Civilla

It has been an honor to serve the State of Michigan for more than 20 years and the last three have been my proudest yet. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to serve under Governor Gretchen Whitmer, with Director Susan Corbin, and the wonderful #UIA team. I am looking forward to continuing this transformational work in a new role as the next CEO of Civilla! Many thanks to michael brennan, Ken Whipple, and all the Civilla leadership and Board for the confidence and trust you’ve placed in me. There is so much to say - more to come. #civictech #govtech #publicservice

✨ Big news at Civilla! ✨ Starting in January, our current CEO and co-founder, michael brennan, will transition to a role as Executive Board Chair, welcoming Julia Dale, Director of Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), as Civilla's new CEO. Julia brings over 20 years of experience in public service and has led impactful projects with Civilla, such as the UIA Claimant Roadmap and Employer Help Center. As Civilla nears its 10-year anniversary, we’re more committed than ever to creating lasting change within institutions. Julia's leadership will help us continue our mission of improving public services through human-centered design. We can't wait to embark on this next chapter together! Learn more about this transition milestone here → https://lnkd.in/gjkdF827 #Leadership #PublicService #HumanCenteredDesign #Civilla #GovernmentInnovation

This season our team traveled to the Connecticut to pilot a new, streamlined benefits application. The human-centered design pilot immersed our team alongside frontline staff and communities, providing valuable insights to inform our solution. By putting our boots on the ground in the environment where the design would be implemented, our team gained important perspectives that will guide improvements moving forward. In just 9 days, the pilot exceeded our goal – processing over 200 applications! We were grateful to have the chance to work alongside so many hard-working and dedicated frontline staff members. This work truly wouldn't be possible without them!

How can government institutions create solutions that are both user-friendly and policy-compliant? Balancing these priorities can be tough, but it’s possible—and essential—for serving people effectively. Here are a few tips to help your team find that sweet spot: 👉🏼 Involve policy teams early: Loop policy and legal teams into the design process from the very start. Early collaboration can avoid surprises later, reduce costly rework, and ensure your solutions work within regulatory bounds. 👉🏽 Analyze policy through a user lens: Understand how policies shape user experiences. Dive into qualitative research, journey maps, and lived experiences to uncover pain points. Work alongside policy teams to design meaningful improvements, even within the constraints. 👉🏿 Test and refine together: Adopt an iterative approach that includes both real users and policy experts. Testing and refining in tandem helps your designs evolve without leaving policy or user needs behind. What’s worked for you in bridging these two worlds? Share your tips in the comments! 👇

As we approach Thanksgiving this week, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the moments, partnerships, and people that have impacted our work this year. From small gestures to meaningful collaborations, every connection has helped us move forward—and we’re grateful for the many hands that make this work possible. We’d love to hear from you—what is something you’re grateful for in your work this year? Share below!

After years of collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, Civilla tackled a critical challenge: how could residents track their benefits applications without overwhelming state staff? The result? Michigan became the first state to implement a benefits application tracker, drawing inspiration from an unlikely source—Domino's pizza. This innovative tool now provides residents with real-time updates on their application status, easing the process for both applicants and state employees. Check out our latest Stories to read about how MDHHS moved this project from idea to reality.

When problems in government seem difficult to tackle, sometimes the answers can be found in places we didn't consider before. In our most recent Civilla Chats on Natural Intelligence, we explored how civic leaders can learn from billions of years of natural life to solve complex issues. Our CEO michael brennan joined biologist, ecologist and author Leen Gorissen to discuss that very idea–how understanding the natural world around us works allows us to be better innovators and designers. To everyone who was able to join in, thank you for joining us! If you did attend, what did you take away from the chat that has stuck with you?

Looking to stay in the loop with all things Civilla? If you're passionate about human-centered design, inspired by stories of real change within institutions, or want to hear about our upcoming events, we’d love to have you join our community! Sign up for our newsletter today and stay connected 👉🏻👉🏽 👉🏿 http://eepurl.com/dEeWHj

"It's NI not AI that is the game changer the world needs right now." - Centre4NI Have you signed up for our next virtual chat yet? Tomorrow (Oct. 30), our CEO michael brennan will have an important conversation with Leen Gorissen on how natural intelligence can transform how we bring human-centered design to civic organizations. We hope you can join us!

Time for a check-in! What’s one tool that’s been a game-changer for your work lately—making things smoother, faster, or sparking more creativity? Whether it’s your trusty stack of Post-its, a time-saving app, or a new tool you can’t live without, we'd love to hear about it. Share in the comments below and let’s build a powerhouse toolkit together. You never know who might benefit from your secret weapon.