Program evaluation and improvement by a homeless community using a human-centered design approach

People experiencing homelessness are often absent from the development and implementation of new housing projects. As mounting evidence demonstrates the link between health and housing, it seems ineffective to design solutions without the participation and insight of those who are chronically unhoused.

This study describes a method for program and product evaluation that people with lived experience of homelessness can use to determine the value of new offerings and then design improvements based on their evaluation. Specifically, this article reports the experience of evaluating a handbook describing the operations of a new type of housing for people experiencing homelessness.

The research team, which included people with lived experience of homelessness, performed interviews to evaluate plans in the handbook, analyzed those results, and designed improvements in the operations of the housing based on the program evaluation. The team utilized participatory analysis of the interview data and then used a Human-Centered Design approach to generate ideas based on the analysis and develop concepts to improve the operational plan.

The evaluation identified four high-priority problems with the operational plan and the group then designed three unique solutions to address those problems. This project demonstrates that people with lived experience of homelessness can participate as equal partners in the evaluation of a program and the subsequent program improvement design that was based on their evaluations.