Solutions Labs

Design meets social innovation

Overlap Associates specializes in human-centred design, engagement, and strategy to deliver remarkable Solutions Lab experiences.

As a Housing Solutions Labs Consultant recognized by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Housing Solutions Lab program, we work with organizations to draw out insights, generate relevant ideas, and arrive at practical, actionable solutions— enabling organizations to make headway on their most complex housing problems

Our Solutions Lab process is differentiated by our human-centred approach. We believe that the people within an organization or system collectively hold the knowledge and experience to design their own solutions.

We are process experts who help groups collaboratively apply their expertise to create something new—like a strategy, process, or solution. We are adept at conducting research and engagement, both virtually and in-person, to understand people, their motivations and their needs; at guiding groups to generate richer and more diverse ideas; and at helping teams communicate, prioritize, and make consensus-based decisions together.

How we work

Our Solutions Lab process is rooted in human-centred design. It’s at the core of all of the work we do. With experience leading multiple Housing Solution Labs with the CMHC, we’ve used this approach to generate insights and come up with actionable plans for multiple partners with diverse interest holders in mind.

Process Expertise

Our planning work moves through the four steps of design: discover new needs, insights, and connections; define and redefine the problem; develop innovative solutions to the problem; and establish set goals, objectives and actions for delivering and scaling the solution through a road map.

Interest Holder Insights

Every Solutions Lab process has a range of internal and external interest holders that need to be engaged from the outset of the project. Overlap brings our experience and expertise in drawing out insights from stakeholders like yours.

Generating buy-in

Our Solutions Lab process generates more buy-in from organizational stakeholders, delivers a solution that better reflects the unique context of an organization, and increases the confidence and capacity of teams to implement their road map.

Useful Outputs

We believe the solution and road map coming out of the Solutions Lab should be useful, a tool you are able to reference and use to guide decisions, as well as being flexible to provide direction without rigidity. Our colleagues with expertise and a passion for service design, visual/communications design, and change management support the road mapping process to increase the odds of a successful implementation.

Transformational Change

Understanding the one or two transformational changes that you can do really well over the next few years will set up your organization to navigate the challenges that we find ourselves surrounded by in the current climate and strike a bold path forward that can reimagine the role of organizations like your in reducing homelessness and improving housing.

Past Solutions Labs

Since 2019 Overlap has been a recognized National Housing Lab Solutions Labs Consultant. In that time we have been privileged to work with a number of organizations across the country.

  • The Solutions Lab Affordable Housing for African Canadians in partnership with the Rwandan Canadian Health Centre aimed at developing an innovative housing model tailored to the needs of Continental Africans living in Toronto, known as “The Village.”

    Learn more at africanadian.org

  • Overlap and the Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Research Network worked with service providers and academic partners from across Canada to develop implementation approaches for the Harmonizing Framework for Housing Individuals with FASD.

    Learn more at choose-fasdhousinglab.ca

  • The Solutions Lab Accessing Affordable Home Ownership Opportunities for Community Housing Tenants got underway in June 2020 and was led by a project team of Region of Waterloo staff in partnership with Overlap Associates. The aim of the project was to open up community housing spaces for households on the waiting list by supporting tenants into homeownership.

    Learn more at engagewr.ca/housing-solutions-lab

  • The Solutions Lab Mobilizing Resources to Provide Adaptive Housing Solutions: Building With Mission is a partnership led by the Catholic Health Alliance of Canada.

    Working with organizations with local and national expertise—including SE Health, Covenant Care, and Cahdco—the goal of the work is to establish a playbook for health care organizations with existing resources to build affordable housing for seniors.

    Learn more at buildingwithmission.ca

Let’s work together

We’re always interested in hearing from potential Solutions Labs partners. If you’re interested in the program, and looking for a partner, please reach out.

Learn more about the National Housing Strategy Solutions Labs program and how it works.