“Designing Products with Equity at the Core” — Teachstone

Teachstone had built a reputation with its CLASS® tool for transforming teacher-child interactions, but leaders recognized a gap. They wanted to ensure every product and every piece of communication reflected equity — not as a checkbox, but as a lived practice. They knew this work required input from across the organization, not just a small circle at the top.

The challenge was bringing together diverse staff voices, aligning departments, and creating tangible standards that would last. Staff needed a space to speak honestly about how products and communications showed up in the world, and the organization needed guidance to turn those conversations into actionable frameworks.

We stepped in to facilitate DEI product groups that cut across silos and elevated voices often left out of design processes. Through these sessions, we co-created organizational communications templates and developed DEI product standards — clear, usable tools that wove equity into every stage of product development.

Impact:

• Convened 5 cross-departmental DEI product groups engaging over 40 staff

• Created 3 organizational communications templates now in active use

• Established DEI product standards integrated into 100% of new product designs

• Increased staff satisfaction with inclusivity in product design by 30% (pulse survey)