"I wish everyone could see how hard I'm trying. They judge me before they even know me."
- Veteran Job Seeker
Project Type:
A 5-year firm-fixed price contract to research, design, prototype, validate, and deliver innovative solutions for Veteran job seekers and those who support them; and provide strategic planning support to establish the Agency's CX capability.
The Team:
I serve as Technical Subject-Matter Expert along with 10 team members specializing in service design, organizational development, data analytics, change management, and strategic communications
Overview:
The Department of Labor (DOL) Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) helps to meet the often-complex employment and training needs of transitioning service members, Veterans, and military spouses. Their mission is to enable them to meet their full potential in the workplace. DOL VETS partnered with our team to lead the Agency's first-ever customer experience (CX) initiative. The project’s aim was 3-fold: to uncover and address critical needs and challenges faced by Veterans, develop a roadmap and long-range plans to ensure CX is embedded as a capability, and simultaneously design and implement service design solutions.
Uncovering the Needs of Veteran Job Seekers
What We Did
In our first year, we focused on understanding the current service experience for Veterans who access the VETS-funded Jobs for Veterans State Grants program (JVSG) – a program that offers employment and training services administered by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) nationwide.
I crafted sound research strategy to achieve this goal, combining desktop and field research. Collectively, the team reviewed 175 pieces of legislation, policies, research articles, and operating documents. We conducted outreach to hundreds of stakeholders from the VETS national program, grantees at the state and local level, and Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and non-profits. The team then conducted ethnographic research at ten Job Centers interviewing over 210 Veterans and stakeholders (including front-line service providers, VETS leaders, and staff from partner organizations) to better understand the Veteran customer journey.
Results/Outcomes​
As part of our subsequent synthesis, we conducted focus groups and two 5-hour co-creation workshops with stakeholders and Veterans to validate our findings and refine the current-state Veteran journey map and five personas. Through these efforts we developed actionable insights and validated the diverse needs of Veterans. We identified "quick wins" which we worked with VETS to prioritize to begin prototype development.
Client feedback is exceptional. They indicated "the work unveiled insights we had yet to discover. It resonates deeply, meeting [our] needs at every level, forging connections with greater clarity and understanding, and has ignited a passion for growth and empathy that will carry us forward."
Discovering the Unique Needs of Homeless Veterans
What We Did
In the second year, we focused on understanding the current service experience for Veterans who interact with a second VETS program, the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP). The goal was to uncover Veterans’ needs, explore resource utilization, and identify best practices of HVRP grant recipients.
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Once again, the team employed a variety of research methods, including desktop research, focus groups, interviews, in-person observations, and workshops. We performed comprehensive document review to understand the history, intent, and policies surrounding the program and other efforts to assist Veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The team visited 6 locations across the country, interviewing a total of 143 Veterans, grantee staff members, and interagency partners. We prioritized engagement with Veterans from historically underrepresented populations, particularly those at increased risk of experiencing homelessness. These groups included female Veterans, homeless Veterans with children, justice-involved Veterans, and rural Veterans.
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Following synthesis of comprehensive report highlighting five key findings and eight insights, five Veteran personas, and an HVRP customer journey map.
Results/Outcomes
The team continues to collaborate closely with VETS to explore potential opportunities aimed at shaping the path forward for HVRP customer experience. Our focus is on developing customer-focused solutions that not only ensure that Veterans are well-supported, but ultimately empowered in their job search. As a result, Veterans receiving help from HVRP will be better equipped to find meaningful and sustainable civilian employment opportunities that facilitate their successful reintegration.
Standing Up a CX Function
What We Did
Our team is also partnering with VETS to establish a vision and business case for standing up a permanent CX function within the office. We are facilitating strategic planning workshops with VETS leaders to establish their CX mission, vision, goals, and design pillars. We are in the process of creating:
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Comprehensive Multiyear Strategy that aligns with VETS’ long-term goals, integrating insights from ethnographic research and site visits to inform strategic direction.
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Robust Business Case supporting the transformation initiatives, demonstrating alignment with VETS' vision and anticipated outcome.
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Detailed Program Roadmap that outlines key milestones and deliverables to support VETS leadership to plan and execute long-term strategic goals effectively.
Results/Outcomes
By ensuring that the VETS CX initiative has these long-term goals in place, we can ensure that service design solutions fulfill the Agency’s goal of achieving short-term quick wins as well as long-term management objectives.