Case Studies build credibility, capture lessons from context and collaboration, and provide a roadmap and learnings that others can adapt and replicate.They outline process, challenges, and success factors. They provide evidence and best practices to stakeholders, funders, or partners helping organizations and communities apply the lessons in their own contexts. The Democratizing Design (DD) team is building a portfolio of case studies to show how democratizing design works in practice, turning ideas into real-world impact.  

CARLSBAD, CA. USA AND ENSENADA, MX.

The DD chose Carlsbad, California, and Ensenada, Baja California, as the first two case studies in the Democratizing Design initiative to illustrate how human-centered design can transform local government from two different starting points. By studying these two contexts side by side, we can surface shared values, divergent approaches, and opportunities for cross-border learning. 

The Carlsbad, CA and Ensenada, MX case studies together highlight how design-driven innovation can strengthen community trust, improve quality of life, and create more inclusive civic systems—whether in a well-resourced U.S. city or an evolving Mexican municipality.

As regional cities in a dynamic Cali-Baja region, they offer complementary approaches—Carlsbad through data-driven governance and a strategic, human-centered innovation approach, and Ensenada through participatory design and cultural inclusion. Together, they reveal shared lessons in civic transformation and the power of design to democratize local development.

These two civic case studies are important as they demonstrate how design can be a practical tool for advancing inclusion, trust, and resilience in local governance. Carlsbad and Ensenada each show how public institutions can shift from top-down decision-making to more inclusive, participatory models rooted in local values and lived experience. For the Democratizing Design initiative, they serve as powerful examples of how human-centered and humanity-centered design can be embedded into policy, planning and civic engagement across diverse political, economic, and cultural contexts. Studying these cities side by side also reveals how design can transcend borders—offering a shared language for collaboration in regions facing common challenges but distinct governance systems.

Carlsbad, CA represents a mature, resource-rich city that has earned national recognition for embedding design-driven innovation into governance—through strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, and award-winning digital transformation efforts. The City no longer has a Chief Innovation Officer, but experience shows that success is not just about launching new tools or technologies—it’s about cultivating the right mindset, systems, and structures that make innovation sustainable over time. We will look to how they sustain innovation over time which requires intentionality and investment in professional expertise, continuous education, and the time to build trust.

Ensenada, MX by contrast, reflects an emergent, grassroots journey. As a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, Ensenada blends cultural pride with a growing design mindset, driven by civic leaders, architects, and community advocates. Design here often emerges bottom-up, sparked by passionate individuals who see urban spaces not just as infrastructure, but as places for human connection, dignity, and shared identity.

Carlsbad Case Study

Carlsbad Podcast

Ensenada Case Study

Ensenada Podcast