When designed well, public services can be equity engines, or mechanisms that can ensure families are able to stay healthy, live in quality housing, and access meaningful education and career pathways regardless of household income. Good design of these essential social services necessitates that the lived experience of those using and delivering is at the center of how they are designed. But doing design research and ideation with the people that interact with public services like child welfare, shelters, cash assistance, and criminal justice, necessitate a different approach than traditional UX or HCD methods born out of the private sector. The Studio is comprised of designers without a background in social work or trauma informed care. We engaged experts over the last year to design our own equity-centered method of designing with communities using a strengths-based method that reduces harm and acknowledges power disparities. This Pre-Conference Course in the Government UX track will share this methodology in a 3.5 hour workshop, and cover the basics of how to build government programs and services using a community-centered co-design model, including:
+ Models and strategies to build project communities and how to convene partners for the duration of project design, testing and piloting.

+Protocols and best practices for equitably engaging with residents that is accessible to all, trauma-informed, and rooted in plain language plain language.

+A workshop curriculum that practitioners can bring back to their home agencies

+Case studies of Studio projects that provide a proof of concept for why this methodology works, including projects in partnership with the Department of Corrections, the Department of Social Services and the Administration for Children’s Services.