Leeds GovJam was the Leeds edition of the Global GovJam, a volunteer-run event bringing public sector innovators together for a fast-paced 48-hour design challenge. Supported by volunteers, participants worked in teams on projects designed using a range of service design methods, learning, sharing, and networking along the way.
The 2019 event ran on 22–23 October 2019, with core hours from 9:30am to 5pm on the Tuesday and 9:30am to 4pm on the Wednesday. The first Leeds GovJam took place back in 2014, launching the event in the city for the first time.
Leeds GovJam is a volunteer-led event that brings together people from across the public sector to explore new ways of tackling complex challenges. Over two intensive days, participants form teams and apply a range of service design techniques to real-world problems, moving from broad questions to tangible ideas. The atmosphere is collaborative and fast-paced, with an emphasis on learning by doing rather than sitting through presentations. Jammers are encouraged to leave assumptions at the door, step outside their usual routines, and embrace creative thinking alongside a diverse mix of colleagues they might not otherwise meet.
At the heart of the GovJam experience is the belief that the best ideas emerge when people with different perspectives come together in a supportive environment. Teams are guided by mentors who help them navigate the design process, from defining a problem statement through to refining a prototype. The focus is not on polished end products but on the journey of discovery itself. Along the way, participants pick up methods they can take back to their day jobs, building confidence in user-centred approaches and learning how to conduct interviews, capture insights, and test assumptions quickly.
The Leeds edition is part of the Global GovJam, an international movement that sees cities around the world running simultaneous events connected by a shared theme. This global dimension adds a unique energy to the local gathering, reminding everyone that public sector innovation is a worldwide conversation. While each city puts its own spin on the format, the core structure remains consistent, giving jammers a sense of being part of something much larger than a single event in a single place. Ideas and experiences are often shared across borders once the jam concludes.
Previous jams in Leeds have attracted a wide range of participants, from frontline staff and policy advisors to designers and technologists, all united by curiosity and a willingness to experiment. No prior design experience is needed, and one of the strengths of the event is how it levels the playing field between different roles and organisations. The diversity of backgrounds means teams benefit from a rich mix of knowledge and insight, and the informal setting makes it easy to strike up conversations that might never happen in a traditional conference or meeting room.
The structure of the two days is carefully designed to keep momentum high while allowing space for reflection. Teams move through a series of stages, starting with exploring the challenge and understanding the people affected by it, then generating ideas, building rough prototypes, and finally sharing what they have learned. Short bursts of activity are interspersed with check-ins and opportunities to get feedback from other teams. The ticking clock is a deliberate part of the experience, helping groups stay focused and avoid getting bogged down in overthinking.
Beyond the immediate outputs of the jam itself, the event aims to build lasting connections and a stronger community of practice around service design in the public sector. Many past jammers have stayed in touch, collaborated on future projects, or gone on to introduce similar approaches within their own organisations. The ripple effects can be felt long after the two days are over, as new skills and relationships take root. In this sense, the jam is as much about sustaining a culture of innovation as it is about the ideas generated during the event.
Volunteers play an essential role in making the jam happen, contributing their time and energy to everything from organising the venue to facilitating teams on the day. The event is run on a not-for-profit basis, with ticket costs kept as low as possible to ensure accessibility for people from all parts of the public sector and beyond. This community-driven model is part of what gives the jam its distinctive character, creating an atmosphere of shared ownership and mutual support that sets it apart from more conventional professional development events.
Leeds itself provides a fitting backdrop for a gathering focused on public sector creativity. The city has a vibrant digital and design community, and the jam draws on local talent while also welcoming participants from further afield. The choice of venue, the rhythm of the two days, and the informal social moments woven into the schedule all contribute to an experience that feels grounded in its surroundings. For anyone curious about how design thinking can be applied to the challenges facing public services, the jam offers a hands-on, immersive opportunity to find out.
