DfG In spring 2026, Aalto University’s Design for Government (DfG) course will be cooperating in two public-sector projects addressing climate adaptation and equitable healthcare in Finland. The first project, with the City of Helsinki, explores how to incentivize housing companies to proactively implement climate adaptation measures in residential buildings, addressing regulatory gaps, building lifecycle entry points, … Read more
DfG25, Ministry of Finance, Governance models, Policy Project Description The Open Government Action Plan 2023–2027 is a living document that captures Finland’s commitment to transparency, participation, and inclusivity, among other values. The action plan emphasises the need for innovative responses to societal challenges, particularly including vulnerable groups, to realise these values in practice. Finland has the third … Read more
DfG25, Finnish institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Kela, Ministry of Social Affairs, Service delivery, Policy Project descriptions Continuity of Care is an ongoing, multiyear collaboration between Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, and Aalto’s Design for Government (DfG) course. The project will build upon last year’s collaboration focused on the Omalääkäri, or “Personal Doctor” … Read more
The Design for Government 2025 Final Show showcases inspiring examples of proactive and ‘designerly’ approaches to policy-making and public service provision. The event saw 4 talented and multidisciplinary student teams present their research and proposals responding to challenges within the Finnish public sector. This year, students addressed a record of two different project briefs, with … Read more
This project, developed for the Continuity of Knowledge brief within the DfG course, explores how Kanta, Finland’s national digital health platform, can shift from a passive archive to a proactive tool for elderly care. Collaborating with Kela and Kanta, and healthcare professionals, the team focuses on addressing isolation and promoting early intervention for older adults.
In our latest phase, we have sharpened our approach to situate Open Government from an orchestrator of action coherence to a policy-level link connecting decision-makers with citizens. By advocating for Open Government principles at the heart of legislative and administrative processes, we see a possibility for Open Government to be a bridge between policy and people.
Our research explores Open Government Finland’s role in building democratic resilience. Working with the Ministry of Finance and civil society networks, our recommendations focus on connecting Open Government directly with policymakers and advocating its principles within this level to strengthen Finland’s democracy. We thank our partners and everyone that took time to answer our many questions during this process.
How can narrative and design shift a national care system? This post reflects on our team –Care Group 1– proposal for the Ministry of Health and KELA, focusing on continuity of knowledge in elderly care. It highlights the power of communication and storytelling in promoting preventive, human-centered care—and the role design plays in making visions actionable.
HyMy Village at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences addresses the challenges of linear digital solutions in Finnish elderly care by combining multidisciplinary, human-centered collaboration with digital tools. By integrating data with lived experiences, the project enhances continuity of knowledge and holistic care, moving beyond linear metrics to support adaptive, personalized well-being for elderly clients
Over the past few weeks, we have focused on exploring how intergenerational collaboration could be incorporated into open government by creating an age-friendly Finland. From contacting various organizations to conducting interviews, our schedule has been packed with activity and learning opportunities as we gathered insights to shape a more inclusive future for all ages.