The final report of my Human-Centered Design project at Cummins where we consulted a local community partner, Sans Souci. We helped them refreame their organizational purpose and identify and build to the specific needs of people they serve.

1. Re-Envisioning Sans Souci
As an Employee
Development Organization
“Employee development is really changing lives.”
- Sheryl Adams
Director, Sans Souci

2. HCD was used to:
• Build empathy
• Get to the right problem
• Collaborate with community
partners
• Understand needs of Sans
Souci employees
• Build customized development
paths based on real people
Objective: Use Human-Centered Design as a means to help Sans Souci in-
crease their capability to have the greatest impact on the most lives.
Human-Centered Design is a framework for immersing ourselves in
the perspectives and behaviors of those we’re designing for, reframing problems
and uncovering opportunities in order to develop strategies and solutions tailored
to meet their unobvious needs.
Research
• 48 interviews
• 3 workshops
• 8 weeks of research
• 4 personas
• 10 community
organizations consulted
• 8 employee
development events
• 36 post-it pads
Sans Souci as an Airport
“Sans Souci
feels
like home”
“The Airport analogy provides a great context for discussing the interaction of the
four client groups in terms that are both balanced and positive for each.”
-Al Degner
Executive Director, Housing Authority of Columbus
“Sans Souci
is helpful as a
sheltered
employer”
The airport analogy arose from the research and provides an engaging way to think
about the four different groups of employees at Sans Souci. Each has different
hopes, roles, needs and goals. Identifying them helps to correctly provide services
specific to each individual.

3. The Personas
of
Sans Souci
Personas represent the people Sans
Souci employs. By understanding their
specific goals and challenges
Sans Souci can better cater to their
needs.
Persona-based success plans
Success plans were developed using input from the research and discussions
with community parterns and were based on the specific goals and needs of
each persona. This individualized approach will enable each emeployee to be-
come a Sans Souci success story.
“It had never occurred to me that
all of our employees fit into one of
those four groups of people.”
- Sheryl Adams
Director, Sans Souci
“This framework really puts things in perspective and can easily be adapted to
other non-profits. I really feel this is what our community partners need.”
- Catina Furnish
Corporate Responsibility, Cummins
Stewart
30, Male
Goals
• Develop professional skills
• Support family
• Buy a home
• Get better employment
• Purchase a car
• Travel to Hawaii
Pain points and Challenges
• Health issues
• Caring for ailing parents
• No car/ Transportation issues
• Reluctance to share personal needs
• Financial concerns (poor credit, unpaid bills, etc.)
• Little or no savings
• Clothes and shoes
Key Characteristics
Age (years)
Work Experience (years)
Self-confidence
Dependability
Substance dependency
Physical Capability
Strong Social Behavior
No. of children
Attitudes
•“I want to take control of my life”
•“I am very comfortable at Sans Souci and not sure
if I want to leave or take a new role”
•“I am unaware of employment and education
opportunities available outside”
• “I want to earn enough to support my family
but also avoid Fiscal cliff”
Sans Souci
Life before Sans Souci
• Get up in the morning
• Prepare kids for school
• Take ailing father to the hospital
• Visit Sans Souci for free assistance
• Visit love chapel for food
• Search for jobs
• Pick up children from the bus stop
• Cook family dinner
• Go to bed
“I’ve fallen on hard times
and just want to get
back on my feet”
20 50
0 30
0 6
Refuel, Refit, Redeploy
Icons by noun project
low high
low high
low high
low high
low high
Brooklyn
25, Female
Goals
• Get clean from addiction
• Attain stability in life
• Maintain a job
• Learn social skills
• Meet basic clothing, food and housing needs
• Have consistent source of food
Pain points and Challenges
• Mental health
• Addiction
• Unsupportive family and negative social network
• No car/transportation issues
• Low functioning social skills
• Possible criminal background
• In need of legal assistance
• Financial troubles(unpaid bills, poor credit, etc.)
Key Characteristics
Age (years)
Work Experience (years)
Self-confidence
Dependability
Substance Dependency
Physical Capability
Strong Social Behavior
No. of children
Attitudes
• “I want to turn my life around but don’t know how”
• “I can become easily depressed or discouraged”
• “I have very low confidence and self-esteem”
• “I have been struggling my entire life”
• “I have a lot of expectations from Sans Souci to turn
my life around”
• “I have a hard time working with my coworkers and
interacting with them”
Sans Souci
Life before Sans Souci
• Get up in the morning
• Take bus to meet parole officer
• Make calls to resolve unpaid debt
• Visit Sans Souci for free assistance
• Visit love chapel for food
• Find side jobs for extra cash
• Visit human services for assistance
• Go to bed
“I am dealing with a lot
of issues but Sans Souci
can help me turn my
life around”
18 30
0 10
0 6
Preparing to takeoff
Icons by noun project
low high
low high
low high
low high
low high
Susan
35, Female
Goals
• Help people
• Build skillset and career
• Heathcare and wage mobility
• Develop Leadership
Pain points and Challenges
• Limited wages and benefits in non-profit sector
• Limited leadership experience
• Abnormal working hours
• Use of personal resources in non-profit sector
• Unutilized skills
Key Characteristics
Age (years)
Work Experience (years)
Self-confidence
Dependability
Substance dependency
Physical Capability
Social Behavior
No. of children
Attitudes
• “I really want to work in a non-profit and help the
community”
• “I am very eager to grow and develop
professionally.”
• “I am worried about professional growth
opportunities and wages in the non-profit sector.”
• “I don’t always know if what we’re doing is the best
way to help people, I could use some outside help.”
Sans Souci
Life before Sans Souci
• Get up in the morning
• Prepare the kids for school
• Drive kids to school
• Head to work at Home Depot
• Attend volunteer event
• Family dinner
• Prepare the kids for bed
• Go to bed
“I really want to work
for a non-profit but I
really want to support
my family”
18 50
0 30
0 6
Mission Control
low high
low high
low high
low high
low high
Icons by noun project
Bradley
60, Male
Goals
• Have a meaningful contribution to the community
• Want stability and worry free lifestyle
• Want to work with Sans Souci as long as possible
Pain points and Challenges
• Health issues
• Difficult to find employment
• Limited physical capability
• Healthcare costs
• Limited savings
• Dependable housing
Key Characteristics
Age (years)
Work Experience (years)
Self-confidence
Dependability
Substance dependency
Physical Capability
Strong Social Behavior
No. of children
Attitudes
•“I really want to contribute to the community”
•“I still feel like I have plenty of experience and
insights to offer”
•“Education is not a top priority but I care about
self-improvement
• “I want to find employment that feels like home
that meets my needs.”
•“I have very few employment opportunities at this
point of life”
Life before Sans Souci
• Get up in the morning
• Go to the doctor
• Search for a job
• Visit kids
• Do handyman work
• Go for a walk
• Go to bed
“I need sustainable
and meaningful work
despite my physical
limitations”
50 80
0 40
0 6
Looking for a soft landing
Sans Souci
Icons by noun project
low high
low high
low high
low high
low high

4. Sans Souci’s path to becoming
an employee development organization
ij
• Immediate barriers are
discovered and recorded in an
informal process
• General onboarding
• General life skills training
• Thrift shop
• Non-targeted no-cost program
• Sans Souci University and HSE
classes
• Other trainings as needed
• Barrier intervention through
external resource coordinator
•
• Persona-based onbarding and
personal development plans
• Persona-based curriculum for
life skills training
• Barriers identified and
recorded in onboarding
• Employee record keeping
• Targeted barrier interven-
tion by external resource
coordinator and other
community partners
ijji
•
• Targeted mentor program
• SSU integrated into
persona-based development
plan
• Professional development
trainings
• Targeted barrier
intervention by internal
resource coordinator and other
community partners
ij
• Career opportunity
identification and job search
training
• Career specific training
• Employer partnerships
• Targeted recruiting
• Leadership development and
succession planning
Stage 3: Organization
delivering personalized
employee development success
Stage 2: Advanced training
capabilities catered to each
persona
Stage 1: Strategically
approaching barriers and personal
development
Current Capabilities
Current State Stage 1:
Introducing Personas
Stage 2:
Persona-Based
Training Capabilities
Stage 3:
An Employee
Development Organization
CapabilityGrowth

5. High Level Timeline
Next Steps
• Instate a board-appointed champion for the implementation of this project
• Create a framework for coordination between Sans Souci and Cummins
• Complete board approval of implementation plan and integrate in 5 year plan
• Create a catalog of ongoing projects
• Identify and create a plan to manage interdependencies
Implementation Timeline
Stage 1 Timeline
2018 2019
Month Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Define
Develop
Control
Stage 2 Timeline
2019 2020
Month May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan
Define
Develop
Control
Stage 3 Timeline
2020
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Define
Develop
Control
Stage 2
Enhance Sans Souci’s capabilities to provide persona-based training. This will help
to prepare each type of employee for their specific goals, build leadership and
working skills, and overcome their individual barriers.
The transition from current state to having fully developed capabilities as an
employee development organization will take two years from start to finish. The
following charts detail that timeline per stage.
2018 2019
Month S O N D J F M A M
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 1
Implementation of persona-based services and laying a foundation for the further
development of Sans Souci’s employee
development capabilities.
Stage 3
Build Sans Souci’s capabilities to make sure their employees are ready for better
employment and have a smooth transition into their next jobs.
Oct Nov
J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N
2020

6. Researchers
About Customer Insights at Cummins
The Customer Insights team focuses on delivering customer-centric solutions
and actionable insights through three channels: Human-Centered Design (HCD),
Customer Insights Engagement, and the Net Promoter System.
HCD is a unique innovation system based on three key design skills: Looking,
Understanding, and Making. Applying these skills in daily work will foster a more
collaborative, iterative, visual, and imaginative way of working where employees
are able to harness the power of diverse perspectives, and engage customers and
end users.
Special Thanks
Sans Souci
• Sheryl Adams
• Cathy King
• Courtney Foust
• Patrick Sabo
• Zac Greiner
• Christy House
• Connie Munn
• Chelsea England
• Jennifer Hartwell
Cummins
• Brittany Calas
• Arturo Mijangos
• Richard Whitney
• Sandy Sterling
• Steven Alderson
• Ana Gomez
• Sara McAninch
• Jenni Smith
• Madison Stevens
• Maggie Paramski
• Dave Jamerson
• Catina Furnish
Community Partners
• Dawn Bieberly
• Cheri Stone
• Missy Woods
• Al Degner
• Laurie Dickerson
• Wayne Francher
• Kelly Baker
• Megan Shaff
• Mark Stewart
Clifton Hardle Chaitrali Gandhi