At the Forum on Emerging Technologies on December 5, 2024, Chaeney Emanavin, deputy state chief technology officer at the California Department of Technology, talked about human-centered design as the key to innovation. He highlighted projects like California’s Digital Vaccine Records, Bogotá’s “Care Blocks” Initiative, and the Office of Tax Appeals Process Redesign, showing how thoughtful design improves efficiency. Introducing Service Design Blueprinting, he explained how mapping user experiences to internal workflows enhances service delivery. Emanavin called on agencies to prioritize people over technology, saying that true innovation comes from designing better systems.

Watch the 10-minute video below: