Session Description
Piloting is a critical step before launching customer experience (CX) improvements in government. When done well, pilots reduce risk, generate evidence of impact, and build the people and process foundations needed for statewide adoption. This session will walk through Civilla’s human centered pilot process—from choosing locations to training staff, selecting and gathering metrics, and creating internal champions. Drawing on lessons from pilots in Michigan, Washington, and Connecticut, participants will see how a structured approach to piloting can smooth the path toward successful culture change.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the key steps of a government pilot, including selecting pilot offices, training staff, and measuring outcomes.
- Apply practical strategies to test solutions in the livestream with residents and staff before committing to large-scale implementation.
- How to gather and tell stories from your pilot to build support for implementation.
Presenter Information
As design director at Civilla, Gabriela Dorantes has a deep expertise in health and human services delivery. She led research and design for the redesign of Michigan’s benefits application and renewals and now works to scale Civilla’s impact nationally, leading similar transformations in Missouri, Washington, Connecticut, and beyond.
Throughout her career, Gabriela has built human-centered solutions across many domains, including public benefits, tax foreclosure, and transportation. Before joining Civilla, she worked at non-profits including United Way, Human Rights Watch, and the Organization of American States. She graduated from George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and human rights.
Kristen Uroda is a design lead at Civilla with a deep expertise in health and human service delivery. She was a key contributor to Civilla’s work in Missouri and Washington state, conducting research and design for the state’s benefits application, renewals, and correspondence processes. Now, she’s working to bring Civilla’s way of working to new institutions and state programs.
Prior to Civilla, Kristen spent ten years as an illustrator and graphic designer and has worked internationally as a volunteer for various organizations. She earned a master of divinity from Western Theological Seminary where she focused on institutional systems, global theology, and aesthetics and a BFA in illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.