The Work Department is a design and strategy studio in Detroit. We partner with organizations across sectors and industries whose values align with ours—those who prioritize access, equity, and shared respect.

Our process is participatory and people-centered, which means:

We listen to and learn from people, especially those whose voices are often left out of decision making.

We research to gather diverse perspectives, identify opportunities, and inform solutions.

We facilitate conversations and workshops that bring people together to unlock insights and define creative solutions.

We strategize and consult to improve how organizations work. 

We co-create accessible language and visuals to help organizations connect with the people they serve.

We design tools and guides to provide our partners with the resources they need.

 

S E R V I C E S O F F E R E D

Research

Interviews

Surveys

Focus Groups

Primary + Secondary

Facilitation

Team Building

Visioning

Program Planning

Service Design

Strategy

Engagement

Process

Growth

Evaluation

Communication

Branding

Content Creation

Storytelling

Digital + Print Design

S E L E C T C L I E N T S + P A R T N E R S

Allied Media Projects

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

CLASS Agency

Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights

Detroit Collaborative Design Center

Detroit Community Wealth Fund

Detroit Democracy Project

Detroit Equity Action Lab

Detroit Future City 

Detroit Jews for Justice

Detroit Revitalization Fellows 

Detroit Sound Conservancy 

Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice  

EcoWorks Detroit

FoodLab Detroit

Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan

Great Lakes Environmental Law Center

Henry Ford Health

Planet Detroit

Plowshares Theatre Company

Pontiac Funders Collaborative

Project Clean Slate

Project Play Southeast Michigan

Project Play Western New York

ProsperUs Detroit

Restore Northeast Detroit

Tostada Magazine

WDET 101.9FM 

We the People Michigan

Women of Banglatown