Led by design strategist Meghan Hellstern*, this session is intended for public servants and others working in public good contexts at all levels who are interested in learning more about the mindset and methods of design thinking and human-centered design (HCD). This introductory course is built for those who are new to this exciting set of tools and techniques that can help surface critical insights, unlock new value and enable more responsive, effective delivery across teams and organizations.

Participants will walk away with an understanding of the human-centered design process and the challenges and opportunities involved in its application within public good contexts, as well as having practiced some of the most common tools used to generate empathy and insights through user research.

This training workshop is for government members only. Government members can RSVP here.

*Meghan Hellstern is dedicated to reimagining the relationship between organizations and the communities with which they work through the lens of collaboration, design and technology. Before joining the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship’s Policy Innovation Platform team, she worked as a design strategist with the City of Toronto’s Civic Innovation Office, part of the global Bloomberg Cities iteams network. As a specialist in digital strategy, communications and human-centered design, Meghan has 10 years of experience helping organizations better understand, serve and collaborate with their stakeholders.

In addition to co-founding Civic Tech Toronto and leading Canada’s first Civic Design Camp in Toronto, her professional experience includes working in a variety of roles with organizations like Code for Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada, MaRS Solutions Lab, Ryerson University’s Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship and Samara Canada.