OVERVIEW

The People Say is a web-based qualitative database designed to help policymakers hear the voices of the public when shaping policy.

The database features first-hand insights from a diverse group of older adults and caregivers, as well as feedback from subject-matter experts on policies affecting older adults.

ROLE

  • Design Engineering Fellow

See the About Our Team page for a complete list of project collaborators.

DURATION

TOOLS

  • Figma
  • Laravel
  • Tailwind CSS
Cover of The People Say project

THE CORE CHALLENGE

How can we make data accessible for busy policymakers who need to understand lived experiences of older adults?

Including things real constituents have said would make any policy proposal stronger and more believable
— Marc A. Cohen, PhD,Co-Director LeadingAge LTSS Center, UMASS Boston

THE PROBLEM SPACE

Demographics Challenge

By 2030, adults over 65 will represent 20% of the US population—25% in rural areas by 2040. Yet our health and aging policies are designed from the perspective of system operators, not the people who actually use these systems.

Research Challenge

Even when policymakers try to include older adult voices, engagement is limited and insights remain buried in academic reports.

The SCAN Foundation had commissioned 100+ in-depth interviews with older adults, caregivers, and frontline workers—but the rich insights were trapped in transcripts and codebooks that policymakers couldn't easily access or explore.

STRATEGY

Creating a bridge between lived experience and policy decisions

Our approach centered on making 100+ hours of interview data accessible to busy policymakers who need compelling, authentic voices to strengthen their proposals. We designed for three core user journeys while ensuring the platform could scale as a model for participatory policy development.

Design process diagram

Information Architecture: Designing for Discovery

Our site architecture balances comprehensive access to data with intuitive navigation for busy policymakers. The structure reflects our three-part framework while accommodating different research approaches and time constraints.

Site map of The People Say project

DESIGN DECISIONS

Content Strategy: From Codes to Stories

Challenge: Academic research codes don't match how policymakers think about problems. than academic frameworks.

Solution: I synthesized qualitative codes into intuitive themes that aligned with policy areas and real-world applications. than academic frameworks.

Impact: Users could find relevant insights using their own mental models rather than academic frameworks.

Data exploration interface

This module on the homepage gives an easy way to discover what topics the data is sorted by without overwhelming the user.

Data point detail view

The content cards are tagged with the topics and also organised by themes in the insight section. This cross linkage encourages serendipitous discovery.

DESIGN DECISIONS II

Navigation: Balancing Discovery & Depth

Challenge: 2,400+ data points could overwhelm users, but hiding content reduces discoverability.

Decision: Load the full dataset by default with progressive filtering.

Rationale: User research showed that seeing the scope of data increased trust, while robust filtering prevented information overload.

Filter design - before iteration

Before. The visual focus is on the filters, as they take up more real estate. the user has to first know what themes they want to explore before viewing the juicy data.

Filter design - after iteration

After. Filters are more integrated in the design and take up less visual space, allowing for more of the dataset to be visible, shifting the focus on the data itself.

DESIGN DECISIONS III

Content Cards: Optimizing for Engagement

Testing showed that information overload decreased engagement. A simpler card with clear entry points drove 2× more click-throughs.

Filter design - before iteration

Before.

Filter design - after iteration

After.

Filter design - after iteration

Result

The People Say is now featured as a core tool in The SCAN Foundation's advocacy and funding efforts. It has:

  • Informed policy briefs used at the state and federal level
  • Been featured in public presentations to health systems leaders and funders
  • Supported journalists, aging researchers, and nonprofit advocates in centering lived experience in their work
  • Helped shape a broader narrative around equity in aging policy
"We believe this platform can help systems leaders hear what matters most to older adults—and build systems that reflect those values."
— The SCAN Foundation