Ayanna Seals, Ph.D.

A few questions for those who conduct #Research with Internal users/Employees (particularly in a #B2B environment). 🔹 What is your current process for capturing Informed Consent from internal users/employees? 🔹 What information do you provide internal users/employees prior to taking part in research as part of the consent process? 🔹 How do you incentivise internal users/employees who choose to take part in research? Appreciate any shares/signal boosts to these questions within your own networks, thanks.

Related to this question; The Department for Education UR Team provide a great example of #WorkingInTheOpen with the content they publish on ‘Research with Internal Users’. https://lnkd.in/e5_DksFT Have you seen any other examples of published content looking at this area? Thanks.

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User research no longer requires paperwork, reduction act clearance! If you’re not in the federal government, you maybe don’t understand the significance of this decision, but it’s the reason why so many government services seem to pop up without any acknowledgment of how to use them or how people would like to use them. It’s because we simply haven’t been able to ask before!! Now, that all changes. Finally, finally, finally government designers and dove teams can talk to users about products and services before they ship and while they function. This is huge, huge news, and I’m so grateful to everyone who worked on this!

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Design in Complex Systems: Doing Community Engagement Right How often do you communicate your design research findings to the end users? I’ve heard many experienced researchers talk about the importance of circling back, especially in communities with a higher likelihood of respondent fatigue. This hadn’t quite hit home for me. One of my current tasks is understanding the social, psychological, and environmental influences of how health data is reported and used for decision-making. There are multiple systemic influences, one of the biggest being the health financing structure and its ripple effects on reporting. Finding ways to package and disseminate learnings from our immersive research and prototyping activities in a way that enables strategic design but also minimizes the natural concerns of the potential negative impact on funding, training, and recognition has been a constant question.   This week, I participated in an experience-sharing workshop. Hearing end users explicitly ask for more in-depth findings to help them improve their day-to-day data quality and use activities has been such a strong signal that circling back, no matter the complexities, is always an effort in the right direction.

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Government forms often resemble prehistoric sludge. But, if OIRA has its way, their latest guidance can help save the day (and Americans' sanity)! It clarifies how agencies can use usability testing without tripping over the Paperwork Reduction Act. Translation: fewer confusing forms, more intuitive websites, and hopefully, less 'Did I just submit my tax return or enlist in the Army?' vibes. https://lnkd.in/e6RNgUwh

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Why do we have design effect when estimating sample size? Do you know why we account for the design effect when estimating sample size for a research project? In social development research, it's crucial to consider the design effect, especially when using clustered sampling methods. The design effect adjusts for the increased variance caused by intra-class correlation (ICC) within clusters. For instance, in a study assessing community satisfaction to health services, individuals within the same village may have similar experiences / satisfaction levels compared to individuals from different villages. How does this affect your research? It affects, because lets say for instance you had actually wanted to collect unique data on satisfaction from 50 samples of a village, but actually they are not really unique due to the intra-class correlation (ICC) within clusters. And therefore you need to go to 5 villages and collect data from 10 samples from each village. Ignoring the design effect can lead to underestimating the sample size, thereby compromising the study’s power and precision. By incorporating the design effect, we ensure that the sample size is sufficiently LARGE to detect true effects, accounting for the HOMEGENITY within clusters. This adjustment is essential for producing reliable, generalizable results that accurately inform policy and program decisions. Properly estimating sample size with the design effect enhances the robustness of our findings, leading to more effective and impactful social development interventions. DevInsights The Lily Foundation NGO #SocialResearch #SampleSizeEstimation #DesignEffect #IntraClassCorrelation #ClusterSampling #ImpactEvaluation #ResearchMethods #DataQuality #EvidenceBasedResearch

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So happy to see that OIRA issued official guidance that usability testing does not fall under the cumbersome and time-consuming PRA requirements. It means that federal agencies have more freedom and flexibility to develop in a modern way. And for everyone who benefits from public information, it can be delivered faster and more intuitively. Check out Jen Pahlka's full post: https://lnkd.in/ec-fAgcF

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Ever Wonder Why Some Projects Fail? Here’s the Missing Piece.🔍 You’ve got a fantastic idea for a community development project, and you're ready to make a difference—but hold on! 🤚 Before diving in, there's one crucial step you can’t afford to skip: Needs Assessment. 💡 Here’s the hard truth: Many well-intentioned projects fail because they don’t address the actual needs of the community. You can’t assume what people need—you’ve got to hear it from them directly. So, how do you conduct a solid needs assessment that leads to real impact? 🚀 1. Start with Listening The first step is to engage directly with the community. Hold one-on-one interviews, group discussions, or even informal conversations to LISTEN to their challenges, dreams, and priorities. Remember, they are the experts on their own lives. 🚀 2. Organize Focus Groups Bring together different segments of the community—youth, elders, women, farmers, herders, business owners, etc. This allows for a broader perspective and helps avoid bias toward one group’s needs over another. Diverse voices lead to well-rounded solutions. 🚀 3. Conduct Surveys & Questionnaires For a more structured approach, design surveys or questionnaires that can be distributed across the community. This helps quantify the needs and identify patterns that may not be immediately visible in conversations. 🚀 4. Facilitate Stakeholder Dialogues Bring in local leaders, NGOs, government representatives, and other stakeholders to discuss potential interventions. Collaborating with these parties ensures that your project is aligned with ongoing efforts and gets community backing. 🚀 5. Analyze & Prioritize Once you gather all the data, analyze it to understand the 'root causes' of the problems. Prioritize the needs based on urgency, feasibility, and the impact your project can make. Not all issues can be tackled at once, so focus on what’s most critical. 🚀 6. Feedback & Validation Go back to the community with your findings. Validate whether the priorities you've identified resonate with them. This step builds trust and ensures that the community feels heard and involved in every step of the process. Imagine the difference we could make if every project started with truly understanding what the community wants! Next time you're planning a community project, start by 'listening'—not just to check a box, but to truly understand. It’s not just about offering help; it’s about offering the 'right' kind of help. If you're new here, my name is Plangnan, and I’m passionate about motivating people to develop strategies for real impact. I regularly share insights on: - #PersonalGrowth - #MERL - #RuralDevelopment - #ClimateChange #Conflict #Security #GoodGovernance To make sure you don’t miss out on future posts, follow me and turn on notifications! 🔔

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There's a lot of - well warranted - discussion about Meta's decision to switch out Fact-Checking with Community Notes, but what does the evidence say about which is effective at reducing misinformation? Prosocial Design Network just published a review, drawing from research from dozen of academic articles, to help answer that question. https://lnkd.in/ejyickcz

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I am happy to share a new editorial on Translational Design I co-authored with Rowan Page Leah Heiss Rosie Hornbuckle. As many of you know, I have dedicated the last decade to advancing design knowledge at the intersections with other fields that influence the well-being of people and the planet. Examples of fields include but are not limited to nursing, public health, industrial ecology, environmental science, sociology, anthropology, data science, management, business, economics, public policy, and public administration. This editorial introduces the papers in the thematic track ‘Translational Design: Enabling impact in complex, multi-stakeholder research projects through design’, which will be presented at the #DRS2024BOSTON conference this 📍 Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. DRS2024 Boston Twelve papers are classified into three groups: ‘Designers as interpreters, mediators, and facilitators between disciplines,’ ‘The translation of research knowledge into and through artefacts,’ and ‘Translational design in PhD research.’ Here is the link to the editorial:

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READ THIS

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🩺🌍 The past 20 years have been transformative for public health—so much of what we take for granted today was unimaginable not long ago. 🚭 From smoke-free bars in Vermont to tech innovations making health more accessible, the shifts have been monumental. Here’s a list of 10 impactful changes that redefined public health over the past two decades: 1️⃣ Smoke-Free Zones (2004-2009): States like Vermont and California led the way in banning indoor smoking, including in bars and restaurants. 2️⃣ Calorie Labeling (2008-2010): NYC kicked off menu labeling laws in 2008, and federal legislation followed in 2010 with the Affordable Care Act. 3️⃣ Telemedicine (2010-2020): The rise began in the early 2010s, but it became a necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. 4️⃣ Vaping Regulations (2015-2020): As vaping surged in popularity, FDA regulations and state bans on flavored e-cigarettes appeared around 2015-2020. 5️⃣ Vaccination Programs (2000-2021): Global eradication of polio in Africa was declared in 2020, and COVID-19 vaccination efforts became pivotal in 2021. 6️⃣ Sugary Drink Taxes (2014-2018): Berkeley, CA, passed the first soda tax in 2014, inspiring other cities like Philadelphia and Boulder by 2018. 7️⃣ Mental Health Awareness (2010-2020): The past decade saw global campaigns like “Time to Change” (UK, 2010) and mental health parity laws in the U.S. 8️⃣ Fitness Trackers (2010-2015): Fitbit launched in 2009, and wearables like the Apple Watch in 2015 brought fitness tech mainstream. 9️⃣ Sustainable Food Movements (2006-2018): The farm-to-table trend gained traction in the mid-2000s, and trans fat bans started appearing around 2006-2018. 🔟 Bans on Plastic Bags (2010-2020): States like California and New York implemented bans on single-use plastic bags, paving the way for sustainable living practices. Public health policy, technology, and changing societal values continue to reshape our world. What will the next 20 years bring us!

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What if we're measuring AI success with the wrong metrics? Can thinking about generations of AI as paralleling industrial revolutions reveal new insights? 🤔 Current AI systems and social platforms optimize for superficial engagement - likes, shares, time spent. But my work in environmental modeling and public health has revealed a more meaningful fitness function: strengthening human connections. In modeling how tire particles move through watersheds, our team at Stantec discovered that understanding the connections between environmental processes was far more important than isolated processes in single compartment. This mirrors what I'm seeing in AI development - the strength of connections matters more than individual metrics. As a neurodivergent scientist working at the intersection of algorithms and environmental science, I've observed how healthy ecosystems and thriving communities share a fundamental trait: they optimize for connection strength, not just activity volume. Just as each industrial revolution built upon rather than replaced its predecessors, each generation of AI metrics adds a new layer of understanding. We're not abandoning task completion or knowledge retrieval - we're embedding them within a broader framework of human connection. Could this be the key to unlocking both human & environmental well-being and sustainable corporate growth? What if our platforms and AI systems were measured not by engagement minutes or task completion, but by their ability to catalyze meaningful human connections? Imagine KPIs focused on:  • Quality of new relationships formed  • Strength of community bonds  • Reduction in social isolation  • Growth in real-world interactions My experience modeling environmental systems suggests that when we optimize for connection strength, we often discover unexpected pathways to both sustainability and growth. The same principle could transform how we develop and deploy AI. Check out my concept in the three slides below. What do you think? Could optimizing for human connection be the missing link between purpose and profit? #Leadership #CEO #Innovation #AI #SustainableGrowth #SystemsThinking #HumanConnection

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Few things that are happening at Revisual Labs this month: 1. Execution of a print publication with a seven person team (some full-time, some part-time). I LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing collaborations in action. 2. Development of a public health centric dashboard for an international association. 3. Design and ideation for an interactive story for an international org. 4. Some rotating globes for a foundation. 5. Discovery for a data-driven story for a for-profit client. What that means for me: 1. Excited because it is the first time we have 5 concurrent projects! 2. Actively problem solving and thinking of ways to make my team's life easier. 3. Realising the blessing that are project management tools like Asana 4. Learning new things everyday from our fab team and collaborators.

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Awareness alert for all innovators and changemakers! Get ready to join us for the 2025 Fair Housing Hackathon, where you'll tackle real-world challenges using the power of AI. Spoiler alert: #CivicScience and #GenAI will be at the core of the problems you'll solve. We need your skills and creativity to develop AI systems that promote fair housing principles and accelerate the adoption of responsible AI in the housing sector. Did you ask, “what’s in it for me?” 1. Collaborate with experts and peers in the field. 2. Gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI tools. 3. Make a real difference in promoting housing equity.

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🔍 Curious about making behavioral design more effective and accessible? Piyush Tantia explores how a “pattern language” could transform behavioral interventions, akin to architecture and UX design. These patterns could simplify the design process and lead to better outcomes in healthcare, government services, and more. Comment below with your thoughts 💭

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For many of us, the start of a new year initiates a period of reflection and resolution. During this time, I usually like going through Farnam Street's Annual Review Framework: https://lnkd.in/eWS2JW8s It's a guided series of questions that can help you reflect on your past year and envision the upcoming one.

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