ReSPA is pleased to announce the International Forum Human-Centered Design Event and Quality Management Thematic Working Group Meeting, which will take place in Yerevan, Armenia, from 2 to 4 November 2026.

The three-day program will bring together representatives from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership administrations, alongside international partners and experts, to strengthen regional cooperation and exchange practical experiences in quality management, digital transformation, citizen-oriented governance, innovative public service delivery, and Human-Centered Design (HCD).

The programme will start on 2^nd November with the ReSPA Quality Management Thematic Working Group Meeting, followed on 3–4 November by the international event “Putting People at the Centre: Reimagining Public Services Through Human-Centric Design.”

2 November – ReSPA Quality Management Thematic Working Group Meeting

The first day will focus on current developments and future priorities in quality management and the work of ReSPA’s Regional Quality Management Centre. The meeting will provide an opportunity for members of the QM Thematic Working Group and other QM practitioners to exchange experiences and discuss recent developments in quality management, CAF implementation and related governance instruments.

Participants will exchange experiences on national achievements and challenges, explore the upcoming CAF 2026 revision, and discuss how CAF Resource Centres can strengthen organisational excellence and accelerate CAF implementation. The programme will also examine synergies between CAF and complementary governance frameworks, including internal control systems, public administration reform, ELoGE, and gender mainstreaming.

A dedicated session will also present the planned ReSPA CAF e-Platform, a regional digital solution intended to support organisations throughout the CAF implementation cycle. Participants, as future users and stakeholders, will have an opportunity to provide feedback and contribute to its further development through a user-centred approach.

The programme will also explore the connections between CAF and Human-Centred Design (HCD), building on discussions from the 5th Annual RQMC Meeting on how quality management can contribute to more citizen-centred, responsive, and user-focused public services. This session will serve as an introduction to the Human-Centred Design event on 3-4 November.

3–4 November – Human-Centred Design Event

The program will continue with the international event “Putting People at the Center: Reimagining Public Services Through Human-Centric Design.”

As public administrations accelerate digital transformation, the focus is increasingly shifting from simply digitalising existing procedures towards redesigning services around the needs, experiences and expectations of citizens and businesses.

The event will therefore move beyond conceptual discussions and focus on the practical application of human-centered approaches to public service design and delivery.

ReSPA will actively contribute by bringing the Western Balkans perspective on human-centred digital transformation and public service innovation, including:

• a regional perspective on the transition from digitalisation towards human-centered digital transformation.
• presentation of a practical Western Balkans case demonstrating service transformation in practice, preferably through a ReSPA-supported e-Government Pilot or On-Demand Support initiative;
• regional peer exchange on participatory and human-centered governance, institutional ownership, sustainability, and scaling of successful innovations;
• an interactive Human-Centered Design learning journey, providing practical exposure to user research, stakeholder engagement, co-design, prototyping, and testing; and
• a forward-looking workshop on anticipatory governance and strategic foresight, exploring how administrations can better anticipate future needs and emerging public service challenges.

The program will also address digital transformation, AI and emerging technologies, accessibility and inclusion, user feedback mechanisms, co-design and co-creation, interoperability, public-sector innovation, and future-oriented public service delivery.

Participants

• ReSPA Members are invited to nominate
  • 3 (three) representatives of the ReSPA QM Thematic Working Group or other relevant officials working in quality management, organisational development, service delivery and public administration reform.
  • 2 (two) representatives for the Human-Centred Design and Digital Transformation component, involved in:
    • digital transformation and digital government;
    • ReSPA-supported e-Government Pilot or On-Demand Support initiatives and
    • digital transformation and innovative service delivery at the local level.

Selected representatives will be expected to contribute actively through practical case presentations, peer-learning discussions, and interactive sessions.

The provisional agendas and concept note for the HCD conference are attached for your reference.