How to find Joy in the Slow Pace of Change / Martha Edwards / Ep. #234

Service Design Show

What makes time go fast for you, and what makes it go slow...

It's a powerful question that might just help you find more meaning and heck, yes even more joy in your work.

We see a brighter future, but the system moves slowly. This mismatch can lead to frustration and burnout. What if the secret to creating change wasn't about the system, but about you?

In this conversation with Martha Edwards, a public sector veteran, we talk about powerful personal habits that keep her effective and optimistic.

In this episode we explore topics like:

How to find satisfaction in work that might not bear fruit for years

Why the energy you bring to a room is one of your most powerful professional tools

And how a simple practice like writing "week notes" can be a hack to recognize your small wins and give you the motivation to keep going.

This framing takes the pressure off and allows us to be kinder to ourselves, knowing we’ve contributed a piece to a larger, longer story. I'm curious if this metaphor resonate with you too.

Enjoy the episode and keep planing seeds .

Be well,

~ Marc

--- [ 1. GUIDE ] ---

00:00 Welcome to Episode 234

04:00 The current state of public sector design

07:30 How Systemic Uncertainty Affects Designers

08:30 From "Designer" to "Public Servant"

09:30 Finding Meaning in Government Work

12:30 How she can find herself still grateful

16:00 Big learnings: working as a creative writer

18:00 Seeing a "Parallel Universe" at UK's GDS

20:00 Avoid the "Design Colonialist" Mindset

22:30 How it shifted

23:30 government digital service to canadian government

28:30 How Sharing Work Waters the Seeds of Change

30:30 what she recommends to share

36:30 staying patient in a government organization

38:00 how do we navigate that?

43:30 Exercise to Recognize Your "Small" Wins

45:15 Being flexible with your role in the public service industry

48:30 How to Make Smart Compromises

54:30 Finding Your Joy

57:30 Question to ponder

59:30 Connect with Martha

--- [ 2. LINKS ] ---

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marthaedwardscan/
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/maredwards.bsky.social
• Website: marthaedwards.ca

Readings:

• Going beyond planting seeds
• I’m a service designer and I’ve never done co-design
• Leading with design at the Ministry of Environment
• The long slog of public service transformation - by Martin and Kara
• Barriers to Service Design in Government - Created by Linn Vizard, Marie Serrano and Spencer Beacock

--- [ 3. CIRCLE ] ---

Join our private community for in-house service design professionals.

⁠https://servicedesignshow.com/circle

[4. FIND THE SHOW ON]

• Youtube ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/234-youtube
• Spotify ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/234-spotify
• Apple ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/234-apple
• Snipd ~ https://go.servicedesignshow.com/234-snipd