Launching the Advocacy Intelligence Lab
How EduLinked is translating qualitative lived experience into actionable insights for teams building inclusive digital services.
In an era where digital services are becoming the primary gateway to essential resources, the gap between intention and implementation in equitable design has never been more apparent. EduLinked's newly launched Advocacy Intelligence Lab represents a groundbreaking approach to bridging this divide.
Transforming Lived Experience into Actionable Intelligence
The Advocacy Intelligence Lab brings together an unprecedented coalition of practitioners, community partners, and residents to surface the often-invisible conditions that make digital services truly inclusive. Rather than relying solely on traditional metrics and assumptions, we're creating systematic ways to capture, analyze, and operationalize the qualitative insights that emerge from lived experience.
Listen
Community voices and lived experiences
→
Analyze
Pattern recognition and insight extraction
→
Build
Actionable frameworks and solutions
01
Community-Centered Research
Direct engagement with residents and service users to understand real barriers and needs
02
Practical Frameworks
Shared language and tools that help teams move from equity intent to operational reality
03
Measurable Impact
Data-driven approaches to tracking and improving inclusive service delivery
Real-World Pilot Programs
We're not building in isolation. The lab is currently piloting with three regional coalitions who are actively working to bridge access gaps across critical service areas:
Transportation Services
Understanding how digital barriers affect access to mobility resources and employment opportunities
150+ interviews conducted
Workforce Development
Identifying friction points in online job training and placement systems
3 prototype solutions
Family Services
Mapping the user journey challenges families face when accessing support programs
12 policy recommendations
From Insights to Implementation
The insights gathered from our pilot partners are already shaping rapid prototypes and policy recommendations. Our approach focuses on creating tools and frameworks that can be immediately applied by teams working on the ground.
Each collaboration generates:
- Documented patterns of user needs and barriers
- Tested interview and research methodologies
- Policy recommendations based on real user feedback
- Prototype solutions that address identified gaps
Community-Centered Approach
At the heart of our methodology is genuine community partnership. We don't just study communities—we work alongside them as co-researchers and co-designers.
Our community engagement process includes:
- Partnering with trusted local organizations
- Training community members as research facilitators
- Ensuring compensation for community expertise
- Creating feedback loops for ongoing input
Our Methodology: Beyond Traditional Research
Traditional Research
- Surface-level feedback
- Limited context
- One-time interactions
VS
Advocacy Intelligence
- Deep lived experience
- Systemic understanding
- Ongoing partnership
Traditional user research often falls short when it comes to understanding the complex, intersectional barriers that prevent equitable access to digital services. The Advocacy Intelligence Lab employs a multi-layered approach:
1
Community Partnership
We work directly with community organizations who already have trust and relationships with the populations most affected by digital inequity.
6 months
Trust building
2
Structured Listening
Our interview guides capture not just what people need, but the context, emotions, and systemic factors that shape their experiences.
150+ interviews
Deep context
3
Pattern Recognition
We analyze qualitative data to identify recurring themes and translate them into actionable design principles and policy recommendations.
AI-assisted
Theme mapping
4
Rapid Prototyping
Insights are immediately tested through prototype solutions that can be refined based on continued community feedback.
2-week sprints
Community tested
Case Study Spotlight
Transportation Access Discovery
Through our structured listening process, we discovered that the biggest barrier wasn't technology literacy, but lack of clear information about available services.
Outcome: 3 cities redesigned their service discovery process
Early Impact and Learnings
Just months into our pilot programs, we're already seeing tangible results that validate our approach:
0
Regional Coalitions
Across 3 states
0
Community Interviews
Average 45 min each
0
Prototype Solutions
Community tested
0
Policy Recommendations
Currently in review
Key Discovery
Our transportation services pilot revealed that the biggest barrier wasn't technology literacy, but rather the lack of clear information about what services were actually available—a finding that has implications far beyond digital interface design.
Impact Timeline
Month 1-2
Partnership Formation
Established relationships with 3 regional coalitions
Month 3-4
Deep Listening Phase
Conducted 150+ structured interviews with community members
Month 5-6
Pattern Analysis
Identified 12 recurring barriers and developed initial prototypes
Month 7
Policy Development
Translating insights into actionable policy recommendations
What's Next: Building the Tooling Roadmap
Q1 2024
Lab Launch
Q2 2024
Case Studies
Q3 2024
Toolkit Release
Q4 2024
Policy Framework
The coming months will see the release of deeper dives into our partner collaborations, along with the comprehensive tooling roadmap that supports equitable service delivery. We're committed to open-sourcing our methodologies and making our findings accessible to any team working to build more inclusive digital services.
Upcoming Releases
Q2 2024
Partner Case Studies
Detailed documentation of our pilot collaborations, including challenges, breakthroughs, and lessons learned
3 detailed case studies
Video interviews
Downloadable templates
Q3 2024
Research Methodology Toolkit
Complete guides for conducting equity-centered user research, including interview scripts and analysis frameworks
Interview guide templates
Analysis frameworks
Training materials
Q4 2024
Policy Recommendation Framework
Templates and processes for translating user insights into actionable policy recommendations
Policy templates
Implementation guides
Success metrics
Accessibility at the Core
Every tool and framework we develop is designed with accessibility as a fundamental requirement, not an afterthought. Our research methodology specifically captures the experiences of people with disabilities, ensuring that inclusive design principles are embedded from the start.
40%
of interviews included disability perspectives
100%
of tools tested with assistive technology
Join the Movement
The Advocacy Intelligence Lab represents more than just a research initiative—it's a commitment to centering community voice in the design of digital services that affect people's daily lives. Whether you're a civic tech leader, community organizer, or service provider, there are ways to get involved.