The Program Planning & Innovation Division (PP&I) works to realize DEEO’s mission to eliminate disparities and advance inclusivity, accessibility, and shared prosperity for all residents and businesses in Harris County. The division serves as an advisor and subject matter expert to County leaders, businesses, individuals, and other vested stakeholders.
The division provides program planning with a focus on innovation, community insights, program evaluation and analytics, and policy advising to advance equity and economic opportunity in Harris County.
The PP&I Division is comprised of three teams.
The Policy & Special Projects team drafts policies for DEEO’s programs and advises departments and offices across the County on their policy development to ensure that as policies are developed, they are:
- Centered around economic equity and opportunity,
- Community benefits are identified and codified into the policies,
- Best practices, data analysis, and community insights are used to develop the policies, and
- Policies are published to ensure transparency with the residents of Harris County and provide certainty to the business community.
Leveraging national best practices, the team will also pilot special projects focused on developing innovative and scalable practices for the County. The team will also test and build the business case for economic equity and opportunity using the community insights gained by the Analytics and Evaluation team.
The Analytics & Evaluation team collects data and conducts quantitative data analysis and qualitative research in support of DEEO’s and the County’s equity work. Quantitative data analysis is central to gaining an understanding of where we are as a community and the impact of County programs on its residents and communities. The qualitative research includes focus groups and interviews to engage with community members and gain an understanding of the community’s views of DEEO’s work. This will ensure new programs or services meet the self-identified needs of the communities and the County attempt to serve. The team’s work will be published as reports or interactive dashboards to ensure transparency. The data and research will support assessment of the impact Harris County programs and policies have on its communities over time.
The Strategic Initiatives team works on new initiatives based on requests received from Commissioners Court. Under the direction of the Director of PP & I, this team works on various program pilots and projects, collaborating closely with the Policy & Special Project steam to ensure synergy and avoid duplication of efforts. Currently, the Strategic Initiatives team is managing the ARPA-funded projects assigned to the DEEO in the areas of workforce and small business.