Transforming Public Services with User Research: A Case Study of Five Transformative Projects from the USDR: Seattle Research Cohort

The talk will cover the Seattle By Design Cohort, a pilot program created by U.S. Digital Response (USDR) in collaboration with the City of Seattle Innovation & Performance team. The program connected a cohort of 20 volunteer experts with city staff from 5 different departments to answer specific research questions and make recommendations using best practices in user research.

The cohort had a significant impact, with staff learning about research, informing new programs, and making improvements to existing services based on user feedback.

Attendees will learn about the benefits of the cohort model for user research, including how it creates a community of practice and enables cities to share knowledge and resources. The talk is suitable for anyone interested in user research, particularly those interested in how user research can be used to improve public service delivery.