stories
stories of change in action
Join the conversation: explore institutions serving people in positive ways, dive into dialogues with brave leaders, and see behind the scenes of Civilla's own projects.
ai for social good
How the City of Boston uses AI to serve its residents
read
a billion page views, one thing in common
How the U.S. Web Design System helps teams across the federal government scale their impact
read
“We have a real opportunity to move government into the digital age”
Robin Carnahan shares how to bring a human-centered design mindset across government agencies
read
How storytelling makes change possible at the IRS
Designing a better taxpayer experience through data and user stories
read
Mastering the craft of correspondence
Designing mail correspondence that builds trust and inspires action
read
“Show up as yourself from day one”
Raquel Hatter shares lessons from 30 years of leadership
read
Scaling impact through incremental change
Lowering the cost of living in one of the world’s most expensive cities
read
Designing for trust
How taking creative risks can improve the relationship between institutions and the public
read
Making civic participation accessible for all
How the Center for Civic Design is improving the voting process through design
read
Creating space for dream projects
Making an impact beyond fires and funding requirements
read
More than a bike path
How Detroit’s Joe Louis Greenway is bringing community members and city officials together to revitalize their city
read
Storytelling on 1 square inch
How citizen voices shape the Postal Service stamp program
read
"Why Don’t We Try a Virtual Reality Simulation?”
Kevin Jones shares his experience in using technology to dramatically reduce staff turnover in the child welfare system
read
Better technology, by design
Transforming the way digital services are built in government through human-centered design
read
"You can use bureaucracy to fight bureaucracy”
Marina Nitze shares what she’s learned about hacking bureaucracy
read
"You Have To Be Willing To Get Uncomfortable"
Julia Dale shares what she’s learned about leading through times of crisis
read
Cutting through bureaucracy
Antonia Jiménez shares what she’s learned about understanding data through the human stories behind it and challenging bureaucracy where others might shy away
read
Using Tech to Streamline Child Support
How Georgia uses technology to ease the burden of child support on families and local offices
read
“If We’re Laser-Focused, We Can Achieve Anything”
Paving the way for the City of Detroit and beyond, Joshua Edmonds shares what he’s learned about community, collaboration, and executing no matter what
read
Names, Not Numbers
A human-centered approach to tackling homelessness in Rockford
read
Small Changes, Big Impact
How starting small helped improve the public benefits renewal system in Michigan
read
Making the Case for Change
The unlikely story of how Civilla came to partner with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
read
Responding Quickly in Times of Crisis
How Michigan harnessed existing infrastructure to get food on the table faster for families in need during COVID-19
read
"You Can't Learn By Sitting In Your Chair"
After 38 years in public service, Terry Beurer shares what he’s learned about frontline leadership, user voices, and humbling experiences
read
The Road to Rollout
Designing the path from idea to implementation at scale
read
