Together, we can advance public health & well-being.

Our global network of interdisciplinary changemakers is united by one goal – equipping you with strategies, skills, and mindsets to design a healthier future for all.

Public Works is a center for learning, unlearning &  innovating.

We bring different people with different experiences and expertise together to help you better understand what is and co-create what could be.

Together,
we design strategies that

humanize healthcare.

reimagine senior living.

catalyze communities.

Expand your capacity to create meaningful change.

At Public Works, we ask big questions. And cultivate the courage, empathy, and creativity needed for your team to explore the possibilities from a diversity of perspectives. Then, align on a strategic direction and adapt accordingly.  

Research

Explore the landscape. Discover the problems underlying the problems. Identify opportunities for optimization and innovation. Rally your team around next steps.

Offerings

In-depth Interviews . Learning Labs . Ethnographic Observation . Diary Studies . Research Recruiting . Literature Reviews . Horizon Scanning . Strategic Foresight

Outcomes

Insight & Opportunity Reports . Strategic Roadmaps . System Diagrams . Experience Maps . Design Principles & Guidelines . Statistical Analysis . White Papers

Storytelling

Humanize data. Translate complex information into clear and compelling stories that immerse people in your message.

Offerings

Ideation Workshops . Storyboarding . Prioritization Sessions . Video Production & Editing . Animation . Illustration . Animation . Graphic Design

Outcomes

Immersive Experiences . Educational Outreach Campaigns . Behavioral Personas . Multimedia Reports . White Papers

Design

Translate insights into actions. Explore the possibilities from a diversity of perspectives. Analyze ideas. Align on a strategic direction.

Offerings

Empathy Exercises . Ideation Workshops . Co-Design Sprints . Innovation Accelerators . Prototyping & User Testing

Outcomes

Experience Design Strategies & Specifications for Digital Products, Services and Spaces

Implementation

Assemble an action plan. Empower teams to evaluate the theory of action, in action. And adapt accordingly.

Offerings

Strategic Prioritization & Planning . Metric Identification . Stakeholder Engagement & Alignment .

Outcomes

Strategic Plans . Key Performance Indicators & Impact Evaluation Frameworks . Community Engagement Strategies . Go-To-Market Strategies . Theories of Change . Logic Models

Change Management

Motivate teams to think and act differently. Provide tools, tactics, and support to ensure these changes stick.

Offerings

Change Readiness Assessments . Tools & Tactics Workshops . Leadership Trainings . Office Hours

Outcomes

Increased Accountability, Collaboration, Retention, and  Productivity

How are we different?

We believe public health complex.

It's part human. It's also part environmental. It's the well-being of people and the places where we live, learn, work, play, and grow.
How are we different?

We design with users people.

We refuse to reduce people to users. We work with you and the people you aim to serve to design products, services, and spaces that advance public health and well-being.
How are we different?

We make the invisible visible engaging.

We embrace all modes of design to help you effectively connect with a diversity of stakeholders.

We are high impact people who lead high impact projects.

Public Works is powered by a global network of interdisciplinary changemakers that assemble according to your needs.

Public Works Strategic Design & Innovation Partner Kiersten Nash Matsui

Kiersten Nash Matsui

Founding Partner & 

Chief Design Officer

Public Works Service Design Partner Andrea Guertin

Andrea Guertin

Service Design & Recruiting Partner

with Wemaygo

Public Works Storytelling Partner Stephen Kertis

Stephen Kertis

Storytelling Partner

with Kertis

Public Works Research and Placemaking Partner Lena Blackstock

Lena Blackstock

Research & Placemaking Partner

with Process/Practice Studio

Public Works Executive Advisor Tanya OConnor

Tanya O'Connor

Executive Advisor

Executive Advisor

Public Works Environmental Science & Policy Partner Jon Pope

Jon Pope

Environmental Science

& Policy Partner

Public Works Reframe Partner Mona Patel

Mona Patel

Reframe Partner

with Gray Zones

Public Works Engineering Partner Sean Montgomery

Sean Montgomery

Engineering Partner

with Connected Future Labs

We are high impact people who lead high impact projects.

Public Works is powered by a global network of interdisciplinary changemakers that assemble according to your needs.

Public Works Strategic Design & Innovation Partner Kiersten Nash Matsui

Kiersten Nash Matsui

Founding Partner &

Chief Design Officer

Public Works Service Design Partner Andrea Guertin

Andrea Guertin

Service Design & Recruiting

Partner with Wemaygo

Public Works Storytelling Partner Stephen Kertis

Stephen Kertis

Storytelling Partner

with Kertis

Public Works Research and Placemaking Partner Lena Blackstock

Lena Blackstock

Research & Placemaking Partner

with Process/Practice Studio

Public Works Executive Advisor Tanya OConnor

Tanya O'Connor

Executive Advisor

Executive Advisor

Public Works Environmental Science & Policy Partner Jon Pope

Jon Pope

Environmental Science

& Policy Partner

Public Works Reframe Partner Mona Patel

Mona Patel

Reframe Partner

with Gray Zones

Public Works Engineering Partner Sean Montgomery

Sean Montgomery

Engineering Partner

with Connected Future Labs

We are high impact people who lead high impact projects.

Public Works is powered by a global network of interdisciplinary changemakers that assemble according to your needs.

Public Works Strategic Design & Innovation Partner Kiersten Nash Matsui

Kiersten Nash Matsui

Founding Partner &

Chief Design Officer

Public Works Service Design Partner Andrea Guertin

Andrea Guertin

Service Design & Recruiting Partner with Wemaygo

Public Works Storytelling Partner Stephen Kertis

Stephen Kertis

Storytelling Partner

with Kertis

Public Works Research and Placemaking Partner Lena Blackstock

Lena Blackstock

Research & Place-making Partner with

Process/Practice

Public Works Executive Advisor Tanya OConnor

Tanya O'Connor

Executive

Advisor

Public Works Environmental Science & Policy Partner Jon Pope

Jon Pope

Environmental Science & Policy

Partner

Public Works Engineering Partner Sean Montgomery

Sean Montgomery

Engineering Partner

with Connected Future Labs

Public Works Reframe Partner Mona Patel

Mona Patel

Reframe Partner

with Gray Zones

Public Works Research Partner Jennifer Rooks-Edwards

Jennifer Rooks-Edwards

Brand Strategy Partner with

the Inclusive Research Initiative

Public Works Storytelling Partner Stephen Kertis

Stephen Kertis

Storytelling Partner

with Kertis

Public Works Service Design Partner Andrea Guertin

Andrea Guertin

Service Design Partner

with the Inclusive Research Initiative

Public Works Strategic Design & Innovation Partner Kiersten Nash Matsui

Kiersten Nash Matsui

Strategic Design & Innovation Partner

with the Inclusive Research Initiative

Public Works Environmental Science & Policy Partner Jon Pope

Jon Pope

Environmental Science &

Policy Partner

Public Works Research and Placemaking Partner Lena Blackstock

Lena Blackstock

Research & Placemaking Partner

with Process/Practice Studio

Public Works Engineering Partner Sean Montgomery

Sean Montgomery

Engineering Partner

with Connected Future Labs

Public Works Reframe Partner Mona Patel

Mona Patel

Reframe Partner

with Gray Zones

Public Works Executive Advisor Tanya OConnor

Tanya O'Connor

Executive Advisor

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Working to advance public health or well-being?

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