Six layers, one question
A walkthrough of the Public Capability Stack
How do we evaluate whether digital public systems expand human freedom? The Public Capability Stack (PCS) answers this question by analyzing digital systems across six configurational layers.
Rather than looking at digital resources in isolation, the PCS traces the entire service journey: from digital resources through demand signals, conversion factors, and governance safeguards, to capabilities and final life outcomes. This layer-by-layer walkthrough demonstrates how a deficit in any single layer can block capability conversion and lead to service failure.