Civilla

Our newest case study is out! What if accessing critical energy assistance didn’t require navigating multiple agencies and take weeks of waiting? In Michigan, nearly a million low-income residents struggled to navigate a complex process to access utility relief. To help, we partnered with a coalition of for-profit, non-profit, and government agencies to pilot a streamlined application process for energy assistance. As a result, 97% of applicants got their results on the same day they applied and the pilot provided significant relief for frontline staff. Project Cohere demonstrated how organizations can work together to provide essential support for residents and workers alike. Learn more about the project to see how human-centered design is making a difference in public service. 🔗 Read the full case study: https://lnkd.in/gqqUSkTn

Have you ever considered how fostering a deep connection with nature could enhance your design practice? Maki Nakagawa, a researcher and a designer here at Civilla, recently explored this idea with Kayla Powers, a place-based fiber artist, on a nature walk in her old neighborhood. Kayla uses her love for nature to center traditional methods of foraging, dyeing, weaving, and quilting in her art practice. Maki spent the day learning about Kayla's ability to find beauty and utility in everyday plants, even in urban environments like Detroit. They discussed how a keen observation of nature can enhance our creative work and lead to stronger designs and organizational impact. “I really believe that if everyone had some kind of relationship with nature or the living world, we would be better off.” - Kayla Powers Whether it's the goldenrod fields or the delicate Ginkgo pollen stains, nature offers endless design teachings if we take the time to notice. We are inspired by our time with Kayla and encourage you to go on your own adventure in nature this week!

As a leader, how often are we sure that every decision is the right one? After 40 years of leading teams through tough challenges, our CEO michael brennan has found that admitting “I don’t know” has become one of the most powerful answers to overcome times when you are unsure. In this next edition of Letters for Leaders, Michael explores methods that leaders can use to guide them through uncertainty and into effective problem-solving. For our fellow leaders and learners alike–admitting that you don’t have all the answers can be the key to finding the best solutions. Click on the link below to read more! https://lnkd.in/gkzDcDUh

If you haven’t had the chance to visit our studio yet or simply would like to connect, our October & November studio tour slots are now open! This year we set out to create a welcoming space for government, civic tech and design leaders to come together. Join us for a 90-minute experience where you can learn more about Civilla, explore human-centered design in the public sector, and workshop your own questions and challenges with members of our team. We’d love to have you with us! Sign up here ➡️ https://bit.ly/3ZwzcNm

At Civilla, the notion of ‘walking a mile in another’s shoes’ has guided our work since day one. That idea is the core of human-centered design—creating real connections through shared experiences. We have found that in-person exhibits do this best by helping leaders create emotional and tangible connections to the human stories that underpin our work. Creating immersive “museum” exhibits to share our research helps people not only understand the work, but truly feel it. Has there been an exhibit that you’ve walked through that challenged you and changed your perspective? How did it do so? We’d love to hear about it!

It's time for #BenCon2024! Join us next week (Sept. 17-18) for a two-day in-person and virtual event focused on making public benefits more accessible, equitable, and effective through innovative technology. Over these two days, the conference will host important discussions on improving digital service delivery, leveraging digital identity, and exploring the role of automation and AI in public benefits. Our team will be speaking at two sessions that dive into strategies for engaging lived expertise and digital service delivery. We're excited to partner with our friends at Public Policy Lab, Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation, APHSA -- American Public Human Services Association and so many more amazing leaders and orgs. You can still register as a virtual attendee here: https://lnkd.in/eRwNxpFc. Will you be there?

It's our birthday! 🥳 This month marks nine years since the founding of Civilla, here in the heart of Detroit. While much has evolved over the past nine years, our vision to create lasting change with government institutions has always stayed the same. To celebrate this milestone, we asked our team to share what they are most proud of from the last year. Thank you for being on this journey with us!

Update: This workshop has sold out! Please click the link to join our waitlist for future openings and follow for upcoming events. _____ On September 25, we’re hosting our next interactive workshop to explore an introduction to human-centered design for public institutions! This virtual, 90-minute workshop will kick off our workshop series this fall that will tackle many topics in HCD and public service work (more dates to be announced soon). We’d love for you to join us or share with your community. Learn more and sign up below! - https://bit.ly/3ZbIb6s

Our LinkedIn community has grown a lot this year so we thought it was a good time to reintroduce ourselves! We’re Civilla, a nonprofit on a mission to transform public institutions through human-centered design. Right now, we’re teaming up with state partners to make unemployment insurance and public benefits simpler to access for everyone. But we’re more than just our work! Our team has a soft spot for trying new Spindrift flavors, soaking up inspiration from nature, and always having a stack of Post-its at the ready. Believe it or not, we started our journey in a storage closet in Detroit back in Fall 2015. Today, we’re still going strong, driven by our vision and the support of our community. Whether you’ve been with us from day one or just joined us recently – thank you for being part of our story. Now, we’d love to hear from you! What exciting projects are you working on these days?

We just finished a round of in-person user research in Connecticut! At Civilla, we believe that great design begins with truly understanding the people we serve. That's why we spend time on the ground, listening to community members and frontline staff share their experiences, needs, and challenges. By connecting directly with those who know their communities best, we're able to create solutions that reflect their realities and dreams. Listening, learning, and co-creating alongside the community are at the heart of what we do. How do you engage with your community in your work?