page 1. Page 2
with descriptions inspired
some pictures in me.
Graphic designer
I have called it ”Dreams that build houses that break down dreams”. …
The property estimation seems very square and practical but it could
have something to do with emotions. I’m thinking about my own
situation. I have a house and the last 7 years we have put a lot of blood,
sweat and tears into building this dream house. But now the house ties
us down to Denmark and makes it difficult for us to realize our present
dream and dreams of the future: moving to another country.
She turns out the light on the installation.
Eye tracking expert
I have focused on what the eyes
fall on. I have taken the places
where the text breaks down for
me. I have put in latin words
where I have to do something. where I have to do something.
Because I get nervous when it
states that I have to do
something. When you
communicate something that
people have to act on it has to be
precise. You have made a
document I do not understand. …
You have made a document I
have to be able to act on and I
can’t. It is my responsibility!
New apartment owner
As a new owner I am very
unexperienced. But I have
some experience with
ensurance. My dad says that
I have to read all the fine
print. … With the fine print I
give up. You are not
supposed to understand it. supposed to understand it.
… I desperately try to find
the important words that
can shed some light, but it is
impossible to find
coherence. You do not have
to read the fine print but it is
very important, and then
you feel cheated because
you do not understand it. I
don’t know if I owe 50.000
dkr or if SKAT owes me
50.000?!
Activist
My problem is the top-down
control. Someone wants
something from me
regardless of who I am and
where I am in my life. … And
they expect that I act on it.
So I chose not to. It does not
open up for dialogue. … open up for dialogue. …
Some kind of life nerve has
been pressed into a locked
and square system that
shows a snapshot. It is a
society that does not
engage in dialogue with its
citizens. A pseudo life. It is
as if it comes out of a
machine.
Group work
The future form
Analysis
From data to insight
DATA FINDING THEME INSIGHT
Conceptual clarification
DATA FINDING THEME INSIGHT
Data is the amount of data
(interviews and quotes, field
notes, desk research, etc.) that
is generated during the
learning process.
Findings are condensed data and
still true to what was actually said
and done – that is they are not
analyzed and interpreted.
Findings are elements of your
data that you pick out as relevant
and interesting.
Themes are patterns of
findings. Gathering findings in
themes is the first step of
analyzing and interpreting.
Insights are cognitions or
revelations that transcends
data, findings and themes.
Insights are reached through
the analysis and interpretation
process.
An insight describes the
reason why a given situation is
as it is and identifies the actual
challenge that you are facing.
Insights
The citizens want an authority at eye level
The citizens regard letters and information from SKAT as a threat,
something you have to pull yourself together for, something that is
not fun. The reason for this is that the citizens feel that SKAT is
communicating in a paternalistic and inside language – a we thatcommunicating in a paternalistic and inside language – a we that
writes to a you. What the citizens want is an authority but at eye
level.
How might SKAT become an authority at eye
level?
SKAT is a machine that hits people in the
middle of their life dream, their blood, sweat
and tears
The property estimation letter is perceived as mechanical as if a
machine has written it, and with impersonal and incomprehensible
legal language and numbers that do not make sense to the reader. It
frustrates the reader because it is their home, their dream, their blod, frustrates the reader because it is their home, their dream, their blod,
sweat and tears that SKAT is writing about in a very mechanical
language.
How might SKAT create some understanding
between the ”machine” SKAT and the citizen as
a unique and emotional human being?
Written information is not always enough in
order for the receiver to understand the
message
SKAT’s communications strategy prioritizes contact via internet and
phone but the citizens feel that they need more than a letter or a
homepage – they need to feel that we know exactly their case so thathomepage – they need to feel that we know exactly their case so that
we can help them.
How might SKAT make sure that the citizens
understand our communication and feel
confident that we know exactly their case?
The overflood of written information makes
the message invisible to the citizen
SKAT’s focus on rule of law and the strong tradition of much writing is
reflected in the communication toward the citizens. SKAT wants the
citizens to know everything and default is to put it in writing – all
information in one text. And so the message drowns in a flood of
words.words.
How might SKAT work with communications
towards the citizens so that we embrace all
kinds of understanding (visual, auditive,
kinesthetic)?
The possibilities for the citizens to act
disappear in a bermuda-triangle
The citizens acknowledte their responsibility and they want to act but
they do not know how. The form and content of the letter reinforces
their doubt:
1. Why have I received this letter? 1. Why have I received this letter?
2. Why this facit?
3. When can I file a complaint?
How might SKAT apply our visions of rule of
law and openness better in this letter?
Method learnings
Fast, deep and cheap
insight into the
comprehension and comprehension and
feelings of the users
Physical expressions are
easier to talk fromeasier to talk from
Physical expressions make
communication of insightscommunication of insights
much more effective
Most people enjoy
expressing themselves and
having their say – so it’s a having their say – so it’s a
fun process for all