Challenge & Selection

We conducted a design research initiative to collect community perspectives around

parenting goals, strengths and needs. The insights and recommendations informed how

the community  could better serve early childhood development outcomes. The first tool I

used was Mind Mapping and Virtualization which l used to generate, visualize, structure

and classify ideas to look for patterns and insights. We do this by displaying the data and

asking people to cluster them in ways that allow themes and patterns to emerge.

Application

We created posters that capture key themes and trends in the collected data, then invited a

group of thoughtful people to tour the visual data and note any learnings that they believe

should inform new ideas, then we clustered the learnings into themes​. ​Through our

interviews, we met parents that were determined, resilient and striving to provide a stable

foundation for their children’s development. They  expressed a fundamental struggle with

poverty—not parenting. Workshop discussions illustrated how parents set goals for

themselves as well as for their children.

They aspire to model the lives they want their children to lead, and they work to prepare

their children for each step of their development. The community coalitions set goals as

well. They’re committed to building “pathways of success from cradle through college and

career.” Parents are enthusiastic about extending their strengths and developing new ones.

Coordinated services can clear the path of institutionalized barriers that impede the

developmental bond between parent and child. For example, access to high-quality,

affordable, reliable childcare unlocks multiple paths to achieving parents’ goals. Parents

need confidence that the children in their lives are safe and secure in order to provide the

best support for a child’s developmental growth.

Insights and Approach

lncluding parents as participants in the strategy, made it possible for their voices to directly

inform the focus of investments in their communities. This ensures successful outcomes in

early childhood development, as well as a positive impact on the lives and communities

they serve.


Challenge & Selection We conducted a design research initiative to collect community perspectives around parenting goals , strengths and needs . The insights and recommendations informed how the community could better serve early childhood development outcomes . The first tool I used was Mind Mapping and Virtualization which l used to generate , visualize , structure and classify ideas to look for patterns and insights . We do this by displaying the data and asking people to cluster them in ways that allow themes and patterns to emerge . Application We created posters that capture key themes and trends in the collected data , then invited a group of thoughtful people to tour the visual data and note any learnings that they believe should inform new ideas , then we clustered the learnings into themes​. ​Through our interviews , we met parents that were determined , resilient and striving to provide a stable foundation for their children ’s development . They expressed a fundamental struggle with poverty — not parenting . Workshop discussions illustrated how parents set goals for themselves as well as for their children . They aspire to model the lives they want their children to lead , and they work to prepare their children for each step of their development . The community coalitions set goals as well . They ’re committed to building “ pathways of success from cradle through college and career . ” Parents are enthusiastic about extending their strengths and developing new ones . Coordinated services can clear the path of institutionalized barriers that impede the developmental bond between parent and child . For example , access to high - quality , affordable , reliable childcare unlocks multiple paths to achieving parents ’ goals . Parents need confidence that the children in their lives are safe and secure in order to provide the best support for a child ’s developmental growth . Insights and Approach lncluding parents as participants in the strategy , made it possible for their voices to directly inform the focus of investments in their communities . This ensures successful outcomes in early childhood development , as well as a positive impact on the lives and communities they serve .