Christopher Patten
Merging Perspectives/ Teaching Design/ Identifying User Experiences
December 2020
Identifying User Experiences/
Reporting Election Night data for an election that wasn’t over yet for the Pennsylvania Department of State.
Why: With millions on absentee ballots that wouldn’t be counted until after Election Day, the Pennsylvania Department of State needed a way to convey that the election wasn’t over until all votes were counted.
How: A rapid iteration of concepts with the state’s IT team focused on using plain language to describe the election process paired with simple infographics that showed outstanding votes.
What: An interactive timeline and series of infographics educated voters and the media.
Challenge I Overcame: data for many of the categories we hoped to report didn’t exist. Calculations through Power BI designed by data experts had to fit with the user experience we had designed. The gravity of making mistakes in this particular election was difficult.
A bar chart that shows an estimated amount of ballots remaining to be counted helps convey that the results are not final.
A timeline educates voters that counting occurs long after Election Night is over.
Merging Perspectives/
Implementing a Citizens Redistricting Commission in Michigan
Why: the passing of Proposition 3 in 2018 required the formation of a citizen-led redistricting commission. Michigan residents needed to know how they could get involved and what the process looked like.
How: designing applications and outreach materials and testing them at libraries across the state revealed what citizens really care about and what mental models existed around redistricting.
What: an easy-to-read booklet and online application walks applicants through the process to be on the commission.
Challenge I overcame: finding ways to explain complex concepts like redistricting for a public audience was extremely difficult and called for a strong sense of trust and collaboration with the Secretary of State.
Initial application text from the Secretary of State included little hierarchy and was hard to read.
The new application was so successful that people who received it in the mail took time to write back, saying how excited they were.
The application was tested with over 40 participants at libraries and universities all over the state.
[CODE/UNIQUE IDENTIFIER] Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Application RAFT 6/1 /19 Page 1 of Thank you for your interest in serving the people of Michigan as a commissioner of the first ever Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission. Commissioners will be randomly selected from the pool of eligible applicants. If you are registered to vote in the state of Michigan, you are eligible to apply You do not need any particular skills or expertise to serve on the commission The constitution simply requires that each commissioner “perform his or her duties in manner that impartial and reinforces public confidence in the integrity of the redistricting process.” Answer the following questions to the best of your ability. If you have any concerns or unable to answer given prompt, please contact [CONTACT]. You must answer all required questions on this application to be considered for the commission You must also return a notarized copy to the Secretary of State via mail 1. Full Name First: ___________________________________________________ b. Middle: _________________________________________________ c. Last: ___________________________________________________ 2. Home Address a. Street: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ b. City: __________________________________________________ State: MI d. ZIP ______________________ Temporary Mailing Address (if different than the address listed above) Street: _______________________________ _________________________________________________ b. City: __________________________________________________ c. State: MI ZIP ______________________ 4. Are you registered and eligible voter in the state of Michigan? Not sure if you are registered You can check 5. ndicate whether any of the following currently since August 15 2014 a. am currently or have been in the past six (6) elected office at the federal, state, or local level. b. am currently or have been in the past six (6) years an elected official to partisan federal, state, or local office. am currently or hav been in the past six (6) years an officer or member of the governing body of political party, at the local, state, or national level Yes No You are not eligible to serve on the commission you answer “yes” to any of the sections in question 5. [CODE/UNIQUE IDENTIFIER] Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Application RAFT 6/1 /19 Page of d. am currently or have been in the past six (6) years paid consultant or employee of federal, state, or ocal elected official or political candidate, campaign, or political action committee. Yes No e. am currently or have been in the past six (6) years an employee of the legislature Yes No f. am currently or have been in the past six (6) years lobbyist agent registered with the Michigan Bureau of Elections Yes No g. am currently or have been in the past six (6) year an employee of lobbyist registered with the Michigan Bureau of Elections Yes No h. am parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, or spouse of person to whom sections (a) through ), above, would apply. Yes No 6. If selected to serve the Commission, you will be ineligible to hold partisan elected office at the state, county, village, or township level in Michigan for five (5) years following the completion of your service. Do you understand that by serving on the Commission you are ineligible to hold these elected offices for five (5) years? Yes No 7. Serving on the Commission will require time commitment of more than one year, on varying part time and full time basis (approximately 20 40+ hours per week) Are you able to dedicate the necessary time to fulfill your duties as ommissioner in addition to your other personal and work obligations Yes No 8. Each commissioner will receive compensation at an amount set by law at approximately $40,000 per year. Being a commissioner also requires travel to public hearings across Michigan. With these financial and travel expectations in mind, will you be able to serve on the commission? Yes No 9. The Michigan constitution states, “each commissioner shall perform his or her duties in a manner that impartial and reinforces public confidence in the integrity of the redistricting process.” If selected, are you able to conduct yourself accordingly? Yes No 10. The constitution specifies that for redistricting map to be adopted by the Commission, must receive votes from Democratic, Republican, and unaffiliated commissioners. If selected, do you believe you will be able to collaborate with fellow commissioners to reach consensus? Yes No 11. The ommission will be comprised of 13 commissioners: commissioners who identify as Republican, commissioners who identify as Democrat, and commissioners who do not identify with ither major party. How do you identify yourself? (please select one) a. do not affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic Party. b. affiliate with the Republican Party c. affiliate with the Democratic Party 12. Please fill out the following basic demographic information
Identifying User Experiences/
Working with the Michigan Secretary of State and local advocates to make information clear and easy to find.
Why: Layers of complicate voting information forced users to open multiple tabs, PDFs, and scroll through long paragraphs of dense text in order to find simple information. Local advocates needed a single website to send voters to.
How: Carefully collaborating with local advocates and the Secretary of State’s office. Some participants had never talked to each other, and the stakes here high. Usability testing confirmed what voters wanted and helped refine language.
What: A Michigan Voter Information Center that reflected the needs of local advocates and the Secretary of State.
Challenge I Overcame: clear communication didn’t always exist between local advocacy groups and the Secretary of State. Making sure everyone was on the same page was key.
Local election officials and advocates collaborate on a KJ.
Identifying User Experiences/
Helping election clerks help voters with low English proficiency
Why: According to the US Census, 11 million naturalized citizens who can vote aren’t voting. Counties who aren’t yet required provide voting materials in language may soon be required to by law.
How: Interviewing new citizens about their experiences and using those insights to build a toolkit for election clerks.
What: A multi-day workshop for election clerks that uses stories to build empathy for what these voters need, as well as step-bystep assistance to build a formal language access plan for their county.
Interviewing new citizens like Sardou, above, revealed what it’s like to be a new American and navigate civic life.
Challenge I overcame: I thought a well-written collection of moving stories would be enough to inspire election officials to act. I had to push myself further to translate insights into actual tools election officials could use.
Local election clerks read the stories of new citizens and work to create an official language access plan for their county.
Practical tools were placed on the Center for Civic Design’s website (above, top). Templates for communication plans exist as well as readymade language access plans for counties to adapt (above).
Identifying User Experiences/
Mapping the Procurement Process for Detroit Public Schools
Why: Years of misaligned processes and systems led to confusion when purchasing items for vendors, principals, teachers, and central office staff.
How: Interviewing key stakeholders and running co-creation design workshops allowed users to collaboratively map processes and agree on key messaging for principals.
What: A map that used a metaphor of a subway conveyed the steps to purchase goods and services. Three lines in three colors conveyed varying lengths of time required, while key messages appear in callout boxes. Stories collected from interviews became scenarios that were used for newly designed training
Do you expect that the good or service you are looking for will cost less than $23,881? (state minimum bid threshold)
Challenge I Overcame: over the years, different departments in the school district created their own maps. Some of these overlapped and some of them didn’t. More importantly, people were protective of their own processes. Bringing people together in the same room was time consuming but necessary in order for all departments to agree on a legal and clean process.
Approvals
StaceyReiner,anewteacher atanelementaryschoolonthe eastside,wasveryexcited. For heroutdoorsciencelab,she hadsourcedanentirekitthat wouldprovideherstudents withallthetoolstheyneeded torecordobservationsand performexperimentsoutside. Itwasevenalignedtothestate standards! Shehadcompleted alltheresearchandmadesure therequisitionwasenteredbythe officialRequestoratherschool. Shehadplentyoftimebeforeher
Is the request reasonable?
An executive on the 14th floor, Danny Glover, was excited to start a new endeavor with the District.
Danny is a very hospitable person and thought a new mini refrigerator for his office would allow him to offer refreshments for his guests when they came to his office. He asked his executive assistant to enter a requisition for a middle of the road mini fridge, not to cost more than $250. He didn’t want to be extravagant, after all.
Is what you’re looking for only provided by one vendor (like Microsoft Office or College Board)? You might have a sole-source vendor.
Are you looking for good or service but don’t have leads for a vendor? Is what you are requesting expensive? You might need an RFP.
Before you start
Have budgeted to your timeline.
Do have a budget and a funding source account number?
Is my supervisor aware of my upcoming request and are they prepared to sign off on it?
Do have a grasp on the scope of service need?
How long will this take?
The times to the right are not guaranteed and depend on many factors -- errors entering requisitions, vague and missing information, and required pre-approvals -- all these can cause delays.
What does Grants do?
Grants helps people get approval. They check requests for compliance and association with the correct account stream; they also make sure all required documentation is complete.
Review: Grants & Commodities Requisition
Already have a contract?
Sometimes, the District has contracts with vendors that are already in place (Office Depot, for example, provides all our office supplies). In this case, Procurement can quickly issue a purchase order, the vendor sends an invoice, the requestor marks the item or service received in Peoplesoft, and A/P makes a payment.
RFP Process
Color Key
Over $750K, involves out-of-state travel, or lasts longer than 2 years?
<$3K
$3K-10K
procurementensuresrequestisreasonable procurementresearchescompetitivepricing procurementselects vendor vendorssubmitwritten quotes department approversignsoff
$10K-23,881
Requestor drafts a scope of service and evaluation criteria and shares it with Procurement
Procurement writes and posts an RFP ( for ideally 30 days). As applications come in, they are assembled into a packet that will be used by the evaluation committee.
Approval: Purchase Order
In these cases, board items are consolidated for review by the FRC and reviewed again by the Superintendent before a contract is signed.
Requestor complete
Stories collected from interviews became scenarios that were used for newly designed training experiences. approves invoice requestormarks receivedinPeoplesoft
Cabinet Member/ Requesting Dept. prepares and submits item for school board review with Procurement support School Board approves contract
superintendent
procurementconfirmssole-sourcevendorandpreparesdocumentfor superintendent Evaluation Committee signs conflict of interest statements and scores proposals vendorsends
A/Ppaysvendor Superintendent selects a vendor based on evaluation committee scores
enters a formal requisition into Peoplesoft about 7 days about 15 days up to 3 months Legal issues award letter to vendor Vendor reviews and signs contract (with Legal if applicable) these occur only if cost is over $250K Transaction
Grants & Commodities reviews requisition (if applicable)
sufficient time to ensure get what need on time in case run into delays? Travelling out of state requires approval by the FRC and will add
March 2018
Identifying User Experiences/
Illustrating New York City Rent Succession Rights
Why: In rapidly changing neighborhoods, low-income families struggle to stay in their affordable homes. When a leaseholder passes away or moves out, remaining family members are left vulnerable to harassment and eviction from landlords. New York City has laws to protect them, but it’s complex and doesn’t often reach the people who need it most.
How: Working with residents of South Williamsburg to develop a tool that would help convey rent protections quickly and easily.
What: Pass It On! is a colorful step-by-step guide to the succession process in both English and Spanish. Pass It On! helps families understand the rights that allow them to keep living
Challenge I Overcame: New York City’s laws differ for different types of housing when it comes to succession rights. Telling a singular story with illustrations was the thread that held everything together.
EARTWHANSUCCESSIO?RIGHTS InNewYorkCityyoumayhavetheright tokeepalovedone'sapartmentafter they'vediedormovedaway.Thisiscalled "successionrights."Therearespecial rulestofollowtoclaimthoserights.If youdon'tknowyourrightsyoucouldlose yourhome. EnlaciudaddeNuevaYork,ustedpuede tenerderechoaconservarelapartamento deunapersonaqueridaunavezqueesta hamuertoosehamudado.Estosellama “derechosdesucesión”.Hayqueseguir unasreglasespecialesparareclamaresos derechos.Sinoconocesusderechos, ustedpodríaperdersuvivienda. Ifyournameisonthelease,youarea andyouhavetherighttostayintheapartment anothertenantleavesorpassesaway. getyournameonthelease! Spousesinrent-controlledorrent-stabilized canalwaysbeaddedtothelease.For members,thelandlordhastoagree.If incomeaffidavitorhouseholdcomposition suretoincludeallyourfamilymembers. MITCHELL-LAMA EQUNSOSLOSDERECHOEDSUCESION? ?AFIGURUSNOMBR ? SINOFIGURAEN Derentacontrolada/estabilizada RENT-CONTROLLED RENT-STABILIZED Thisposterwillhelpyoupreventthatifyouliveinoneofthesetypesofbuildings: Esteposterleayudaráaimpedirqueesosucedasiviveenunodeestostiposdeedificios: program of the Center (CUP). CUP partners with graphic designers to that explain complicated one. makingpolicypublic.net Martinez, Lydia Rivera, Sanchez, Eyerusalem Christine Gaspar, Ingrid research-driven collaborative design to translate social urban issues into communication strategies, services, Corporation A works to healthy communities through York City by providing legal tenants, homeowners, nonprofits Together with the voices advance social and bka.org PROJECT Pedagogy (CUP) is a that uses the power of increase meaningful civic welcometoCUP.org was provided by the Foundation; the National North Star Fund; the New York City Affairs in partnership Nuñez; Brooklyn Legal A: Adam Meyers, Shekar Amy Findeiss, their ones. traspasar su queridas. Passing on affordable apartments to family members is a big part of keeping NYC affordable. This guide will show you how. Para que la ciudad de Nueva York siga siendo asequible, es muy importante la posibilidad de traspasarle un apartamento asequible a un familiar. Esta guía le mostrará cómo hacerlo. PASELO A SU FAMILIA!! PASS IT ON! Fold
Teaching Design/
Designing and Facilitating the Ford Thirty under 30 program
Why: Ford Motor Company needed a new way to engage with non-profits in Detroit besides writing checks.
How: Using the design thinking process, 30 handpicked Ford employees work with non-profits for 1 year to reframe, troubleshoot, and reflect on challenges faced by the non-profit.
What: Ford employees used various design research methods, such as cultural probes, to interrogate the problem spaces Detroit non-profits face (below). This research was used to find patterns and reframe problems (right) with a focus on speculating future scenarios each non-profit may have to face in the near future.
Challenge I Overcame: How do you manage expectations between non-profit organizations who think they need a new filing system and young Ford employees who see larger systemic problems in the business strategy? Learning in integrate change management into the design thinking process has been key to this program’s success.
“I found it difficult to feel empathy before this program. I was a blame person. I discovered it is very complex to be homeless.”
Identifying User Experiences/
Implementing Design Thinking in Henry Ford Academies in Detroit
Why: After working with IDEO and the d.school at Stanford to design a way to teach creative problem solving strategies to students at Henry Ford Academies in Detroit, the K-12 system needed to rethink how teachers could realistically implement the Design Thinking process in their contexts while managing increasing pressures around testing and school performance.
How: Using a series of interviews, scenario enacting, and traditional surveys, data was collected to asses the comfort level and needs for support teachers needed for both buy-in and the latitude to integrate Design Thinking into their learning studios.
“I really think all staff needs to reflect on their own investment in this process. Either we do this, or we don’t. Don’t start the process, get the kids’ hopes up, and then the next day shorten and change the process because some people were done with the challenge. Our kids deserve better...”
What: A Design Thinking Mentor, a teacher with Design Thinking expertise that could be identified in each HFA school, was identified and tasked with providing just-in-time support and feedback to teachers in the schools. Special workshops were designed for all the DT Mentors, and they also were asked to faciliitate workshops and special projects for HFA leadership teams.
Challenge I Overcame: School leadership teams did not respond to qualitative data, so I had to design methods that would provide the quantitative data required to prove that a system change was necessary.
Investment in the Design Thinking Mentor would require significant funding and I had to describe how I would ensure an ROI.
Christopher >>
provide initial coaching to mentor; act as resource
process data collected from observations, etc. communicate and update tools based on current trends
capture and share stories and opportunities around DT serve as critical friend
develops evaluative frame (similar to culture audit) that allows us to frame a conversation around how we are embedding DT
DCIA -evaluates quality of DT teaching using evaluative frame
-collaborates with DT mentor on professional development
-manages DT budget/approves requests for expenditures
-manages DT supplies and transporation
-establishes calendar with deadlines and schedules for DT logistics (planning challenges, etc)
DT Mentor >>
Principal -provides sense of accountability at professional level Grade Level Teachers
charrettes a design challenge to identify areas that need planning and support
provides internal professional development (specifically on using design thinking in new and innovative ways -- building a mindset)
acts as on-site main facilitator durng design challenge (their forum splits and joins others)
recommends expenditures and communicates to DCIA
facilitate and manage DT/provides feedback on effectiveness of DT challenges convey value of DT in own works and to students gathers student data on use of DT interact with guests share stories
use DT in own work, in new and unexpected ways executes field study plans obtains permissions from students/parents look for opportunities to develop DT mindsets, dispositions, and skills throughout curriculum
arranges buses, lunches, and field study plans organizes field study plans 15 June
Design Thinking Mentors worked together to refine skills and create action plans for working with the staff in each of their schools.
2015
Merging Perspectives/
Exposing viewpoints and making sense out of a complicated law
Why: The Defense of Marriage Act was an extremely complicated law that affected people in ways that had nothing to do with marriage. Politics was entangled with policy.
How: Working with lawyers and human rights groups and weeks of ethnographic research on both sides of the argument (see below).
What: A highly interactive workshop that translates actual stories into characters and experiences felt and acted upon by participants.
Challenge I Overcame: Incorporating multiple viewpoints in a way that felt comfortable for participants to express. Playing a character that had an opinion (rather than expressing their own) made it feel safe.
Besides actual scenarios brought to life through cue cards and other devices, participants created systems maps of the problems at hand (upper right) and their own individual maps (lower right).
Participants were followed up with one month after the experience to check for retention of the material covered during the workshop. One participant noted:
“...it has definitely increased my awareness and I found myself sharing this understanding with others. In particular I was speaking to a heterosexual couple who face immigration issues and sharing with them how same sex couples face heightened challenges when it comes to marriage and immigration laws.”
Identifying User Experiences/
Improving social experiences for people with degenerative eye diseases.
Why: Kirsten, a 37 year-old carrier of the gene that results in Retinitis Pigmentosa, was losing her eyesight. The disease was slowly diminishing her peripheral eyesight and her nighttime vision was almost gone.
How: Through a series of interviews and probes, we were able to focus on social situations as an area of intervention for the study. Because Kirsten has had vision and still has some, people often forget that she cannot see in certain situations. Conducting further studies revealed how and where these happen.
What: Two solutions were developed. NextTime (above right) allows the user, through GPS, to mark different locations that cause her to feel uncomfortable. The user can then assign loved ones to receive a subtle message when they both arrive at the location.
Challenge I Overcame: In a study like this, there are countless avenues one could pursue. Choosing the one that aligns most closely with needs of the business and consumer is important.
The other, a conversation game (left) uses cards to prompt discussion about scenarios that may or may not have heppened yet, but all of which pertain to future blindness. A mix of humorous and dire situations, it prompts discussion about a topic that, without any facilitation, is quite difficult.
“The best way I can describe it is...it’s like looking through paper towel tubes...”
Teaching Design/
Creating the first K-12 Design Thinking curriculum for Pearson
Why: Students of today need the ability to communicate with empathy, be a proactive catalyst, and collaborate with a diverse, global, everchanging array of partners. Design Thinking can help teach these abstract skills, and it should start in Kindergarten.
How: Researching countless design thinking resources and developing frameworks for teachers to create hands-on design thinking activites
What: A student workbook and teacher’s manual - the first ever created for the K-12 experience
Challenge I Overcame: Holding onto our values of social justice while designing a product for a multi-national company that needed, in some cases, neutral lesson plans that could apply to multiple locales