From Zero to 1,000: How We Used Human-Centered Design to Scale Business Support in Detroit Neighborhoods
Detroit Means Business (DMB) is a coalition of public, private, and philanthropic organizations formed during the COVID pandemic to support small business owners by connecting them to the resources, funding, and programs they need to thrive.
I joined in January 2024 as Director of Experience, tasked with designing a connected digital and physical system that would launch in 25 community locations as part of the Small Business Support Hubs Initiative made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act.
When I first came across the role, I was genuinely surprised — not because the work didn’t need UX, but because it was rare to see a civic initiative like this actively invest in experience design. That’s what made me want to dig deeper.
I asked my boss what she thought my role was.
Her answer?
“Simplify the experience of starting, growing, and owning a business in Detroit.”
The more I looked into that experience, the more I realized — it was anything but simple.
I joined in January 2024 as Director of Experience, tasked with designing a connected digital and physical system that would launch in 25 community locations as part of the Small Business Support Hubs Initiative made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act.
When I first came across the role, I was genuinely surprised — not because the work didn’t need UX, but because it was rare to see a civic initiative like this actively invest in experience design. That’s what made me want to dig deeper.
I asked my boss what she thought my role was.
Her answer?
“Simplify the experience of starting, growing, and owning a business in Detroit.”
The more I looked into that experience, the more I realized — it was anything but simple.
I joined in January 2024 as Director of Experience, tasked with designing a connected digital and physical system that would launch in 25 community locations as part of the Small Business Support Hubs Initiative made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act.
When I first came across the role, I was genuinely surprised — not because the work didn’t need UX, but because it was rare to see a civic initiative like this actively invest in experience design. That’s what made me want to dig deeper.
I asked my boss what she thought my role was.
Her answer?
“Simplify the experience of starting, growing, and owning a business in Detroit.”
The more I looked into that experience, the more I realized — it was anything but simple.
In 2024, Detroit’s population grew for the first time in nearly 70 years — a sign of recovery for a city that had declared bankruptcy just a decade earlier. Small businesses were apart of that story, with 50,000 minority- owned businesses in the city. But the city’s resurgence wasn’t reaching everyone.
“I wish I had known about this sooner,” was a common refrain from Detroit business owners in our research. Nearly 9 in 10 Detroit entrepreneurs didn’t know about the programs designed to support them. Those who did were first in line when new opportunities launched.
Resources were scattered. Applications were low. Awareness was nearly nonexistent. The disconnect wasn’t just frustrating — it was costly. There was no bridge between business owners and the programs meant to help them.
So we designed one — and reached over 1,000 entrepreneurs through our network of interactive support hubs.
9 in 10 business owners weren’t aware of key programs
Most never saw flyers or visited the website — awareness was nearly nonexistent.
No clear starting point for support
Resources were scattered across 30+ orgs, and most business owners didn’t know where to begin — especially those without strong networks or internet access.
Business owners felt left out of Detroit’s growth.
While downtown thrived, many neighborhood entrepreneurs didn’t see themselves in the city's comeback — or its programs.
Challenges with Process
Change was part of the job. Getting things to actually move? That was the hard part.When I stepped into my role at DMB, a few challenges became clear right away.
When Innovation Meets Inertia
We set out to build something new — but we were doing it within an organization shaped by long-standing habits. Documentation was scattered. Decision-making lacked clarity. Teams worked in silos, and the tools didn’t keep pace with the mission. Innovation wasn’t impossible — but it required persistence, patience, and a lot of internal navigation.
When Innovation Meets Inertia
We set out to build something new — but we were doing it within an organization shaped by long-standing habits. Documentation was scattered. Decision-making lacked clarity. Teams worked in silos, and the tools didn’t keep pace with the mission. Innovation wasn’t impossible — but it required persistence, patience, and a lot of internal navigation.
When Innovation Meets Inertia
We set out to build something new — but we were doing it within an organization shaped by long-standing habits. Documentation was scattered. Decision-making lacked clarity. Teams worked in silos, and the tools didn’t keep pace with the mission. Innovation wasn’t impossible — but it required persistence, patience, and a lot of internal navigation.
Designing After the Grant Was Signed
I joined after the grant was approved, with some key decisions already made. There was no input on the deliverable and limited space to pivot.
My role became finding ways to bring clarity, usability, and intention to what was already in motion.
Designing After the Grant Was Signed
I joined after the grant was approved, with some key decisions already made. There was no input on the deliverable and limited space to pivot.
My role became finding ways to bring clarity, usability, and intention to what was already in motion.
Designing After the Grant Was Signed
I joined after the grant was approved, with some key decisions already made. There was no input on the deliverable and limited space to pivot.
My role became finding ways to bring clarity, usability, and intention to what was already in motion.
Our Resource Network Was Scattered
Even though DMB connects business owners to resources, there wasn’t a central place to store them. Resources lived in random emails, spreadsheets, or inboxes — which made it impossible to build reliable tools around them.
Our Resource Network Was Scattered
Even though DMB connects business owners to resources, there wasn’t a central place to store them. Resources lived in random emails, spreadsheets, or inboxes — which made it impossible to build reliable tools around them.
Our Resource Network Was Scattered
Even though DMB connects business owners to resources, there wasn’t a central place to store them. Resources lived in random emails, spreadsheets, or inboxes — which made it impossible to build reliable tools around them.
The first thing I focused on was understanding the scope of the initiative — what we were actually building, who it was for, and why it mattered.
To get there, I started with aligning the team and conducting discovery work. My process looked like this:
Audit existing work to understand what had been done before I arrived
Review grant requirements and identified constraints and non-negotiables
Facilitate collaborative sessions to define the scope, core problem, hypothesis, and success metrics with the DMB team
This was done in a few ways:
Collaborative Workshops for Alignment
To build alignment, I designed and led workshops that helped the team generate ideas, identify assumptions, and reach consensus.
Early on, there was hesitation — workshops and tools like FigJam were unfamiliar. So I shared Loom videos and lightweight guides to make it easier to engage.
With that context, the team got onboard. By the end, they were leading their own sessions using the same methods.
Project Management & Workflow Tools
To help the team track scope, changes, and decision-making, I introduced Monday.com as our project management tool.
My boss took it a step further by rolling out OKRs — suddenly, we had alignment and accountability. Now we were really cooking.
Project Management & Workflow Tools
To help the team track scope, changes, and decision-making, I introduced Monday.com as our project management tool.
My boss took it a step further by rolling out OKRs — suddenly, we had alignment and accountability. Now we were really cooking.
Project Management & Workflow Tools
To help the team track scope, changes, and decision-making, I introduced Monday.com as our project management tool.
My boss took it a step further by rolling out OKRs — suddenly, we had alignment and accountability. Now we were really cooking.
Briefs
Lack of documentation was slowing everything down — at times, it felt like we were playing telephone. To fix that, I introduced Coda (a Notion-style tool) and created a shared database of initiative briefs. Each one included the problem, users, hypothesis, metrics, and other key details — so everyone could stay aligned and move faster.
Briefs
Lack of documentation was slowing everything down — at times, it felt like we were playing telephone. To fix that, I introduced Coda (a Notion-style tool) and created a shared database of initiative briefs. Each one included the problem, users, hypothesis, metrics, and other key details — so everyone could stay aligned and move faster.
Briefs
Lack of documentation was slowing everything down — at times, it felt like we were playing telephone. To fix that, I introduced Coda (a Notion-style tool) and created a shared database of initiative briefs. Each one included the problem, users, hypothesis, metrics, and other key details — so everyone could stay aligned and move faster.
User Interviews & AI-Powered Synthesis
I spoke with business owners, DMB staff, and community members to better understand the problem.
Site visits to community centers helped me see how the hubs would actually work in real spaces.
To speed up synthesis, I used AI tools like video transcription and ChatGPT to organize insights and identify patterns.
Before jumping into solutions, I defined key hypotheses about what business owners needed, how the hub could scale, and the impact it could have.
These guided our strategy and helped focus the team on what mattered most.
Through early discovery and alignment, we turned those hypotheses into a clear foundation — defining our users, goals, and the features that would deliver the most value.
Value Hypothesis
If we place approachable, recognizable business support hubs in trusted neighborhood spaces, then business owners — especially the 90% unaware of existing programs — will engage with DMB resources — increasing awareness and first-time participation.
Growth Hypothesis
If we design a modular, self-guided hub experience with simple setup and clear partner value, then the operations team will be able to scale it across 20+ locations with minimal friction and strong local impact.
Impact Hypothesis
If a business owner engages with the hub even once, they’re more likely to join DMB’s support network — leading to increased program applications, more diverse participation, and better data on who we’re serving.
Personas
We developed several personas representing the people most impacted by this work.
To focus our efforts, we prioritized groups who stood to gain — or lose — the most from how this initiative was designed and delivered.
Personas
We developed several personas representing the people most impacted by this work.
To focus our efforts, we prioritized groups who stood to gain — or lose — the most from how this initiative was designed and delivered.
Personas
We developed several personas representing the people most impacted by this work.
To focus our efforts, we prioritized groups who stood to gain — or lose — the most from how this initiative was designed and delivered.
Business serving organizations
Metrics for Success
To define what success looked like, I drafted an initial set of metrics and collaborated with the team to refine them. These metrics helped us align across stakeholders and stay focused on what mattered most.
Primary impact goals:
Increase applicants for key small business programs by 20%
Generate at least 200 resource referrals per hub each month
Reach 1,000 unique kiosk visits per hub each month
Drive 150–200 mobile website visits via QR code per hub each month
Add 100 business owners to our database per hub each month
Operational success indicators:
Number of times DMB staff were required to visit a location to fix an issue
Number of support calls received from partner spaces (resolved remotely vs. in person)
Roadmap & Budget
I created the project roadmap to align our phased rollout with grant timelines, stakeholder needs, and technical feasibility.
I also managed a six-figure budget covering software, hardware, and fabrication — ensuring we stayed on track without sacrificing quality or speed.
Roadmap & Budget
I created the project roadmap to align our phased rollout with grant timelines, stakeholder needs, and technical feasibility.
I also managed a six-figure budget covering software, hardware, and fabrication — ensuring we stayed on track without sacrificing quality or speed.
Roadmap & Budget
I created the project roadmap to align our phased rollout with grant timelines, stakeholder needs, and technical feasibility.
I also managed a six-figure budget covering software, hardware, and fabrication — ensuring we stayed on track without sacrificing quality or speed.
To shape the MVP, I worked to identify the most pressing needs for each core persona. Using a prioritization grid, we mapped our ideas based on impact and feasibility
Here’s what we found:
For The Nine: Access to business support like funding and education was the most urgent need we could solve.
For space staff: A low-maintenance, safety-first solution was critical to avoid creating more work or disruption.
For the support ecosystem: Increasing both the number and diversity of applicants for programs was key.
With a plan in place, it was time to execute — but a few key UX challenges quickly surfaced and needed to be addressed.
Designing for the Digital Divide
Detroit’s entrepreneurs span generations and tech comfort levels — some prefer apps, others analog, and many just want to talk to a person. One of our biggest challenges was designing a hub that worked for everyone, regardless of tech literacy.
Designing for the Digital Divide
Detroit’s entrepreneurs span generations and tech comfort levels — some prefer apps, others analog, and many just want to talk to a person. One of our biggest challenges was designing a hub that worked for everyone, regardless of tech literacy.
Designing for the Digital Divide
Detroit’s entrepreneurs span generations and tech comfort levels — some prefer apps, others analog, and many just want to talk to a person. One of our biggest challenges was designing a hub that worked for everyone, regardless of tech literacy.
We Had No Idea Who We Were Actually Helping
We had an outreach program, a newsletter, and a website — but no analytics to know who was using our tools or what they needed. Without better data, we couldn’t personalize support or follow up with business owners after their first touchpoint.
We Had No Idea Who We Were Actually Helping
We had an outreach program, a newsletter, and a website — but no analytics to know who was using our tools or what they needed. Without better data, we couldn’t personalize support or follow up with business owners after their first touchpoint.
We Had No Idea Who We Were Actually Helping
We had an outreach program, a newsletter, and a website — but no analytics to know who was using our tools or what they needed. Without better data, we couldn’t personalize support or follow up with business owners after their first touchpoint.
Public Spaces Are Complicated
Community spaces are full of life — and full of distractions. Between kids, staff, and people just passing through, our hubs had to be obvious but unobtrusive, durable but approachable, and clearly meant for business owners.
Public Spaces Are Complicated
Community spaces are full of life — and full of distractions. Between kids, staff, and people just passing through, our hubs had to be obvious but unobtrusive, durable but approachable, and clearly meant for business owners.
Public Spaces Are Complicated
Community spaces are full of life — and full of distractions. Between kids, staff, and people just passing through, our hubs had to be obvious but unobtrusive, durable but approachable, and clearly meant for business owners.
With our users’ needs and the project's risks clearly defined, I moved into the design phase.
I developed an early vision for the hubs and defined key themes and principles that would guide both the physical and digital experience:
Modular & Flexible
Print signage can get outdated quickly compared to digital displays. To bridge that gap, we used modular pegboard panels that allow space holders — or DMB — to easily update printed materials. This approach keeps information current, relevant, and accessible to a wide range of users, while also offering layout flexibility across different spaces.
Approachable by Design
Business owners told us that traditional spaces felt intimidating — like they weren’t meant for them. Words like “procurement” and “accelerator” were used without explanation, making things harder to understand. So we partnered with the marketing team to create copy that felt approachable.
I partnered with a fabricator to design physical hubs that were accessible, low-maintenance, and visually distinct.
Digitally, I led UX and UI for the mobile app and touchscreen experience — managing a contractor for screen design while focusing on strategy, alignment, and delivery.
To speed up development, I built both apps in Bubble, created an AI-powered quiz for personalized resource recommendations, and developed custom APIs to sync with our Airtable database.
We tested the experience at every stage — from early concepts to live sessions with real users
I created the research plan, led four in-person testing events, and used a mix of interviews and observation to capture real-time feedback. AI tools helped synthesize insights quickly, which I shared with the team to guide refinements.
Here’s what we learned:
85% of participants immediately recognized the installation as something made for business owners.
This validated a key goal: ensuring the design clearly signals who it’s for — without explanation.
85% of participants immediately recognized the installation as something made for business owners.
This validated a key goal: ensuring the design clearly signals who it’s for — without explanation.
Participants consistently praised the approachable, conversational language.
Many said it felt “made for Detroiters,” which was essential to our goal of reaching entrepreneurs who often feel overlooked or excluded from formal city programs.
Participants consistently praised the approachable, conversational language.
Many said it felt “made for Detroiters,” which was essential to our goal of reaching entrepreneurs who often feel overlooked or excluded from formal city programs.
The AI-powered business hotline didn’t land well.
Participants found it impersonal or confusing, signaling that we still have work to do to build trust and usability into that feature.
The AI-powered business hotline didn’t land well.
Participants found it impersonal or confusing, signaling that we still have work to do to build trust and usability into that feature.
We launched the pilot at one Detroit recreation center for one month to test the full experience in a real environment
— and to understand what the implementation team would need to improve as we prepared to scale across 20+ community spaces.
I worked closely with community members, as well as the marketing and outreach teams, to coordinate a soft launch that prioritized usability, clarity, and community feedback.
Here’s what we put into the world:
Hub Pilot
We launched a modular wall display to raise awareness and connect business owners to real-time support — no tech barriers required.
Each hub includes:
Clear signage explaining DMB and how to get help without a device
Local stories showcasing real entrepreneurs and the resources they used
A touchscreen display for exploring personalized programs and funding
A hotline prompt for quick, AI-assisted support via phone
Together, these features create a flexible, approachable experience tailored to Detroit’s small business community.
Hub Pilot
We launched a modular wall display to raise awareness and connect business owners to real-time support — no tech barriers required.
Each hub includes:
Clear signage explaining DMB and how to get help without a device
Local stories showcasing real entrepreneurs and the resources they used
A touchscreen display for exploring personalized programs and funding
A hotline prompt for quick, AI-assisted support via phone
Together, these features create a flexible, approachable experience tailored to Detroit’s small business community.
Mobile Website: rundmb.org
We launched a mobile-first app at rundmb.org to help business owners connect with DMB, manage their info, and access resources with ease. The app includes: Smart registration to onboard users and capture valuable business data A resource feed with up-to-date programs and funding opportunities User profiles to pre-fill applications and save key details A partner links page to navigate Detroit’s broader support ecosystem
Mobile Website: rundmb.org
We launched a mobile-first app at rundmb.org to help business owners connect with DMB, manage their info, and access resources with ease. The app includes: Smart registration to onboard users and capture valuable business data A resource feed with up-to-date programs and funding opportunities User profiles to pre-fill applications and save key details A partner links page to navigate Detroit’s broader support ecosystem
Business Hotline
User testing showed that business owners found the AI voice hotline impersonal — especially those with lower tech comfort. But DMB didn’t have staff capacity for a live support line.
To solve this, I partnered with the District Business Liaisons (DBLs) — a team already tasked with helping entrepreneurs. They wanted more outreach, and the hotline became that bridge.
We replaced voice AI with a smarter flow:
Callers respond to pre-recorded prompts about their business and zip code
AI transcribes and routes the info to the right DBL
The DBL gets a call and an email with the business owner’s info
Airtable logs the lead for easy follow-up
The result: a lightweight, human-centered system that delivers qualified leads without live staffing.
Business Hotline
User testing showed that business owners found the AI voice hotline impersonal — especially those with lower tech comfort. But DMB didn’t have staff capacity for a live support line.
To solve this, I partnered with the District Business Liaisons (DBLs) — a team already tasked with helping entrepreneurs. They wanted more outreach, and the hotline became that bridge.
We replaced voice AI with a smarter flow:
Callers respond to pre-recorded prompts about their business and zip code
AI transcribes and routes the info to the right DBL
The DBL gets a call and an email with the business owner’s info
Airtable logs the lead for easy follow-up
The result: a lightweight, human-centered system that delivers qualified leads without live staffing.
Resource working group
To improve how business owners accessed support, I mapped how events and programs flowed through DMB. I launched a weekly cross-functional group to streamline the resource pipeline.
We found that most events eventually made it to a shared calendar. I built a Zapier automation to sync those events directly into our Airtable-powered app — keeping content current without extra manual work.
The result: a lightweight, sustainable system that keeps entrepreneurs connected without burdening staff.
Resource working group
To improve how business owners accessed support, I mapped how events and programs flowed through DMB. I launched a weekly cross-functional group to streamline the resource pipeline.
We found that most events eventually made it to a shared calendar. I built a Zapier automation to sync those events directly into our Airtable-powered app — keeping content current without extra manual work.
The result: a lightweight, sustainable system that keeps entrepreneurs connected without burdening staff.
Since launch, over 1,000 unique businesses have engaged with the Small Business Support Hub — whether by calling the hotline, using the touchscreen display, or downloading the mobile app.
For many, it was their first time accessing business support in Detroit. The hub also played a critical role in the success of the Caring for Michigan’s Future grant initiative, helping generate a record number of applicants for the program my team designed — a clear signal that our tools are breaking down barriers and expanding access to opportunity.
