SCOPE:
SERVICE DESIGN, RESEARCH, STRATEGY
COMPANY:
INHOUSE RECORDS
YEAR:
2021
ROLE:
SERVICE & UX DESIGNER
Pathways to Re-Integration
Context.
For clarity, throughout this case study we’ll refer to:
Associates as people in prison engaged with InHouse’s music and education programs.
Graduates as people who have left prison and remain part of the InHouse family, building on the skills and community they developed inside through InHouses programs.
InHouse Records is a rehabilitative, multi-award-winning record label that works to reduce recidivism through music and creative engagement. Their programs inside prisons have demonstrated a 428% increase in positive behavior, and their impact outside is reflected in a re-offending rate of less than 1%. Partnering with Her Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service and the Ministry of Justice, InHouse operates across prisons in South-West England, creating meaningful change in some of the most challenging environments. Founder Judah Armani approached us to co-design a service process that would connect InHouse graduates with essential services and support as they transition out of prison. We asked ourselves:
“How might we adequately support InHouse graduates in re-entering society?”
Outcome.
The project resulted in three prioritized concepts, the intended impact of which is twofold: the Instagram Support page provides critical information in a familiar, safe digital space, complementing InHouse’s in-person support, while the Form Hack simplifies paperwork for neurodiverse learners, reducing stress and enabling graduates to complete applications confidently and independently.
Challenge.
InHouse graduates trust and rely heavily on InHouse staff for guidance, yet staff often lack the time, capacity, or specialized skills to fully support them after release. At the same time, graduates face immense pressure to secure housing, find work, access benefits, and comply with probation requirements, all while avoiding toxic relationships, overcoming social stigma, and adapting to dramatically different environments outside prison. Although InHouse has made significant strides, these challenges highlight the need for a more structured and sustainable system of support to help graduates successfully re-enter society.
Methods.
Journey Mapping, Service Blueprinting, Research Interviews, Focus Groups, User Personas, Theory of Change, Prioritization, Prototyping.
Secondary Research
The process began with developing a deep understanding of InHouse, their ecosystem, and their impact to date, learning more about how they operate, the methods they use, and the change they create. We also explored key conditions and topics critical to understanding graduates’ experiences. This included researching how dyslexia and other forms of neurodivergence affect people in prison, as well as studying Recovery Capital and the ways it shapes a person’s journey after incarceration.
We then drew out a stakeholder map, to better understand all the people and communities that are involved in, impacted by and influencing the Graduate's Pathways outside prison. This would help us better understand at which levels of the user journey change could be facilitated and who would be involved and impacted. by these changes.
Research Interviews.
To deepen our understanding of graduates’ needs, we began by interviewing a psychologist from the NHS Offender Care Service. This helped us validate earlier research and gave us guidance on how to approach graduates with sensitivity. Key takeaways included the importance of ownership in behavior change, the value of peer support, the gap between in-prison optimism and outside-world realities, and the need for stigma-free, transparent language. Inspired by this, we revisited the language we used in our project, shifting away from negative or clinical labels toward more people-centered terms.
We also met with InHouse staff to learn more about the challenges faced by both Associates (inside prison) and Graduates (after release). These conversations helped us uncover structural barriers, lived challenges, and gaps in existing support systems.
Our next set of interviews were with a group of graduates. For the graduates, we wanted to use simple and fun ways to conduct primary research and to create a safe and enable environment where they could talk about their experiences and feelings comfortably. We wanted to incorporate some social games and a fun way of doing our primary research. We initially designed a structured workshop with icebreakers, games, and group discussions. However, after testing it with peers and InHouse staff, we learned that the format risked feeling intimidating—too much like school, too “design-led,” and not a safe, enabling space. This feedback was pivotal: it shifted our approach from running a “workshop” to facilitating a human-to-human conversation.
To build psychological safety, we:
Shared our conversation structure with InHouse staff for input.
Began with a music-based icebreaker to establish comfort.
Made participation flexible and opt-in at every step.
Assigned clear roles (two moderators, three observers, including body language observers) to ensure participants felt heard and supported.
We then conducted an online session with four graduates. We framed the conversation openly, explaining that their experiences would guide our designs and that all voices were valued. The relaxed setting allowed for honesty and flow.
Graduates shared challenges such as navigating technology, managing anxiety, and dealing with forms and bureaucracy. They also highlighted the importance of mental health, housing, employment, and skills training as their top priorities. Peer support, networking, and access to charities also emerged as recurring themes.
This session provided us with not just data, but lived stories and nuances that helped us empathize deeply and see the journey through the graduates’ eyes.
Analysis.
We then synthesized everything we had learned about the graduates' pathways into a visual journey map, structured around three key phases:
InHouse Associates – individuals still in prison, engaged with InHouse programs.
Transition into Graduate Pathway – the critical first two weeks after release.
Graduates Accessing Services – when individuals begin navigating support systems and resources in the community.
We then developed a persona to capture the experiences and needs of a typical InHouse graduate, based on patterns from our research.
Our persona is a 25-year-old male without stable housing, sometimes staying with his parents. He owns a mobile phone and is active on social media platforms like Instagram, but struggles with using computers. Emotionally, he feels unmotivated, discouraged, and fearful. He is unsure how to access support and hesitant to ask for help. For him, external support is essential, but it only becomes accessible once trust is established. [See below]
Insights.
Key insights from research were as follows:
Ideation.
We began our ideation phase by distilling insights from research using the Theory of Change framework. This allowed us to consolidate key findings in one place: the problems InHouse members face, challenges from the staff’s perspective, underlying causes, and the short- and long-term goals for change. We also mapped the key stakeholders involved, which helped us see where InHouse could intervene most effectively.
From there, we evaluated each idea as a group—discussing its intent, the problems it aimed to solve, potential impact, feedback from graduates and staff, and any visible gaps or risks. This process helped us separate promising directions from ideas that might unintentionally create more harm than good.
For example, one idea we were initially excited about was a music festival. We imagined it as a way for graduates to connect with producers, showcase their work to the public, and challenge negative perceptions. However, revisiting our research reminded us that many graduates experience anxiety in large crowds, which could make such an event overwhelming or even retraumatizing. Similarly, a public-facing blog where graduates could share their stories and music seemed empowering at first, but we realized it risked exposing them to negative or harmful interactions.
These discussions were critical in helping us stress-test ideas against real needs and lived experiences. By doing so, we were able to refine our focus toward 3 concepts that were not only inspiring but also safe, realistic, and grounded in the voices of graduates themselves.
Concepts.
1. Instagram Support
Insights addressed through this concept:
Asking for help is difficult – many feel uncomfortable reaching out directly.
Awareness is low – graduates often don’t know what services exist, and the information that does exist is inconsistent.
Support needs are non-linear – people require different types of help at different times.
Government services are hard to access – most meaningful support comes instead from charities and external organizations.
Timing matters – motivation and hope often drop significantly after the first two weeks of release, making this a critical intervention point.
To address these barriers, we prototyped a private Instagram support page designed exclusively for InHouse graduates. Instagram was chosen because it’s familiar, easy to use, and already widely adopted among graduates. The page would act as a trusted hub for resources, guidance, and opportunities.
Features
Private & Safe – access limited to InHouse graduates to protect privacy and prevent unwanted interactions.
Curated Content – regular posts on topics such as applying for Universal Credit, housing resources, mental health support, job fairs, probation requirements, letter templates for councils, and funding opportunities.
Easy Access via Stories & Highlights – posts saved into themed highlights so grads can quickly find information whenever they need it.
Interactive Elements – live Q&As twice a month to answer questions directly; IGTV, Guides, and Reels for step-by-step explanations and tips.
Collaborations – weekly Instagram takeovers by partner organizations, charities, or councils to showcase the support they provide and how to access it.
Long-form Resources – Instagram Guides as a space for more detailed content, like how-to walkthroughs, listings of upcoming events, or detailed charity information.
2. Form Hack
Insights addressed through this concept:
Low awareness – many graduates don’t know which services exist, how to apply, or what documentation is required.
Neurodiversity challenges – dyslexia, ADHD, and other conditions make it harder to focus, read, or write lengthy forms.
Negative associations – forms often trigger memories of difficult schooling or bureaucratic frustration, leading to avoidance and low motivation.
Redundancy across forms – many applications ask for the same information, creating unnecessary repetition.
Value of peer support – staff and peer guidance makes the process more manageable.
We designed a universal form hack: a two-part tool (with a digital extension) that makes navigating paperwork simpler, less intimidating, and more accessible. The guide uses clear, plain language and dyslexia-friendly design (through font and layout) to explain application processes step by step. Graduates practice filling in forms alongside InHouse staff and peers, while creating their own personalized “cheat sheet” they can take with them, making future applications faster, easier, and less overwhelming.
Features
Page 1: The Guide
Timeline visualization showing what to do, when.
Description and example image of each form.
Checklist of required documents.
Estimated time to complete.
Links to supporting charities and online tools.
Designed in dyslexia-friendly fonts and layouts, using simple, plain language.
Page 2: The Universal Form
A “cheat sheet” where graduates fill in their personal details once.
Acts as a reference for repeated questions across multiple applications.
Helps visualize what documents are required before release and identify gaps.
Digital Layer: Chrome Extension
Once released, graduates can install an optional browser extension.
Difficult terms are highlighted with simplified pop-up explanations.
Important information is flagged to reduce confusion.
Step-by-step guidance supports form completion online.
3. Jam Sessions
The Jam Sessions are designed as a safe, supportive space where graduates can showcase their music, build confidence, and expand their networks. Unlike large public events, these sessions are intentionally small and carefully curated to prioritize comfort and trust.
To ensure this:
Invite-only access would limit participation to trusted guests.
Sessions would be hosted in familiar spaces, such as the InHouse studio, where graduates feel at ease.
Music industry professionals (producers, artists, collaborators) would be invited, creating opportunities for connection and growth.
Charity and organizational representatives would also attend, providing graduates with direct access to support services and resources.
Intended Impact.
By using a platform graduates already feel comfortable with, the Instagram Support page lowers the barrier to accessing critical information, provides consistent and trustworthy resources, allows people to access information when they are ready and at the pace they choose, and creates a safe digital community that complements InHouse’s in-person support.
The Form Hack reduces stress and confusion, makes paperwork more accessible for neurodiverse learners, and turns an intimidating process into a manageable, guided experience. By simplifying both the language and the workflow, it empowers graduates to take control of their applications with confidence and independence.
