Developing a Multi-Actor Experience Mesh and Mapping Innovation Opportunities

According to the UN, a record 100 million people have been displaced worldwide since May 2022. Since 1980, more than 3 million refugees have been accepted to the U.S. Until recently; the United States was the world's top country for refugee admissions. From helping those displaced by World War II to people escaping communist regimes during the Cold War, the United States has helped define refugee protections under international humanitarian law. However, ensuing wars, changing administrations, and perceptions of the American Public have impacted the program's size over the years. The humanitarian crisis keeps worsening, with a 50% increase in the number of refugees in the past five years, but the United States has not kept up with the rise. The 2022 White House executive order promised to rebuild and enhance programs for resettling refugees. However, the system is complex, with numerous international, national, and local governmental, non-profit services, and everyday services involved. The demographics and segmentation vary based on the cap and country and pathways ranging from refugee camps, locations nearby, or within their vicinity.

This project explored the refugee resettlement experience in Savannah, GA, through conducting multi-actor interviews and mapping their journeys on an experience mesh to identify opportunities for innovation. This mesh, inspired by Harmonic Design’s multi-actor experience mapping technique, helped appropriately encompass the system's complexity and highlighted interdependencies amongst various stakeholder groups. It was delivered to our resettlement agency partner, who intended to use it to start a conversation with their leadership about their wins and needs. My role was generating 8 key insights, framing design opportunities, and guiding the development of the experience mesh and the opportunity map.