:: KEYNOTE PRESENTATION ::
Policy Design for System Health: Moving from Service Design to Systemic Design through Policy
AN INTERACTIVE SESSION  8:45 - 9:30

Join us as we examine how public service designers address challenges that span multiple services and agencies, moving into the realm of systemic design. Influencing policy as a designer differs from creating policy as a policymaker, requiring a distinct approach. We'll introduce a framework for non-policymakers that combines systems thinking with critical policy entrepreneurship. This will be illustrated through a case study on radical participatory design to achieve more equitable outcomes. We will also explore examples of open-source policy development through the collaborative efforts of USDS and 18F. The session covers: 

• • • Define traditional policy design or policymaking process. 
    • Define the systemic policy design process. 
    • Understand differences between prototyping and piloting of policy design. 
    • Explaining the importance of policy entrepreneurship role and examples of the work. 
    • Understand the definition and integration of service design and policy design. 

:: MORNING PLENARY SESSION ::
Designing from an Emerging Future: Levels of Listening

AN INTERACTIVE SESSION  9:45 - 10:00

Join us in this interactive session as we explore the intersection of technology, design, and human empathy to tackle complex challenges with creative, thoughtful solutions. Success in this work requires honing three key skills: observing (understanding people and systems), reflecting (making sense of insights), and acting (prototyping and creating without rigid expectations). The session will introduce “generative listening” as a valuable tool for problem-solving. Participants will practice different levels of listening—factual, empathetic, and generative—while generating shared insights. By the end, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how mindset influences problem-solving and take home a DIY listening assessment for continued growth. The session covers:

• • • Understand how integrating mind, heart, and will super-charge human-centered design processes 
    • Learn to access alternative observation and learning methods 
    • Practice a simple non-verbal technique that can unlock problem-solving 

The Health and Human Services Customer Experience Initiative
AN INTERACTIVE SESSION  10:30 - 11:00

Join us as this session will cover some of the key goals and strategic objectives of the HHS Customer Experience Initiative. The Customer Experience Initiative encompasses work on the CX Agency Priority Goal, in which CMS is participating through their project: “Improving the Clinician Experience through Administrative Processes Improvements and Interoperability”. We will showcase the impact of the goals with new services, tools and resources: the new HHS CX Community of Practice and building out CX resources in a central repository site, research incentive programs and generic PRA clearance to advance CX work across the Department.  

Accessible Plain Language: Weaving Language, Experience, and Accessibility
11:15 - 12:00

Join this pre-recorded session as we explore how Accessible Plain Language (APL) goes beyond simple communication to focus on people’s experiences in language services. Our goal is to ensure that everyone—especially individuals with Limited English Proficiency and people with disabilities—can access the information they need and use it effectively. The characteristics of APL are: 

• • • People: You, me, our nation 
    • Equity: Consistent and systematic treatment of all individuals in a fair and impartial manner 
    • Accessibility: Consistent and systematic inclusion and equal opportunity for persons with disabilities 
    • Customer Experience: Placing people at the center of everything we do 
    • Engagement: Working side by side with partners 

:: AFTERNOON PLENARY SESSION ::
Virtual Reality: Leveraging Innovative Technologies to Increase Empathy and Improve the Patient Experience
AN INTERACTIVE SESSION  12:45 - 1:30

Join us as we address the issue of ineffective healthcare training, where traditional methods often fail to engage staff. In 2022, VA’s VEO office developed a virtual reality app to enhance empathy in clinical staff by immersing them in the patient experience. Piloted in 10 VHA hospitals in 2023, the program saw 93% of participants recommending it and 92% reporting improved interactions with Veterans. Additionally, 80% of pilot sites experienced a 5-6% increase in patient survey scores. This initiative highlights the potential of virtual reality to transform training and customer experience across healthcare and beyond. The session covers: 

• • • Learn about the HCD process of developing virtual reality scenarios 
    • Discuss common implementation challenges for VR technology 
    • Review the impact of VR training on the patient and employee experience 
    • Discuss other applications for VR as a training and empathy-building tool 

Building Panels to Improve Customer Experience
A PANEL DISCUSSION  1:45 - 2:15

Join us to learn how customer panels, a long-standing tech industry tool, enhances recruitment and streamlines development by providing valuable project insights. The CDC's Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology (OPHDST) has built a panel of public health professionals using Qualtrics XM to support over 50 designers working across various products and services. We’ll discuss how this panel was developed and share examples of its successful use in research and design activities. The session covers: 

• • • Understand how to develop a user panel 
    • Benefits of panels in Agile development 
    • How panels can improve DEI and reduce customer burden 
    • See an example of how to leverage panels in product development 

:: CAMPFIRE TALK ::
Glennette Clark on Human-Centered Design and Government Space
AN INTERACTIVE SESSION  2:25 -  2:55

Join us for an informal and interactive campfire conversation with Glennette Clark, a highly experienced and respected human-centered designer within the government space, as we explore the cultural challenges of change, critical inflection points for progress to occur and what are new horizons for consumers and the HCD practice.

The Magic Matrix: How a “Matrix” HCD Model Can Drive Human-Centered Design Strategy on Highly Technical Programs
AN INTERACTIVE SESSION  3:05 - 3:50

Join us as we explore how CMS's Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) provides essential Medicaid and CHIP data on eligibility, services, and spending. For HCD practitioners, traditional methods can complicate product strategy, requiring flexibility to support modernization and user adoption. Practitioners were embedded in product teams, collaborating with data, policy, and engineering experts using the SAFe framework. This presentation will discuss the challenges, lessons learned, and benefits of this matrixed approach for improving strategies and outcomes in data-driven programs. 

• • • Understand how to develop a user panel 
    • Benefits of panels in Agile development 
    • How panels can improve DEI and reduce customer burden 
    • See an example of how to leverage panels in product development