The Work Department grows with purpose in Corktown

The Work Department has been making complex information more accessible for six years, but the Corktown-based consultancy didn’t end up where it is today by accident.

"We have grown quite organically," says Libby Cole, partner at The Work Department. "It's a slow but steady growth. It's quite purposeful."

Cole and Nina Bianchi launched The Work Department as a studio that specializes in design, communications, and strategy, using human-centered and participatory design processes. The idea is to give clients the tools to make a more effective impact.

The Work Department has collaborated with 35 organizations since its founding, including the Allied Media Projects (a longtime client) and Detroit Future City (a new client). It now employs a team of six people after hiring a new designer over the last year thanks to nearly 300 percent growth since its founding.

"The relationships we form are typically longterm," Bianchi says. "We stay away from transactional relationships. We grow with our clients."

Source: Libby Cole and Nina Bianchi, partners at The Work Department
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.