Designing for now and the distance: how we balance urgency with legacy
I’ve been thinking a lot about how we tackle today’s challenges while staying true to a bigger, longer-term vision. It’s something I wrestle with daily in my work, and if you’re reading this, I imagine it’s on your mind too. Whether you’re in local government, a startup, or an organisation grappling with change, the question is the same: How do we respond to the “now” without losing sight of the “distance”?
This tension feels especially sharp in places like Adur and Worthing, where the cost-of-living crisis, climate change, and service redesigns demand immediate action. But we’re also trying to lay the foundations for something bigger — more connected communities, a sustainable future, and systems that work better for everyone. It’s not easy, and we don’t always get it right, but there are lessons we’re learning along the way.
1. Designing for now: responding to urgency without losing sight
When working in local government or public service, the now is unavoidable. Residents need support, budgets are tight, and demands grow louder every day. But responding to the now doesn’t mean firefighting forever — it’s about building systems that adapt to change without breaking.
Let’s start with a myth: the idea that you have to choose between fixing today’s problems or planning for the future. You don’t. The best work happens when you hold both at the same time.
Take Worthing’s work on its heat network. It’s a response to immediate climate challenges and the need to reduce energy costs. But it’s also a system designed to evolve, allowing for future expansion as technology and needs change. It meets today’s urgency while keeping one eye firmly on tomorrow.
How to try it:
- Start small, think big: Begin with manageable projects that address immediate needs but leave room for scalability or adaptation.
- Use modular thinking: Design systems that can be added to, adjusted, or replicated elsewhere.
- Embed learning loops: Build in feedback mechanisms so you can pivot and refine as the work progresses.
2. Designing for the distance: building resilient systems for the future
One thing we’re learning is that planning for the “distance” isn’t about predicting the future — it’s about being ready for whatever comes. This means building systems that can adapt as needs and contexts change.
Sussex Bay is a great example. It’s a bold effort to regenerate our coastal environment, but it’s also about resilience. By focusing on partnerships between councils, businesses, and communities, it’s creating a flexible framework that can evolve as we learn more about the challenges ahead.
How to try it:
- Anchor decisions in purpose: Use your organisation’s mission to align short-term actions with long-term goals.
- Think in generations: Consider what success looks like in 10, 20, or 50 years. Who will benefit, and how?
- Collaborate widely: Engage with communities, businesses, and other stakeholders to co-create a future that’s shared, not imposed.
3. Holding both perspectives together
Here’s the hard bit: balancing urgency and legacy. When you’re in the thick of it — meeting deadlines, managing budgets, answering emails — it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. But the truth is, you need both perspectives to make real progress.
In Adur and Worthing, our Mission-Based Working approach is rooted in this same principle. Whether it’s designing the Worthing Heat Network or embedding digital participation tools, we’re working to create systems that solve today’s problems while building capacity for the future.
How to try it:
- Use scenarios: Develop short-term and long-term scenarios to explore how today’s actions could evolve.
- Invest in relationships: Build trust with communities and stakeholders — this is your foundation for sustainable change.
- Test and iterate: Pilot initiatives with a view to scaling or adapting them based on what you learn.
4. What we can learn from elsewhere
Across the UK and beyond, organisations are finding ways to navigate this tension.
- Camden’s Citizen Assemblies: By involving residents in decisions on climate action, Camden tackled pressing issues while fostering long-term civic engagement.
- Barcelona’s Superblocks: This urban redesign balances the now — creating liveable streets — with the distance — reimagining cities for a low-carbon future.
- The Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll): This global network encourages governments to shift from GDP to wellbeing as a measure of success, blending urgent reforms with a long-term reimagining of prosperity.
5. Practical steps to apply this thinking
- Map your priorities: What needs urgent attention, and what can wait? Create a simple now-and-next framework to guide decisions.
- Create dual timelines: Use separate but connected timelines for immediate actions and long-term aspirations.
- Stay open to adaptation: Build flexibility into your plans, allowing you to pivot as the context changes.
- Communicate clearly: Help stakeholders see the bigger picture by explaining how today’s actions contribute to the future.
6. What’s your distance
I’ll be honest: holding the “now” and the “distance” isn’t easy. It takes patience, humility, and a willingness to fail and try again. But it’s worth it. The future isn’t some distant place — it’s shaped by what we do today, and we have the chance to shape it together.
So here’s my question for you:
- What are you doing today that will still matter in a decade?
- How are you balancing the immediate with the long-term in your work?
- Who could you collaborate with to design for both?
- Let’s share what’s working (and what’s not). Because whether you’re in a council office, a startup, or a community hall, the work you do matters — not just for now, but for the distance.
