I'm a designer and researcher drawn to projects that involve people, places, and systems. I’ve collaborated with civic organizations, local businesses, and startups, typically helping partners with some combination of:
Research & storytelling
Brand identity & creative direction
Digital & website design
Print & packaging design
Environmental & exhibition design
Service & system design
And probably more
peteyroutzahn@gmail.com
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Petey Routzahn, 2026
Index The People Say
Research & storytelling
Brand identity & creative direction
Digital & website design
Service & system design
Completed in 2024 with the Public Policy Lab for The SCAN Foundation.
See the About Our Team page for a complete list of project collaborators.The People Say
I led the creation of a qualitative database for civic research featuring over 200 hours of interviews with older adults about their experience with aging and healthcare.
Background
The People Say is a qualitative database that helps policymakers, healthcare administrators, researchers, and advocates better incorporate older adults' needs and preferences into social-scale programs.
It catalogs in-depth video interviews with older adults who discuss their experiences accessing Medicare and Medicaid benefits. The data is tagged according to a taxonomy developed in collaboration with subject-matter experts in the aging space.
Visitors can search and filter the database, read curated insight pages with accompanying video playlists, view participant profiles, read about our research methodology, and more. The content of the qualitative research database was collected from 140 older adults from around the country, 12 caregivers and staff, and 13 subject-matter experts from government agencies, policy think tanks, research organizations, and academia.
The People Say was launched at the US Capitol in July 2024 and is actively used by policymakers, researchers, and practicioners focused on aging. See the Events, Reports, & Press page for more information about it’s uptake.
My Role
I served as the Project Lead, managing day-to-day operations and client relationships, and as the Design Lead, directing a team of designers and developers to build a robust online platform.
Specifically, I:
Drafted a project plan, research plan, and other strategic documents, and was in charge of completing the 9-month project on time and on budget.
Managed research operations for 66 interviews with older adults in Alabama, California, Iowa, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas in their homes, libraries, senior centers, and other community spaces
Created a procedure to record interviews and prepare the footage for the online database
Led the design process for the online platform, including the design direction/branding, UX/UI, and key functionality
Facilitated workshops, user-testing sessions, and panel discussions with older adults and subject-matter experts
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