Work.
Communities and people are at the heart of everything Samaj Studio does. We believe the path to health equity involves giving up space at the table for those affected by inequity, and all our work is done with this belief in mind. Here are some examples of ways that we can create together.
HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN
So often, new products and services fail because they are created based on assumptions about people, instead of the reality. Human-centered design offers a way to create products that not only understand people but also make the design process participatory and democratic, thereby helping to ensure that a community is able to determine and co-create the things they want and need.
Working closely with you and your community members, we will define and refine the healthcare problem or opportunity at hand, conduct design research to better clarify the context and community needs, synthesize the research and use it to co-design new products/services, and prototype and test them. We'll ensure that community members will lead the creative process the entire way, with us to support.
RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY
Actionable research is a significant piece of the work we do, regardless of whether the research will inform a health product, a policy, or a program. In addition to design research, we also conduct a variety of qualitative and social/behavioral health research projects to inform a community's work. We work closely with communities to ensure that any research involving them both covers topics that matter to community members, and also presents a balanced, nuanced, respectful, and culturally-sensitive perspective. Research with a community should always benefit the community, which is why we also place an emphasis on actions and outcomes from research.
ETHICAL TECH AND DIGITAL STRATEGY
Technology is so often treated as a silver bullet to solving a variety of health access and information issues, but the reality is far more complex than that. The digital divide is ever-increasing, even in the US, and the COVID-19 pandemic and rise of AI like ChatGPT have illuminated many existing disparities and exposed many potential harms to the average tech user.
Developing a equity-focused digital strategy involves nuanced and careful consideration of community issues such as ethics, access, literacy, culture, and much more. We can help your organization better understand the needs of your community, and devise an appropriate strategy that adheres to best practices and the highest of ethical standards.
COMMUNITY CREATIVE SPACES
So often, community health work is creatively hamstrung by limited resourcing, stringent financial requirements, and well-intentioned policies that sometimes prevent us from trying out truly new and exciting ideas. Samaj Studio strives to offer itself as a creative vehicle for community health work in whatever ways make the most sense, whether by providing a physical creative space to ideate with partners, leading a new type of creative project, or co-hosting events and workshops that tap into creative potential. In general, we try to bring as much innovative space and energy to our clients and partners as we can!