Portland and the federal government

Learn about our sanctuary city status, efforts to block federal overreach: Portland.gov/Federal

Playbook

Teams often start with a solution. This playbook helps you step back and focus on the problem first. This helps reduce assumptions and risk.

A graphic illustrates the cycle of three phases: define, discover, and deliver. View full size image

City services often cross bureau lines. When teams aren't aligned, people experience confusion, delays, and extra work.

This playbook supports a different approach:

  • Understand people's needs
  • Make better decisions
  • Build services that work in the real world

You do not need special tools. These plays focus on how you work, not what software or tools you use. Over time, this work will lead to clearer problem framing, better cross-bureau experiences, and improved community outcomes.

How to use this playbook

Start with a few plays that fit your situation. You do not need to use everything. The plays are organized into three phases:

Define

Get clear on the problem, goals, and constraints.

Discover

Learn what is true about people's needs, wants, and risks.

Deliver

Build, run, and improve a real service.

This guide is meant to be lightweight. Too many methods can make it harder to act. Different teams will use different tools. That's expected. What matters is using these practices to:

  • Align on the problem
  • Learn from real people
  • Build something that works 
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