Snapshot of a favorite project

Sole UX researcher on a small tech team that developed a web app for volunteers.

What I did

• Ran research sprints and participatory design sessions.
• Jointly created product road map informed by user research and organizational priorities.
• Made and owned high-level structural wire frames that were source-of-truth for UI design and development.
• Post launch usability research and product pivot recommendations.

Problem

New York Cares is a large nonprofit that puts 50,000 volunteers a year into neighborhoods around the city. Its high-volume system depends upon specially trained team leaders to supervise volunteers in the field. These ‘super volunteers’ also submit key performance data back to the organization, through its website.

The team leaders often fail to submit this data. Missing data is problematic: it's crucial for tracking programmatic goals as well as for fundraising.

Process

Generative research sprint and participatory design sessions produced a series of actionable insights. These included:

• Creating a single digital space for team leaders to easily find useful content.
• Prioritizing mobile functionality. Team leaders are often on public transportation and leading busy projects in the field, with limited access to desktop screens.
• A suite of modifications to the existing system and product, including highlighting summary attendance data to better supervise volunteers and automating attendance reminder emails.

 

Wireframes morphed from rough paper sketches to more refined visuals.

 

The wire frames were used by an external consultant to create a final UI skin.  We launched a simple product in Spring 2021. It included only essential functions: attendance and impact data submission.

Usability testing informed post-launch product tweaks.

 

Additional research cycles

After launch we installed a Jira bug reporter. This allowed everyone on the team to be involved in the usability feedback loop. Additional research sprints are shaping upcoming features.

 

End result

The product is launched but lacks finesse.

It has succeeded, though, in its mission to be a beachhead as we move forward. The team is working on adding new functions, and refining the existing product through user feedback.

 

Read the full case study

 

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