Building a Sustainable Tech Talent Pipeline in Detroit
Project Management & UX Consulting · Workforce Development · 2024
At-a-Glance
| Partner | University of Michigan Center of Innovation, a planned innovation center in Detroit |
|---|---|
| My role | Project Manager & UX Consultant |
| Team | 5 cross-functional students, researchers, and consultants |
| Timeline | 3 months |
| Responsibilities | Project planning and timelines, team and partner coordination, research framing and synthesis, stakeholder interviews, affinity mapping, problem reframing |
| Methods | Semi-structured stakeholder interviews, secondary data analysis, case studies, affinity mapping, systems thinking |
| Tools | Figma/FigJam, Google Drive Suite |
| Deliverables | Research reports, strategic recommendation, program framework, final presentation |
Summary
UMCI asked how a new Detroit innovation center could drive engagement. Our research suggested a different question: who will be ready to use it? We reframed the project from improving the center to building the talent pipeline that would fill it, and proposed a system of programs, including a two-year high school curriculum, transportation and technology access, industry partnerships and community integration, to prepare Detroit public high school students for the center and the wider tech economy. Our findings were presented to UMCI representatives and leadership in the form of several research reports and a final slide deck pitch for their consideration.
The Challenge
UMCI aims to become a hub for innovation and economic growth in Detroit. But it faced a quiet risk: the local talent pipeline wasn't yet equipped to engage with what the center would offer. A building full of opportunity doesn't help if the people nearby can't reach it, don't know about it, or don't trust it.
How might we prepare Detroit public high school students to access and benefit from UMCI's programs and the broader tech economy?
What made this complex:
A systems problem, not a screen problem. The barriers sit across education, transportation, technology access, awareness and trust.
Long time horizons. Real pipeline impact takes years, so the work had to be designed to last.
Many stakeholders. Students, schools, employers, program facilitators and the center itself all have a stake.
A history of mistrust. Some residents see large institutions as disconnected or extractive.
My Role
I served as both project manager and UX consultant.
As project manager
Led project planning, timelines and task coordination
Facilitated weekly team meetings and partner check-ins
As UX consultant
Guided how we framed our research and how we synthesized it
Conducted and supported stakeholder interviews
Led affinity mapping and insight development
Helped the team reframe the problem toward a systems-level solution
Process
1. Research and Discovery
We combined primary and secondary research to understand the whole ecosystem, not just the center.
| Type | What we did | What we were looking for |
|---|---|---|
| Primary: stakeholder interviews | Semi-structured interviews with [#] people: Detroit high school alumni, industry professionals (e.g., Accenture), and program facilitators (e.g., Saturdays in the D) | Lived experience, barriers, motivations, what works in existing programs |
| Secondary: workforce data | Census and workforce data on education attainment and employment trends | The scale and shape of the talent and opportunity gap |
| Secondary: school landscape | Analysis of Detroit public school offerings | Where tech exposure exists today, and where it doesn't |
| Secondary: case studies | Comparable programs, including Chicago STEM pathways | What successful pipelines look like and what makes them last |
2. Synthesis
I led bottom-up affinity mapping, clustering raw interview notes and research findings into themes, then looked for patterns across access, perception, and opportunity gaps.
3. Key Insights
1. Talent exists, but is underdeveloped. Detroit has an untapped talent pool but lacks structured pathways to develop it.
2. Access barriers limit participation. Students face several at once:
Transportation challenges
Limited access to technology
Lack of awareness of opportunities
3. Perception and trust are critical. Some residents see large institutions as disconnected or extractive, which reduces engagement and trust.
4. Early exposure drives long-term outcomes. Early access to tech education is associated with higher career interest, stronger academic performance and a greater likelihood of pursuing higher education.
The Strategic Reframe
This was the turning point of the project, and the moment I'm proudest of.
| The brief asked | "How do we design a better innovation center?" |
|---|---|
| We asked instead | "How do we build a sustainable pipeline of people who can benefit from it?" |
A better center wouldn't fix a pipeline problem. Focusing on the root cause, a "cure, not band-aid" approach, meant solving for the people who would use the center before they ever walked in.
How we got there: One key turning point which informed my team’s reframing of the problem was during the synthesis of our research. Combining interviews alongside census data, the gap between where Detroit currently is, and where UMCI needed Detroit to be in order to reach the population became apparent.
Impact
Reframed the engagement: Provided UMCI with an alternative viewpoint that leadership hadn’t yet considered.
Delivered an actionable framework: Provided UMCI leadership with an outline starting with what was easiest to most logistically complex to implement.
How I’d measure success: Though outcomes are not yet measurable, partnerships, adoption rate, and rising college enrollment in the area would all point to success.
Reflection
What I learned
The most impactful solutions come from reframing the problem.
UX thinking extends beyond interfaces into systems and strategy.
Community trust matters as much as accessibility in whether people adopt something.
Solving root causes creates more sustainable impact than optimizing surface-level experiences.
What I'd do next
Prototype and pilot one program element
Define success metrics with UMCI
Explore funding and cost models
The Solution: A Programmatic Ecosystem
We proposed four connected programs that prepare students before they enter the innovation center.
| Program | What it includes | Which insight it answers |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Two-year high school program | Hands-on, project-based curriculum; real-world tech skills plus soft skills; certificate on completion | Talent is underdeveloped; early exposure drives outcomes |
| 2. Accessibility infrastructure | Dedicated transportation (e.g., bus routes to UMCI); loaned technology for students without access; attention to financial and digital barriers | Access barriers limit participation |
| 3. Industry partnerships | Collaboration with Detroit-based companies; internship pathways; mentorship from industry professionals | No structured pathways; need for real opportunity at the end |
| 4. Community integration | Programs built to earn trust and local engagement; collaboration with schools and community organizations; emphasis on inclusion and accessibility | Perception and trust are critical |
Together these form one pipeline: awareness → skills → access → opportunity, held together by community trust.