We study hard problems, then build the answer
AR+D is a research and development firm. Our method stays fixed: immerse, analyze, design, implement. The sector changes with the problem. Our record runs longest in government, healthcare, education, and technology.
- Founded
- 2011
- Population served
- 340M+
- Longest record
- Government · Healthcare · Education · Technology
- Offices
- San Diego · Sacramento · San Francisco
One method, carried into any sector
Every engagement runs on the same method, whatever the sector. AR+D was founded by political scientists. Research shapes the work from first interview to final build. What we learn on one problem goes into the next.
How the method worksImmerse
We listen before we propose. Stakeholder mapping, environmental scans, and literature review establish root causes, not symptoms.
Analyze
Quantitative data, qualitative insight, and patterns from other sectors, synthesized to show where change is most achievable.
Design
Strategies, programs, and platforms designed with the people who will use them, grounded in evidence and tested against real constraints.
Implement
We build what we design. Measurement starts on day one, and we iterate until the outcomes are real.
Ways to engage
- Research & analysis
- Strategic consulting
- Program design & implementation
- Product or technology development
Research, carried through
A policy engagement, a public health platform, a licensure course, and a venture. Each began as research. More case studies and project documentation are available on request.
White paper: Programmable Space — the missing infrastructure layer between AI and the physical world.
Eight capabilities, no handoffs
Research, strategy, design, and engineering sit in one firm. The evidence does not change hands before it reaches the build.
Applied Research
Literature reviews, surveys, interviews, and field studies, each designed around the decision it must inform.
Applied on: Prevention Forward, California Government Agency Partnerships, Programmable Space
Strategic Consulting
Stakeholder maps, scenario tests, and strategic plans that agency and institutional leaders can act on.
Applied on: Prevention Forward, California Government Agency Partnerships
Program Design
Logic models, implementation plans, and evaluation designs, set before launch so results can be measured.
Applied on: California Government Agency Partnerships, Texas MPJE Short Course
Product Development
Digital products, platforms, and tools, taken from concept and user research to a working version in use.
Applied on: Prevention Forward, California Cancer Coalition, Restspace, Texas MPJE Short Course
Engineering
Full-stack software, APIs, data pipelines, cloud hosting, and hardware prototypes, tied to existing systems.
Applied on: Prevention Forward, California Cancer Coalition, Restspace, Texas MPJE Short Course
Marketing Science
Audience research, message testing, and campaign plans in English, Spanish, and other languages.
Design & UX
User research, interface design, accessibility audits, and design systems for platforms with diverse users.
Applied on: Prevention Forward, California Cancer Coalition, Restspace, Texas MPJE Short Course
Project Management
Schedules, risk logs, status reports, and budget tracking for engagements that span agencies and teams.
Applied on: California Government Agency Partnerships
Four areas,
one method
We follow the problem, not the sector. These four are where we have followed it furthest.
View all sectorsBring us the problem, whatever the sector
We start by listening. We respond within two business days, and case studies and project documentation are available on request.
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