TEACHING | 2015
TEACHING | 2015
Introducing human-centered design to government employees
Introducing human-centered design to government employees
LAB @ OPM (OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT)
LAB @ OPM (OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT)
GOAL
Create and deliver a new curriculum on how to apply human-centered design for public servants across federal government.
Create and deliver a new curriculum on how to apply human-centered design for public servants across federal government.
Create and deliver a new curriculum on how to apply human-centered design for public servants across federal government.
ABOUT
The Lab at the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is both a practice and a space that fosters innovation through human-centered design. Because OPM serves an HR function within government, the Lab has always emphasized the importance of teaching and training.
The Lab at the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is both a practice and a space that fosters innovation through human-centered design. Because OPM serves an HR function within government, the Lab has always emphasized the importance of teaching and training.
The Lab at the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is both a practice and a space that fosters innovation through human-centered design. Because OPM serves an HR function within government, the Lab has always emphasized the importance of teaching and training.
The Lab at the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is both a practice and a space that fosters innovation through human-centered design. Because OPM serves an HR function within government, the Lab has always emphasized the importance of teaching and training.
ROLE
As a Design Strategist at the Lab, I was part of both the curriculum and teaching teams.
As a Design Strategist at the Lab, I was part of both the curriculum and teaching teams.
Other project members include:
Other project members include:
All photos by Anchyi Wei
CHALLENGE
Our team decided to transition from teaching from an out-of-the-box, licensed design curriculum to creating our own content for a three-day course on the fundamentals of human-centered design within government.
This change was motivated by two factors:
Our team decided to transition from teaching from an out-of-the-box, licensed design curriculum to creating our own content for a three-day course on the fundamentals of human-centered design within government.
This change was motivated by two factors:
RESULTS
We ultimately created a curriculum that emphasized:
Over the three-day course, I helped students understand the importance of mindsets and design methodologies. Since the course was experiential, I prepared students for qualitative research and led them through the design synthesis and prototyping.
We ultimately created a curriculum that emphasized:
Over the three-day course, I helped students understand the importance of mindsets and design methodologies. Since the course was experential, I prepared students for qualitative research and led them through the design synthesis and prototyping.
IMPACT
After the success of the course revamp, a Director of Education role was created at the Lab to focus on building and creating more content and courses about design in the public sector.
Because of the team's commitment to creating a hands-on and contextual course, we were invited to tailor our course content for VA Hospital staff through the VA Innovation Lab. I co-taught our course to nurses, doctors and administrators in Biloxi, Jackson, Milwaukee and San Francisco.
To date, more than 2,000 federal employees have taken design courses offered at the Lab.
After the success of the course revamp, a Director of Education role was created at the Lab to focus on building and creating more content and courses about design in the public sector.
Because of the team's commitment to creating a hands-on and contextual course, we were invited to tailor our course content for VA Hospital staff through the VA Innovation Lab. I co-taught our course to nurses, doctors and administrators in Biloxi, Jackson, Milwaukee and San Francisco.
To date, more than 2,000 federal employees have taken design courses offered at the Lab.
"I wanted to tell you how incredible the fundamentals class was. I enrolled hoping to gather some more tools/skills to when I facilitate projects & workshops, but I got SO MUCH MORE than that. I love the process we learned & the way it was taught."
– Workshop Participant
"I wanted to tell you how incredible the fundamentals class was. I enrolled hoping to gather some more tools/skills to when I facilitate projects & workshops, but I got SO MUCH MORE than that. I love the process we learned & the way it was taught."
– Workshop Participant
WORK
WORK
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Applying ethnography to scale social change
Applying ethnography to scale social change
Applying ethnography to scale social change
Bridge International Academies
Bridge International Academies
Bridge International Academies
Bridge International Academies
UX
UX
UX
UX
Building a non-profit's first digital product
Building a non-profit's first digital product
Building a non-profit's first digital product
Cool Culture
Cool Culture
Cool Culture
TEACHING
TEACHING
TEACHING
TEACHING
Office of Personnel Management
Office of Personnel Management
Office of Personnel Management
UX
Improving usability for millions of job seekers
Improving usability for millions of job seekers
Improving usability for millions of job seekers
Improving usability for millions of job seekers
USAJOBS.gov
USAJOBS.gov
USAJOBS.gov
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Using play to address health & safety issues for adolescent girls
Using play to address health & safety issues for adolescent girls
Using play to address health & safety issues for adolescent girls
ECPAT-USA
ECPAT-USA
ECPAT-USA
SERVICE
SERVICE
SERVICE
SERVICE
Championing empathy as a strategy to reduce costs
Championing empathy as a strategy to reduce costs
Championing empathy as a strategy to reduce costs
CFPB
CFPB
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
UI
UI
UI
UI
Operationalizing design for a new product team
Operationalizing design for a new product team
Operationalizing design for a new product team
Federal Reserve
Federal Reserve
Federal Reserve
Federal Reserve
TEACHING
TEACHING
TEACHING
TEACHING
Helping students solve problems using creative mindsets & methodologies
Helping students solve problems using creative mindsets & methodologies
Helping students solve problems using creative mindsets & methodologies
IDEO U
IDEO U
Medic Mobile