Public Sector Design Efficacy in Rural Development: A Case Study of the Future Village Project in Changdai Village, China

Shan Su, Xi Ji, Zhenhua Su, Aimei Chen

Design has become a crucial instrument for fostering innovation in the public sector to address intricate social and policy issues. In rapid urbanization, considerable scholarly interest has been in applying design principles to modernize rural communities, revealing several critical issues requiring thorough research in public sector design. These include aligning policy with community needs, finding common ground among various government entities and local and external stakeholders, and building sustainable and fair communities. A comprehensive review of the policy design, mechanism design, and rural planning for the Future Village project in Changdai Village, China, reveals that the key strategies for successful design are activating community resources, balancing policy directives and community needs, and leveraging diverse stakeholder participation. In the initial stages of the design process, policymakers seek innovative opportunities within existing policy and institutional frameworks and promote policy upgrading, resulting in higher-level government approval and increased design legitimacy. Furthermore, during the implementation phase, the public sector activates community social capital and improves participation mechanisms, facilitating the genuinely community-centered design and enhancing the design’s adaptability and sustainability.