How We Work

Understand our collaborative process, from discovery through implementation and ongoing support.

Our Process Overview

A structured yet flexible approach that centers community voices and trauma-informed principles at every stage of the design journey.

1

Discovery

Understanding your mission and community needs

2

Design

Collaborative creation with community input

3

Implementation

Building accessible, trauma-informed solutions

4

Growth

Ongoing support and capacity building

Detailed Phase Breakdown

Each phase builds on the previous one, ensuring that community voices remain central throughout the process.

Discovery Phase

Duration: 2-3 weeks

We begin every project by deeply understanding your organization's mission, the communities you serve, and the unique context that shapes your work.

Key Activities

  • Stakeholder interviews and listening sessions
  • Community needs assessment and asset mapping
  • Cultural context research and sensitivity analysis
  • Accessibility audit and trauma-informed evaluation
  • Technical requirements and systems analysis

Deliverables

  • Project strategy and roadmap
  • User personas and community profiles
  • Accessibility and trauma-informed requirements
  • Technical architecture recommendations
  • Project timeline and milestone plan

Design Phase

Duration: 4-6 weeks

Collaborative design sessions where your team and community members actively participate in creating solutions that truly meet their needs.

Collaborative Process

  • Co-design workshops with community members
  • Participatory wireframing and prototyping
  • Cultural validation and feedback sessions
  • Accessibility testing with diverse users
  • Trauma-informed interaction design reviews

Design Outputs

  • Interactive prototypes and wireframes
  • Trauma-informed design system components
  • Accessibility-compliant visual designs
  • Content strategy and information architecture
  • User testing report and iteration plan

Implementation Phase

Duration: 6-10 weeks

Building your solution with security, accessibility, and trauma-informed principles integrated at the technical level.

Development Standards

  • WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility compliance
  • Privacy-first data architecture
  • Progressive enhancement and performance optimization
  • Cross-platform compatibility testing
  • Security best practices and data protection

Launch Preparation

  • Comprehensive testing and quality assurance
  • Team training and documentation
  • Gradual deployment and monitoring setup
  • Community feedback integration process
  • Analytics and success measurement tools

Growth Phase

Duration: Ongoing partnership

Ongoing support that helps your organization build internal capacity while continuing to improve and evolve your digital presence.

Capacity Building

  • Team training in trauma-informed digital practices
  • Documentation and resource libraries
  • Accessibility maintenance workshops
  • Community feedback integration strategies

Continuous Improvement

  • Performance monitoring and optimization
  • Regular accessibility audits and updates
  • Feature development and enhancement
  • Strategic evolution planning

How We Collaborate

Our remote-first approach ensures meaningful collaboration regardless of geography, with tools and practices designed for inclusivity and accessibility.

Regular Communication

  • • Weekly check-ins and progress updates
  • • Accessible communication platforms
  • • Multiple communication options (video, audio, text)
  • • Cultural and timezone sensitivity

Transparent Documentation

  • • Shared project documentation
  • • Real-time design collaboration tools
  • • Progress tracking and milestone visibility
  • • Accessible documentation formats

Continuous Feedback

  • • Regular community feedback sessions
  • • Iterative design and testing cycles
  • • Multiple feedback collection methods
  • • Trauma-informed feedback processes

Project Timeline Expectations

Every project is unique, but here are typical timelines for different types of engagements.

Communication Design

4-8 weeks
  • • Brand identity and visual systems
  • • Marketing materials and campaigns
  • • Website redesigns and refreshes
  • • Content strategy and messaging

Project Design

6-12 weeks
  • • Digital platforms and web applications
  • • User experience and interface design
  • • System integration and optimization
  • • Trauma-informed platform development

Campaign Design

3-6 weeks
  • • Advocacy and awareness campaigns
  • • Social media strategy and assets
  • • Event and program promotion
  • • Community engagement initiatives

Timeline adjustments are made based on project complexity, community feedback cycles, and organizational capacity.

Discuss Your Project Timeline

Ready to Get Started?

Every great partnership begins with a conversation. Let's discuss your needs, explore how we can support your mission, and determine if we're the right fit for your organization.