About the Project
In 2019, Nova Scotia Health partnered with IBM iX to design strategic workshops aimed at increasing vaccination rates among underserved communities. I led the initiative by applying human-centered design methodologies to uncover barriers in public health outreach and co-create actionable service blueprints. Through collaborative workshops with government agencies, healthcare providers, and community leaders, we developed a prioritized roadmap to guide future vaccination strategy improvements.
Challenge
Increase vaccination rates among vulnerable and underserved populations across Nova Scotia.
Address gaps in access, education, and community engagement that were limiting vaccine outreach efforts.
Align diverse stakeholder groups — including government agencies, healthcare professionals, and community leaders — under a shared mission to strengthen public health outcomes.
Solution
Led multi-stakeholder workshops using IBM Design Thinking methodologies to uncover systemic barriers to vaccination access.
Designed and facilitated collaborative sessions that engaged government, healthcare, and community participants in co-creating service solutions.
Developed detailed service blueprints mapping outreach pathways, intervention points, and opportunities for systemic improvement.
Synthesized stakeholder insights into a prioritized roadmap guiding vaccination program enhancements.
Impact
Delivered an actionable service blueprint and roadmap to support Nova Scotia Health’s vaccination outreach strategy.
Boosted cross-sector collaboration between government health agencies, frontline healthcare providers, and community organizations.
Laid the foundation for increasing vaccine accessibility and improving public health outcomes in underserved regions.
Strengthened community trust and engagement around vaccination initiatives through participatory design approaches.
Nova Scotia Health Authority – Vaccination Uptake Workshops
The Nova Scotia Health Vaccination Uptake Workshops addressed critical gaps in vaccination outreach among underserved communities.
I led a series of strategic workshops that brought together government agencies, healthcare professionals, and community representatives to collaboratively identify barriers and co-create solutions.
Applying IBM Design Thinking methodologies, I facilitated multi-stakeholder sessions that mapped service challenges, uncovered intervention points, and prioritized actionable opportunities for system improvement.
The insights generated from these workshops informed the development of detailed service blueprints and a prioritized roadmap designed to increase vaccination accessibility, improve community trust, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration.
Key areas of focus included:
Community-Centered Engagement: Bringing underserved populations and frontline workers into the design process to ground strategies in real needs.
Barrier Identification: Uncovering logistical, informational, and trust-based obstacles limiting vaccination outreach.
Service Blueprinting: Mapping service pathways and intervention points to create clear, actionable improvement strategies.
Strategic Roadmapping: Prioritizing outreach enhancements to align with public health goals and resource realities.
By integrating human-centered design frameworks into public health strategy, the project laid the foundation for more inclusive, scalable vaccination initiatives — ultimately supporting better public health outcomes across Nova Scotia.
Sponsor Users
Nova Scotia Health Authority
Provincial government health agencies
Community healthcare providers
Parents of children without family doctors
Public health outreach teams
Product Design Team
Lead Facilitator
Workshop Designer
IBM Strategy Team
My Contributions
Designed and facilitated collaborative workshops that aligned stakeholder missions and produced actionable blueprints.
Tools
IBM Design Thinking Mural Service Blueprinting