Case 03 · Service Design · Ongoing
Diné Safe Passage — when trust is the product
A service and brand for a sector where every design decision is also a safety decision. Built person-first and non-stigmatizing, with care for the people it serves.
Problem
Diné Safe Passage sits in a sector where the usual design instincts — polish, cleverness, brand personality — can actively work against the people it's meant to serve. The people who need this service most are also the most likely to be deterred by anything that feels institutional, judgmental, or unsafe to approach.
Approach
Every decision is being made against a person-first, non-stigmatizing standard first, and a conventional brand or usability standard second. That means plain language over clever copy, and service flows designed around what makes someone willing to take the first step, not just what's efficient once they have.
Outcome
Still underway. The service and brand are being built together rather than brand-then-service, so neither one quietly undermines the trust the other is trying to earn.