Immersive HCD training for agency staff
Building internal capacity in human-centered design across Michigan’s unemployment insurance agency
Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency supports millions of workers through complicated transactions at vulnerable moments. The surge in unemployment during the pandemic had made clear just how high the stakes were, and reinforced the agency’s need for a human-centered approach.
After seeing human-centered design transform their Claimant Roadmap, UIA leadership recognized that lasting change required internal capacity and culture change, not just vendor support.
Civilla worked with UIA leadership to design a six-month facilitated learning program tailored to the agency’s goals to:
- Build a strong foundational knowledge of HCD
- Grow comfort with new skills
- Make progress on real projects
- Set the foundation for mindset shifts.
A cohort of 25 staff members across six project teams moved through workshops, coaching, and real-world assignments tied to actual operational challenges, all facilitated by experts from Civilla and supported by UIA leadership. By the program's end, participants had measurable project outcomes and new perspectives poised to reshape how the agency tackles both internal and public-facing challenges.
impact stats
25
staff members
10
bi-weekly workshops
10
bi-weekly team coaching sessions for each team
6
real-world projects
1
final Project Expo workshop
