PROJECT OVERVIEW
Volunteering made Easy: Enhancing Post-Pandemic Volunteering for the Community at Large
As part of an undergraduate course on User-Centered Design at the University of Washington, we were tasked to explore the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic brought into our routines.
giV. is a singular platform that encourages human interaction and compassion in all aspects of volunteering, allowing users to both post/search for volunteering opportunities, manage opportunities, connect as a community, and have the ability to volunteer for quick, easy, non-long-term opportunities without signing in.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Volunteering made Easy: Enhancing Post-Pandemic Volunteering for the Community at Large
As part of an undergraduate course on User-Centered Design at the University of Washington, we were tasked to explore the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic brought into our routines.
giV. is a singular platform that encourages human interaction and compassion in all aspects of volunteering, allowing users to both post/search for volunteering opportunities, manage opportunities, connect as a community, and have the ability to volunteer for quick, easy, non-long-term opportunities without signing in.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Volunteering made Easy: Enhancing Post-Pandemic Volunteering for the Community at Large
As part of an undergraduate course on User-Centered Design at the University of Washington, we were tasked to explore the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic brought into our routines.
giV. is a singular platform that encourages human interaction and compassion in all aspects of volunteering, allowing users to both post/search for volunteering opportunities, manage opportunities, connect as a community, and have the ability to volunteer for quick, easy, non-long-term opportunities without signing in.
MY ROLE
UX Designer
UX Researcher
UX Designer
UX Researcher
TEAM MEMBERS
Daphanie Chan
Kristie Lee
Annie Lu
Abbie Sawyer
Daphanie Chan
Kristie Lee
Annie Lu
Abbie Sawyer
TIME FRAME
10 weeks
10 weeks
TOOLS
Figma
Miro
Figma
Miro
DESIGN QUESTION
DESIGN QUESTION
How might we not only maintain but enhance the overall volunteering experience for both volunteers and volunteering organizations to better serve the community?
How might we not only maintain but enhance the overall volunteering experience for both volunteers and volunteering organizations to better serve the community?
How might we not only maintain but enhance the overall volunteering experience for both volunteers and volunteering organizations to better serve the community?
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
A singular platform to post and search for safe and relevant volunteering opportunities with organizations, manage opportunities, and connect with communities.
A singular platform to post and search for safe and relevant volunteering opportunities with organizations, manage opportunities, and connect with communities.
A singular platform to post and search for safe and relevant volunteering opportunities with organizations, manage opportunities, and connect with communities.
Hey, where did all the volunteers go?
Hey, where did all the volunteers go?
Hey, where did all the volunteers go?
INITIAL RESEARCH
During a time when connections were difficult to maintain and lifestyles even more so, I found myself detracting from my once-regular volunteering efforts.
During a time when connections were difficult to maintain and lifestyles even more so, I found myself detracting from my once-regular volunteering efforts.
As COVID-19 started to cool down and communities were looking to heal, it was apparent that the volunteering scene needed some extra love to help support it. By doing some initial research, my team and I found out how communities were impacted by the pandemic and exactly where and how they needed supporting:
01
Decreased median income
From 2019 to 2020, the median of lower-income households decreased by 3.0% and of middle-income households by 2.1%
02
Increased food bank demand
Food banks across the country are serving 55% more people now than before the pandemic.
03
Rising COVID-19-related anxiety
The foremost reason for lack of social issue involvement was discomfort around those who may not be vaccinated against COVID-19.
01
Decreased median income
From 2019 to 2020, the median of lower-income households decreased by 3.0% and of middle-income households by 2.1%
02
Increased food bank demand
Food banks across the country are serving 55% more people now than before the pandemic.
A closer look into the local volunteering community
A closer look into the local volunteering community
A closer look into the local volunteering community
INTERVIEWS
Though our initial research provided a good starting point to frame our problem statement, we conducted semi-structured interviews to refine our scope and form design goals.
Though our initial research provided a good starting point to frame our problem statement, we conducted semi-structured interviews to refine our scope and form design goals.
Though our initial research provided a good starting point to frame our problem statement, we conducted semi-structured interviews to refine our scope and form design goals.
Though our initial research provided a good starting point to frame our problem statement, we conducted semi-structured interviews to refine our scope and form design goals.
INSIGHTS WITH VOLUNTEERS
01
Confusing websites and navigation, especially amongst older volunteers.
Confusing websites and navigation, especially amongst older volunteers.
02
Difficult to communicate/reach out to nonprofits for opportunities.
03
Volunteers value their health as much as giving; the ability to find balance.
03
03
Volunteers value their health as much as giving; the ability to find balance.
04
04
Inconsistent/lack of motivation to initially start the volunteering process.
02
Difficult to communicate/reach out to nonprofits for opportunities.
04
Inconsistent/lack of motivation to initially start the volunteering process.
03
Volunteers value their health as much as giving; the ability to find balance.
04
Inconsistent/lack of motivation to initially start the volunteering process.
01
Confusing websites and navigation, especially amongst older volunteers.
02
Difficult to communicate/reach out to nonprofits for opportunities.
INSIGHTS WITH ORGANIZATIONS
01
External websites don't have enough personalization or ways to keep connected.
External websites don't have enough personalization or ways to keep connected.
02
Emailing as a form of communication is exhausting and time-consuming.
03
Volunteers value their health as much as giving; the ability to find balance.
03
03
Volunteers value their health as much as giving; the ability to find balance.
Volunteers value their health as much as giving; the ability to find balance.
04
04
Inconsistent/lack of motivation to initially start the volunteering process.
Inconsistent/lack of motivation to initially start the volunteering process.
01
External websites don't have enough personalization or ways to keep connected.
02
Emailing as a form of communication is exhausting and time-consuming.
02
Emailing as a form of communication is exhausting and time-consuming.
03
Currently hard to track and manage volunteers through social media/emailing lists.
04
Inconsistent/lack of motivation to initially start the volunteering process.
DESIGN GOALS
These interview insights were then grouped to form 4 major themes for us to use as a guideline for user needs & desires throughout our design process.
These interview insights were then grouped to form 4 major themes for us to use as a guideline for user needs & desires throughout our design process.
These interview insights were then grouped to form 4 major themes for us to use as a guideline for user needs & desires throughout our design process.
These interview insights were then grouped to form 4 major themes for us to use as a guideline for user needs & desires throughout our design process.
ACCESSIBILITY
How do we ensure the features and functionalities we provide are accessible?
How do we ensure the features and functionalities we provide are accessible?
COMMUNICATION
How do we establish a reliable means of management and communication for users?
How do we establish a reliable means of management and communication for users?
PERSONALIZATION
How do we provide a customizable experience to cater towards diverse user preferences?
How do we provide a customizable experience to cater towards diverse user preferences?
MOTIVATION
How do we help encourage volunteering opportunities to the less motivated user?
How do we help encourage volunteering opportunities to the less motivated user?
ACCESSIBILITY
How do we ensure the features and functionalities we provide are accessible?
COMMUNICATION
How do we establish a reliable means of management and communication for users?
PERSONALIZATION
How do we provide a customizable experience to cater towards diverse user preferences?
MOTIVATION
How do we help encourage volunteering opportunities to the less motivated user?
To the Ideation Station!
To the Ideation Station!
To the Ideation Station!
SKETCHING AND BRAINSTORMING
From our 4 themes, I was responsible for ideating ways to integrate personalization and motivation into our solution.
As COVID-19 started to cool down and communities were looking to heal, it was apparent that the volunteering scene needed some extra love to help support it. By doing some initial research, my team and I found out how communities were impacted by the pandemic and exactly where and how they needed supporting:
As COVID-19 started to cool down and communities were looking to heal, it was apparent that the volunteering scene needed some extra love to help support it. By doing some initial research, my team and I found out how communities were impacted by the pandemic and exactly where and how they needed supporting:
PERSONALIZATION
1st Iteration
✅
List structure with a search bar on top
✅
Pills within cards to show relevant filters associated with a listing.
❌
Filter button dropdown may be hard to navigate given the many filters that may exist for events
2nd Iteration
✅
Diverse filter options are surfaced directly on the left rail of the page to help users quickly refine their search and emphasize the idea of personalization
Lo-Fi Wireframe
The lo-fi wireframe reflects the second sketch more closely with a more detailed look at the structure of this page.
When it came to motivation, it took a deep understanding of why people felt unmotivated and what existing platforms failed to offer to encourage users to volunteer.
When it came to motivation, it took a deep understanding of why people felt unmotivated and what existing platforms failed to offer to encourage users to volunteer.
When it came to motivation, it took a deep understanding of why people felt unmotivated and what existing platforms failed to offer to encourage users to volunteer.
WHAT ARE OTHER PLATFORMS MISSING?
01
A sense of community and long-term involvement
Many popular platforms lack a consistent channel for consistent communication and loyalty to organizations.
01
A sense of community and long-term involvement
Many popular platforms lack a consistent channel for consistent communication and loyalty to organizations.
02
The ability to volunteer for events without an account
For the many volunteers who find sudden bursts of motivation, they want to find opportunities as painlessly as possible.
02
The ability to volunteer for events without an account
For the many volunteers who find sudden bursts of motivation, they want to find opportunities as painlessly as possible.
03
03
03
A feature/filter for convenient events based on user data
A feature/filter for convenient events based on user data
There doesn't exist a feature or filter that utilizes aggregated data to surface quick, non-longterm, fast-approaching events within a local area.
There doesn't exist a feature or filter that utilizes aggregated data to surface quick, non-longterm, fast-approaching events within a local area.
01
A sense of community and long-term involvement
Many popular platforms lack a consistent channel for consistent communication and loyalty to organizations.
02
The ability to volunteer for events without an account
For the many volunteers who find sudden bursts of motivation, they want to find opportunities as painlessly as possible.
01
A sense of community and long-term involvement
Many popular platforms lack a consistent channel for consistent communication and loyalty to organizations.
02
The ability to volunteer for events without an account
For the many volunteers who find sudden bursts of motivation, they want to find opportunities as painlessly as possible.
MOTIVATION
MOTIVATION
MOTIVATION
Quick giV.
Quick giV.
I came up with a feature called quick giV that would have a separate sign-up flow compared to a regular volunteering opportunity. Emphasizing this on our platform helps users capitalize on their sudden motivation before it's lost and easily sign up for an upcoming event.
I came up with a feature called quick giV that would have a separate sign-up flow compared to a regular volunteering opportunity. Emphasizing this on our platform helps users capitalize on their sudden motivation before it's lost and easily sign up for an upcoming event.
✅
✅
✅
Less personalized filters to maintain the simplicity of the feature.
Less personalized filters to maintain the simplicity of the feature.
✅
✅
✅
No account required to sign up.
No account required to sign up.
✅
✅
✅
Surface same-day events that take an hour or less to take advantage of a user's sudden motivation and free time.
Surface same-day events that take an hour or less to take advantage of a user's sudden motivation and free time.
Surface same-day events that take an hour or less to take advantage of a user's sudden motivation and free time.
Profile
Profile
The user profile and its features:
The user profile and its features:
✅
✅
✅
Engage users in a sense of community and social presence.
Engage users in a sense of community and social presence.
✅
✅
✅
Offer avenues for long-term involvement and organizational loyalty.
Offer avenues for long-term involvement and organizational loyalty.
✅
✅
✅
Open up channels for sustained communication.
Open up channels for sustained communication.
✅
✅
✅
Provide users with additional customization and personalization.
Provide users with additional customization and personalization.
Testing, Validating, and Iterating
Testing, Validating, and Iterating
Testing, Validating, and Iterating
We identified 3 task flows that represented the most important actions to be accomplished for volunteers and organizations.
TASK FLOWS TO TEST WITH PARTICIPANTS
01
Searching for a quick volunteering opportunity through quick giV.
01
Searching for a quick volunteering opportunity through quick giV.
02
Uploading a volunteering opportunity as member of an organization.
02
Uploading a volunteering opportunity as member of an organization.
03
Chatting with a member of a volunteer organization.
Key wireframes for testing our 3 task flows
Key wireframes for testing our 3 task flows
TESTING INSIGHT 1
The process to post a volunteer listing is tiring and overwhelming
❌
Step-by-step, 9 screen process
❌
No progress indicator
❌
Users found the journey to be long, tedious and noted that they'd likely drop off in the middle of the process.
After feedback
✅
Streamlined flow with all required steps on a single screen
✅
Reduces CTA clicks from 9 to 1
✅
Ability to save progress to minimize extensive cognitive load
TESTING INSIGHT 2
The chat flow is confusing and misaligned with existing mental models
❌
Chatbox could only be selected within an opportunity listing page instead of in a centralized location.
❌
FAQs were not expected to live on this page
After feedback
✅
Rearranged information architecture to allow messages to be findable and tied to user/organizational accounts
✅
Removed FAQs from chat screen
✅
More intuitive breadcrumbing for mental models
TESTING INSIGHT 3
Many design elements are inconsistent or lack refinement
Because we tested with lo-fi wireframes, our designs intentionally were left unfleshed as to focus on the raw experience of the tasks themselves. This piece of feedback was still incredibly valuable to us, though, because we became a lot more intentional about principles like whitespace, hierarchy, and balance as we refined our wireframes based on specific feedback on our screens like the homepage or profile.
Homepage iterations from lo-fi to hi-fi
Listings page iterations from lo-fi to hi-fi
Profile iterations from lo-fi to hi-fi
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
Final Thoughts
I am very fortunate to have been able to work on a project that is both close to my heart and relevant to the challenges of the local community.
I am very fortunate to have been able to work on a project that is both close to my heart and relevant to the challenges of the local community.
Because this was a course project, the process was very linear and though this helped us engage with the class content and associated design methodologies, I am excited to take on projects with less structure that forces me to be flexible and adapt to the context of the project.
Some challenges we faced:
Consolidating research insights together into each phase of the design process
Forgetting to readdress the problem space or initial goals we created as we went further into the project
Focusing too much on finishing the solution
Because this was a course project, the process was very linear and though this helped us engage with the class content and associated design methodologies, I am excited to take on projects with less structure that forces me to be flexible and adapt to the context of the project.
Some challenges we faced:
Consolidating research insights together into each phase of the design process
Forgetting to readdress the problem space or initial goals we created as we went further into the project
Focusing too much on finishing the solution
Explore my other projects!
Dayforce
Interos
City Fruit
MY ROLE
UX Designer
UX Researcher
TEAM MEMBERS
Daphanie Chan
Kristie Lee
Annie Lu
Abbie Sawyer
TIME FRAME
10 weeks
TOOLS
Figma
Miro
INITIAL RESEARCH
During a time when connections were difficult to maintain and lifestyles even more so, I found myself detracting from my once-regular volunteering efforts.
As COVID-19 started to cool down and communities were looking to heal, it was apparent that the volunteering scene needed some extra love to help support it. By doing some initial research, my team and I found out how communities were impacted by the pandemic and exactly where and how they needed supporting:
01
Decreased median income
From 2019 to 2020, the median of lower-income households decreased by 3.0% and of middle-income households by 2.1%
02
Increased food bank demand
Food banks across the country are serving 55% more people now than before the pandemic.
03
Rising COVID-19-related anxiety
The foremost reason for lack of social issue involvement was discomfort around those who may not be vaccinated against COVID-19.
SKETCHING AND BRAINSTORMING
From our 4 themes, I was responsible for ideating ways to integrate personalization and motivation into our solution.
As COVID-19 started to cool down and communities were looking to heal, it was apparent that the volunteering scene needed some extra love to help support it. By doing some initial research, my team and I found out how communities were impacted by the pandemic and exactly where and how they needed supporting:
PERSONALIZATION
1st Iteration
✅
List structure with a search bar on top
✅
Pills within cards to show relevant filters associated with a listing.
❌
Filter button dropdown may be hard to navigate given the many filters that may exist for events
2nd Iteration
✅
Diverse filter options are surfaced directly on the left rail of the page to help users quickly refine their search and emphasize the idea of personalization
Lo-Fi Wireframe
The lo-fi wireframe reflects the second sketch more closely with a more detailed look at the structure of this page.
TESTING INSIGHT 1
The process to post a volunteer listing is tiring and overwhelming
❌
Step-by-step, 9 screen process
❌
No progress indicator
❌
Users found the journey to be long, tedious and noted that they'd likely drop off in the middle of the process.
After feedback
✅
Streamlined flow with all required steps on a single screen
✅
Reduces CTA clicks from 9 to 1
✅
Ability to save progress to minimize extensive cognitive load
TESTING INSIGHT 2
The chat flow is confusing and misaligned with existing mental models
❌
Chatbox could only be selected within an opportunity listing page instead of in a centralized location.
❌
FAQs were not expected to live on this page
After feedback
✅
Rearranged information architecture to allow messages to be findable and tied to user/organizational accounts
✅
Removed FAQs from chat screen
✅
More intuitive breadcrumbing for mental models
TESTING INSIGHT 3
Many design elements are inconsistent or lack refinement
Because we tested with lo-fi wireframes, our designs intentionally were left unfleshed as to focus on the raw experience of the tasks themselves. This piece of feedback was still incredibly valuable to us, though, because we became a lot more intentional about principles like whitespace, hierarchy, and balance as we refined our wireframes based on specific feedback on our screens like the homepage or profile.
Homepage iterations from lo-fi to hi-fi
Listings page iterations from lo-fi to hi-fi
Profile iterations from lo-fi to hi-fi
We identified 3 task flows that represented the most important actions to be accomplished for volunteers and organizations.
TASK FLOWS TO TEST WITH PARTICIPANTS
01
Searching for a quick volunteering opportunity through quick giV.
02
Uploading a volunteering opportunity as member of an organization.
03
Chatting with a member of a volunteer organization.
Key wireframes for testing our 3 task flows
INITIAL RESEARCH
During a time when connections were difficult to maintain and lifestyles even more so, I found myself detracting from my once-regular volunteering efforts.
As COVID-19 started to cool down and communities were looking to heal, it was apparent that the volunteering scene needed some extra love to help support it. By doing some initial research, my team and I found out how communities were impacted by the pandemic and exactly where and how they needed supporting:
01
Decreased median income
From 2019 to 2020, the median of lower-income households decreased by 3.0% and of middle-income households by 2.1%
02
Increased food bank demand
Food banks across the country are serving 55% more people now than before the pandemic.
03
Rising COVID-19-related anxiety
The foremost reason for lack of social issue involvement was discomfort around those who may not be vaccinated against COVID-19.
SKETCHING AND BRAINSTORMING
From our 4 themes, I was responsible for ideating ways to integrate personalization and motivation into our solution.
As COVID-19 started to cool down and communities were looking to heal, it was apparent that the volunteering scene needed some extra love to help support it. By doing some initial research, my team and I found out how communities were impacted by the pandemic and exactly where and how they needed supporting:
PERSONALIZATION
1st Iteration
✅
List structure with a search bar on top
✅
Pills within cards to show relevant filters associated with a listing.
❌
Filter button dropdown may be hard to navigate given the many filters that may exist for events
2nd Iteration
✅
Diverse filter options are surfaced directly on the left rail of the page to help users quickly refine their search and emphasize the idea of personalization
Lo-Fi Wireframe
The lo-fi wireframe reflects the second sketch more closely with a more detailed look at the structure of this page.
TESTING INSIGHT 1
The process to post a volunteer listing is tiring and overwhelming
❌
Step-by-step, 9 screen process
❌
No progress indicator
❌
Users found the journey to be long, tedious and noted that they'd likely drop off in the middle of the process.
After feedback
✅
Streamlined flow with all required steps on a single screen
✅
Reduces CTA clicks from 9 to 1
✅
Ability to save progress to minimize extensive cognitive load
TESTING INSIGHT 2
The chat flow is confusing and misaligned with existing mental models
❌
Chatbox could only be selected within an opportunity listing page instead of in a centralized location.
❌
FAQs were not expected to live on this page
After feedback
✅
Rearranged information architecture to allow messages to be findable and tied to user/organizational accounts
✅
Removed FAQs from chat screen
✅
More intuitive breadcrumbing for mental models
TESTING INSIGHT 3
Many design elements are inconsistent or lack refinement
Because we tested with lo-fi wireframes, our designs intentionally were left unfleshed as to focus on the raw experience of the tasks themselves. This piece of feedback was still incredibly valuable to us, though, because we became a lot more intentional about principles like whitespace, hierarchy, and balance as we refined our wireframes based on specific feedback on our screens like the homepage or profile.
Homepage iterations from lo-fi to hi-fi
Listings page iterations from lo-fi to hi-fi
Profile iterations from lo-fi to hi-fi
We identified 3 task flows that represented the most important actions to be accomplished for volunteers and organizations.
TASK FLOWS TO TEST WITH PARTICIPANTS
01
Searching for a quick volunteering opportunity through quick giV.
02
Uploading a volunteering opportunity as member of an organization.
03
Chatting with a member of a volunteer organization.
Key wireframes for testing our 3 task flows