Phl Gud (Feel Good)
As a runner and wellness advocate, healthcare has always been close to my heart. During grad school, I mastered design thinking and felt compelled to improve my hometown, Philadelphia. I began with a simple question: "How might we address the challenges in Philly?" My first step? Mapping out the city’s pain points.
Challenge:
Philadelphia faced widespread nutrition challenges, particularly in underserved communities, where access to healthy food was limited, and nutritional education was lacking. Without proper support, children’s health and cognitive development were at risk, deepening long-term disparities.
Approach:
I led a design thinking initiative that started with community-driven research, including neighborhood cleanups and empathy interviews to understand local attitudes towards nutrition. We then facilitated workshops where residents, including parents, educators, and local leaders, envisioned ideal food access solutions using creative methods like Lego prototyping. To deepen our understanding, we conducted secondary research across six focus areas: nutrition programs, school district design, and funding models. The insights guided the design of a user-centered solution that aligned with the city's unique challenges.
Results:
The project resulted in a community-centric nutrition education program tailored to Philadelphia’s underserved neighborhoods. Engagement with the program grew as trust was built within the community. Our design effectively combined research and empathy, creating a scalable, impactful solution that addressed both the immediate and long-term needs of the city's children.
Experiment 1
In true design thinking spirit, I grabbed a few friends and headed into the heart of inner-city Philly for a spontaneous neighborhood cleanup. Our goal? To see if residents would join us in beautifying their community. While few participated, we got valuable feedback—locals trusted their neighbors more than the system.
The Focus [as opposed to the Flare]
Tackling every issue in the sixth-largest city would’ve been overwhelming. Instead, I honed in on a cause I cared deeply about: nutrition. I focused my energy on improving access to nutritious food, especially in underserved communities—a problem I knew well.
A Better "How Might We"
My new question became: How might we educate children in underserved communities about nutrition and inspire positive lifestyle changes?
Experiment 2
Back to the streets! This time, we sought deeper insights by asking residents about schools, food access, and their ideal solutions. Participants used Legos to design their vision for accessible, nutritious food in their neighborhoods. We also encouraged them to create their own “How Might We” questions, bringing them into the design process.
Secondary Research
To complement our interviews, we dived into six key areas—nutrition programs, school district design, cognitive development, funding, sponsorship, and risk assessment. By reviewing 57 scholarly articles, we built a well-rounded understanding of the issue, using historical and structural insights to shape our approach.
Our Offering
Our solution, rooted in design thinking, reflects a full-cycle product design tailored to Philadelphia. It combines research, experimentation, and community engagement to offer a practical, thoughtful response to the city’s nutritional challenges.
Want to learn more? Download the full report below!