SOPHIE BECKER

504/GWT

Hey, I’m Sophie – a designer, researcher, strategist, and artist. I hold a BFA in Industrial Design and Psychology from the Rochester Institute of Technology. 

I focus on design research, community engagement, and piloting interventions. I'm driven to address system-level problems through a design-lens, particularly environmental and social issues such as urban design, housing, and homelessness.  

I am based in Denver, CO where you can find me enjoying the mountains and sunshine.
 

    Atlanta Community Needs
    Child Care Matters
    Home Here
    Immersive Innovation Labs
    Jane Fonda
    Alpyn Beauty
    Vignelli Medal
    – 
    Writing
    Speaking 
    On My Mind
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    CHILD CARE MATTERS






    // Spring 2023 CHALLENGE: Child care across the nation is in crisis. Compounding factors such as the pandemic, aging providers, high costs, and low wages have led us to this reality. The licensing department within the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) in collaboration with the Center for Public Partnerships and Research at the University of Kansas (CPPR), wanted to fully understand the exodus of providers from their perspective and actively design solutions to combat it. 

    PROCESS + RATIONALE: This was a rare and incredible project where I was able to participate from the very first phases of research to the actual implementation of the solution. 

    We began with demographic research, looking from a high level at the situation in Kansas by the numbers. From there we were able to move into interviews with licensed providers which allowed us to create thorough journey maps and begin pinpointing what we saw as opportunities for improvement. 

    To test these assumptions and design solutions collaboratively, we facilitated a series of co-creation sessions with providers to not only listen to their experiences, but ideate on and prioritize potential solutions for attracting and retaining licensed providers. As a team we were also able to share with the Governor’s office our recommendations on the issue. 

    Among many ideas, we identified an awareness campaign and licensing process toolkit as the most effective and easiest to activate on. 

    OUTCOME: A multi-faceted campaign was created with the input and voices of active licensed child care providers in Kansas. We elevated their experiences to emphasize to the public that child care providers are skilled workers who are crucial to our economy, but also emphasize how rewarding the career path can be.  We wanted to attract young parents who could expand from not only watching their own children, but help out their community and make money at the same time. To build trust from the start, once a potential provider entered into the process, we created a licensing toolkit to simplify the process and show that providers are guided and supported from the beginning. 

    FULL DELIVERABLES:




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