GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY 

Under the provisions of the regulations for the degree 

MASTER OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN 

on 

Thursday, April 24, 2025

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. EST 

Teams Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MTc5MTJmODktZmQ0Ni00MWVmLWIxY2UtZTVjYmJhNTVjZjNh%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22482198bb-ae7b-4b25-8b7a-6d7f32faa083%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%222162e16e-0499-402f-9a73-e6b2f94ecaa0%22%7d

Ngodoo Iye 

will present a thesis defense entitled,  

"Equity by Design: A Strategic Approach to Improving Maternal Healthcare in Georgia’s Medicaid System"   

Advisor:  

Dr. Leandro Miletto Tonetto, Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design  

Committee:  

              Dr. Leila Aflatoony, Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design  

                                       Dr. Andrea Grimes Parker, Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing

         
  Faculty and students are invited to attend this presentation.  

Abstract  

Black birthing people in Georgia experience some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country, with many receiving care through a Medicaid system that is difficult to navigate and often fragmented. This thesis uses service design and strategic design methods to examine the maternal healthcare journey within Georgia’s Medicaid program. Through an extensive review of the literature and interviews with maternal health experts, the research identifies key barriers to equitable care and presents a comprehensive service blueprint that maps the full Medicaid maternal experience in the state. The findings inform several actionable design strategies aimed at improving care delivery, centering the patient, and advancing equitable outcomes across the maternal health journey through Georgia’s Medicaid system.