Design Research Co-op - SP24, SU24, FA24, SP25

Livewell Collaborative

The Live Well Collaborative (LWC), a non-profit founded by the University of Cincinnati and Procter & Gamble, brings together students, faculty, and industry partners to design innovative, user-centered solutions that promote well-being at any age. Each semester, teams apply a hands-on design thinking process: frame, explore, create, to develop new ideas and prototypes in sectors like healthcare and consumer goods within 16 weeks.

Over the past year with Live Well, I’ve worked on five projects: two with the Council on Aging, three with Cincinnati Children’s Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, and one with Procter & Gamble. Each focused on designing for specific audiences and played a key role in shaping my design approach. While I can’t share project details due to confidentiality, I’d be happy to discuss our process and outcomes in an interview!

Three program cards from the Council on Aging, P&G, and Cincinnati Children's. The cards display program names and billing periods for elderly services, laundry, and cancer and blood diseases research with associated co-op timeframes.

Lead In - Frame (Research)

An exploration phase focused on defining the scope of the project. This includes primary and secondary research, empathy building activities, and collaborative goal setting. The objective is to ground the team in user needs, context and challenges to ensure a strong foundation for ideation.

Two people standing and talking in front of a display board with sticky notes, with windows in the background and a wooden floor. 
COA PACE FA24
Two women working on a whiteboard. One is seated in a black office chair with her legs crossed and on the whiteboard, and the other is kneeling, writing on the whiteboard. The whiteboard has a diagram with text. 
CBDI SP25
A person with short hair and earrings, wearing a black sleeveless top and orange long-sleeve shirt, is leaning into a washing machine in a laundry room. 
P&G SP24

Explore (Ideation)

Building on insights from the framing phase, this stage focuses on generating and organizing ideas through tools like journey maps, service blueprints, and heat maps. The goal is to identify meaningful touchpoints and opportunity areas that align with user needs and project objectives.

Several people standing and sitting in front of a large board with papers and notes displayed. The setting appears to be a conference or workshop, with tables, a laptop, and various office supplies visible. 
P&G SP24
Flowchart with icons showing an accessible symbol, a document with a magnifying glass, and a trophy, connected by arrows.
Indoor office or conference room with gray partition boards covered in colorful sticky notes, and a door in the background.
Woman with glasses writing on a pink notepad in an office or classroom with charts and papers on the wall. 
COA PACE FA24
CBDI SP25

Create (Refine)

Translating key touch points into actionable concepts or deliverables. Depending on the project, this phase may result in prototyped solutions or suggestions that address the original pain points and support next steps.

A group of diverse young adults smiling and posing for a selfie outdoors on concrete steps. Some are holding plates with food, and one person gives a thumbs-up gesture. 
P&G SP24
Three women standing and looking at posters with diagrams on gray partition panels in an office or conference room.
Graphic with questions about designing for people with disabilities, featuring speech bubbles asking how to design for people with different abilities and wants in the process. 
COA ESP BILLING SP24

Interdisciplinary Team

One of Live Well’s most valuable assets is its commitment to collaboration across discplines. Each team brings together students from a range of majors, such as design, business, engineering, and health sciences, who contribute diverse perspectives and skillsets.

Group of smiling people taking a selfie in an indoor setting with posters on the wall.

Thank you Live Well.