The California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation has 31 adult institutions, housing more than 90,000 people, and operates 24/7 365 days a year. As a Staff Product Designer I was responsible for digitizing many of the paper based processes and policies that occur inside of these institutions every day. The role demanded compassion and a nuanced understanding of what life looks like in an institution for an incarcerated person and a correctional officer — including conducting on-site user research in some of the most challenging environments of my career. Key responsibilities covered all aspect of design across several products — digitizing the cell search process, the developmentally disabled program, suicide watch, and compliance for restricted housing units (solitary confinement). In parallel, I had the opportunity to mentor designers at the State, shape design systems thinking, and contribute to the vision of where the department wants to go.