Frame excavation: Revealing and critiquing existing problem frames to improve migrants’ awareness of public services

Abstract

The prowess of design to reframe complex sociotechnical issues has made it appealing for tackling wicked problems faced by the public sector. Effective reframing requires an understanding of the problem frames in use and their shortcomings to avoid past mistakes. Literature on this groundwork for reframing is sparse. To address this gap, we report a case study on assisting migrants’ awareness of public services, involving interviews with service coordinators working in a Finnish municipality and migrants, and a co-design workshop to surface assumedly problematic frames. We then concretized the frames through an investigation of solution artifacts, encompassing in-person services, websites, and print materials. Findings highlight an overemphasis on information aggregation, excessive design efforts, limited provision of meta-information, and a lack of resources integrated into everyday life. We demonstrate how so-called Frame Excavation can be conducted in complex contexts, such as the public sector, sparking discussion on challenges and best practices.