Systems Design
What it sounds like:
You’ve got an idea, a program, or a problem, but the pieces aren’t connecting. I step in to sort the chaos and build what’s missing.
What’s included:
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Clarity sessions to map out your org’s pain points, power dynamics, and potential
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Logic model and theory of change development
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Ecosystem mapping (who’s doing what, where, and why)
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Workflow design and operational planning
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Infrastructure for equity and sustainability (not performative policy)
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Strategic plans that live off the paper and into people’s roles
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Internal systems that don’t break under pressure
74%
74% of nonprofits struggle to collect the data they actually need to show impact.
Source: Data.org + Center for Effective Philanthropy
23%
Only 23% of orgs feel confident using their data to drive action, not just generate reports.
Source: Stanford Social Innovation Review
61%
61% of marginalized communities say data about them misrepresents their realities.
Source: Urban Institute / Data for Black Lives
The Resolution
The systems are messy on purpose. We help clean them up.
31Hundred works across data, tech, strategy, and storytelling to give organizations the tools to make sense of what they’re seeing and act on it.
We help people collect the right information, use it well, and build things that actually solve problems.
It’s not just about reports. It’s about getting to the root, shifting power, and building smarter structures from the ground up.
In 5 years, 31Hundred will:
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Train the next wave of civic architects through youth-centered programming
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License original frameworks like Reboot the Block™ across the country
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Build tech tools that validate community-led impact outside of outdated reporting systems
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Challenge traditional RFP and funding models with coalitions that protect and uplift under-resourced orgs
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Create a digital/physical lab for data art, policy shifts, and community imagination
SERVICES
About Dr. Nicole
I’m Nicole L. Brock, PhD. Ideator, researcher, and civic systems architect. I started 31Hundred Studios to turn data into direction. Numbers mean nothing if they don’t help people move. I build clarity, so communities stop guessing and start growing. Most days, I’m deep in the mess, untangling what’s broken and designing something that actually holds.
I didn’t set out to build studios. I promise, I didn't. I was just trying to make sense of spaces that didn’t make sense. In Sunday school, I was the kid asking the hard questions, mine and everyone else’s. That curiosity stuck. These days, the questions are bigger. What’s really driving the system? Who’s benefiting? And why are the outcomes still off?
I use tools like data collection, youth-led research, story synthesis, program design, and frameworks I’ve built myself. Sometimes that means running focus groups. Other times it means turning raw data into music. And sometimes, it’s a goose with a knife, because disruption can be sharp and a little ridiculous, all at once.
The Data Studio
What it sounds like:
Not another dashboard. We collect data with care, analyze it for truth, and turn it into tools your team actually uses.
What’s included:
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Mixed-method data design: surveys, focus groups, interviews, asset mapping
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Quant and qual analysis with context (what’s the data really saying?)
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Accessible, human-centered reporting (no academic fluff)
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Data visualizations that aren’t just pretty, they motivate the masses
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Community feedback loops for accountability
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Presentations, slide decks, and toolkits built for funders and front-line staff
This is where data earns its respect, not numbers for the sake of it, but insight that drives the next move.
The Ideation Studio
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From spark to strategy!
Some folks have ideas they can’t quite articulate. Others have vision but no clue how to build it. This studio is where we shape what’s possible, then make it make sense.
Whether you're dreaming up a new program, product, campaign, or initiative, I help you clarify the concept, map the vision, and design a plan to move it forward. You don’t just walk away with ideas, you walk away with momentum.
What’s included:
• 1:1 Vision Mapping Sessions
• Program & Product Ideation
• Framework Development
• Narrative + Language Crafting
• Strategic Roadmapping
• Activation Planning (Launch, Pilot, or Rollout)
• Internal Buy-In Support (for boards, staff, or funders)
• Creative Direction for Decks or Pitches
• Audits of Existing Concepts or Proposals
Who it’s for:
Organizations, founders, teams, or artists who need help thinking bigger or clearer.
Especially useful when you're stuck, scaling, or starting fresh.
Workshops and Talks
Fresh frameworks. Sharp delivery. Built to shift how people lead, think, and design.
This isn’t your typical PD menu. These are live experiences built for rooms that are ready to do better, not just talk about it. Each session blends systems thinking, strategy, and creative disruption, designed for impact, not checkbox culture.
Topics include (but aren’t limited to):
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Vision Mapping & Future Thinking
How to plan for the world your work deserves — not just the one you’re in. -
Creative Systems Design
Building programs and structures that make sense, work better, and serve more. -
From Data to Direction
Using qualitative and quantitative insights to drive smart, equity-informed decisions. -
The Loud Introvert™ Leadership Model
Leading with depth, quiet power, and unshakable clarity, even in noisy rooms. -
Find the Gap™
Identifying disconnects, duplication, and dysfunction so you can fix what matters. -
Designing for Accountability
Structures that protect your team, your mission, and your community.
Formats:
Keynotes, interactive workshops, leadership retreats, team trainings, and custom strategy intensives.
Want something specific? Let’s build it.
