How Human-Centered Design and Storytelling With Data Are Reshaping Jobs

In February, the Activate Industry Leaders team closed out their Centering Workers in Job Design initiative with an in-person learning meeting in Washington, DC. We convened seven Network Partners and ten employers to celebrate their successes, uplift lessons learned during the project, and look ahead to how they’ll continue this work now that the program has concluded.

One highlight of the final learning meeting was as an expert lesson on storytelling with data from our Senior Director of Evaluation and Learning, Michelle Wilson. Storytelling is a vital skill for amplifying successes and lessons learned, and data is necessary for getting an objective view on impact. Michelle’s presentation emphasized the ways those two components can work together to create effective, persuasive, people-centered stories. To help convey the impact of storytelling, visual note-taking firm, Ink Factory, created several mural boards documenting our discussions. (See above for an example).

The meeting centered on hearing from Network Partners and their employer partners about the phenomenal work they led throughout the initiative. Representatives from the Great Game of Business joined to share their approach to Open Book Management, which sparked conversation about how companies can strengthen business performance while deepening employee engagement. Employers like Pondi’s, Burgatory, and SuperSuds stood out as powerful examples of what this can look like in practice.

We also heard updates from healthcare employer partners on the interventions they tested using a Human-Centered Design approach. In a particularly challenging environment, the pilot programs they implemented were impressive:

• Ascension Via Christi (KS) – Developed a cohort-based support group for training and placing new imaging technicians.
• Emory Healthcare (GA) – Currently developing a scalable Surgical Technician training and onboarding program.
• Fair Haven (CT) – Implemented monthly strengths-based career planning with the goal of improving usage of professional development funds.(CT) – Implemented monthly strengths-based career planning with the goal of improving usage of professional development funds.
• Nuvance Health (CT) – Ran a reverse mentorship pilot aimed at improving supervisory support and satisfaction.
• TriHealth and Clinton Memorial Health (OH) – Held ‘Map Your Future Career Navigation’ fair-style events.
• Waveny Lifecare (CT) – Created a CNA to LPN bridge program that built on empathy interviews and foundational knowledge support. See a video of their CNAs joining the program.