practica

accelerators

Practica’s Accelerators are designed for public-serving institutions that are committed to designing and delivering services in a more human-centered way. We work with courageous leaders to accelerate a shift in culture, and help build capacity to deliver better customer experience.

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how accelerators work

Our accelerators include more than 10 hands-on workshops. Each one is part of a larger design process that helps your team make meaningful change. Explore what that journey looks like.

Pre-Program workshop with Leaders

Leaders explore what customer experience (CX) and human-centered design (HCD) mean for public services. The session helps leaders understand their role in supporting team projects, building alignment, and fostering conditions for innovation across the organization.

launch

Teams are introduced to the structure, goals, and expectations of the program. They learn key concepts of HCD, scope their projects, identify stakeholders, and develop onboarding materials to bring others into their work.

Workshop 1: Research Planning

Teams learn how to define learning goals, choose research methods, and create a user research plan. The focus is on identifying who to talk to, what to ask, and how to gather data to understand the real challenges that core users are experiencing.

Workshop 2: Interviewing

Participants learn key skills for planning and conducting long-form qualitative interviews with core users. They practice interviewing and notetaking techniques to uncover insights, and draft interview guides. After the workshop, teams begin conducting their first round of research.

accelerators build internal HCD capacity through extended learning

guided

Learn from experienced facilitators and coaches

tangible

Advance a priority CX  projects

long-lasting

Build skills and mindsets for continuous practice

I loved the perspective this course gave me. We are designers, not just administrators. It's important that we remember that when we approach this work.

— Connor Johnson, Hennepin County

michigan unemployment insurance case study

how six months of investment can shift mindsets forever

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency knew their services were difficult to navigate and that improving the experience would require more than quick fixes. They partnered with Civilla to train 25 team members across six projects, equipping them to research, prototype, and test new approaches to challenges like employer communications, onboarding, and internal tools. 

Through a structured, hands-on learning program, teams moved from relying on internal assumptions to learning directly from the people impacted by their services. After six months of hands-on learning and real project work, teams redesigned key tools, tested new approaches, and rekindled their belief that better services are possible from within government.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What do participants learn?+

    We structure the 6-month program as a design sprint. Teams bring a relevant project and learn to conduct qualitative customer research, download and synthesize data from research to develop insights, and use insights to design and test solutions to key customer challenges.

  • How many people can be part of an accelerator?+

    Accelerators can accommodate between 10 and 30 learners. Accelerators are most successful when learners:

    • Have support from leadership to explore and invest in HCD

    • Have clear personal learning goals

    • Are actively working on a project that can benefit from HCD methods and principles

  • How much time will this require?+

    Learners should plan to commit ~4-5 hours per week (for 6 months) to participate in live workshops and coaching sessions and make progress with their team on their project

  • who should participate?+

    Accelerators are typically groups of learners from a single institution. If you’re in a decision-making position, we can work with you to determine who from your team should join. If you’re not, we can help you make the case for why an accelerator is a good option for your team, and who should be a part of it.

    If you’re interested in bringing together learners from multiple institutions, that’s also an option. Reach out and let us know what you’re thinking.

  • How do I know if now is the right time?+

    The best time to begin a Practica accelerator is when you and your team are ready to commit the time and energy for an engaged learning experience. Your team should be actively working on projects that can benefit from human-centered methods and mindsets. It’s also important for your team to have leadership support to dedicate time to the program. If you’re unsure if the time is right, we’re happy to talk it through with you.

  • will we get feedback on our work?+

    Yes—you’ll get live feedback from your team throughout the program, ongoing feedback from Civilla instructors, and dedicated coaching with Civilla. The closing workshop will also serve as a final “showcase” of each team’s project(s), and a time to get clear feedback on next steps from Civilla instructors.

  • is there a fee?+

    Yes, accelerators are a paid service. Please reach out for more information on rates.

Accelerate your team's capacity for human-centered service delivery

Getting started is the hardest part. Let’s explore your work together. 

Reach out

more ways to learn through practica

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online courses

Free, self-guided online learning to strengthen your human-centered design instincts. Sign up on your own or as a team and get tools, templates, and insights from real Civilla projects that can apply to your work in public service.  

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Skill Sprints

Focused, facilitated training in one to three days that builds your team’s human-centered design skills. You’ll bring a real customer experience challenge and walk away with practical skills and a shared framework that your team can start applying immediately. 

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