Benevolu is a web-based resource for helping community-conscious individuals and groups find service projects in their area and around the world.
Roles: UX Designer, Researcher, Strategist, and Visual Designer
Time: 3 Months
Deliverables: Desktop and Mobile Website
Case Study: Benevolu
The Problem
People looking to engage in volunteer work need a centralized, user-friendly platform to discover and explore community service opportunities, including key details like location, time, and requirements, to easily find and participate in activities that align with their interests and availability.
Approach
Constraints
The greatest challenge was determining which features were the most important to center in the information architecture. Is it the type of volunteer work, the location, or duration of a project? Having worked as a designer in the non-profit space, I am cognizant of the need to provide the public with as much information as possible in an effective way. I was able to draw on that experience to consider the structure of this website.
Usability Test Results
Participants were able to complete the user flow with few challenges. A major insight gained from the testing was that users wanted to be able to invite friends to the volunteer activity they signed up for. This action was added to the hi-fidelity mock-up to be tested in another round.
Key Users
Individuals of all ages and backgrounds who want to give back to their communities. This includes students seeking volunteer hours, working professionals looking for meaningful extracurricular activities, retirees exploring ways to stay active, and families interested in group service opportunities.
Their technical abilities range from beginner to intermediate. Some users may be tech-savvy (younger users familiar with digital tools), while others (older users or new volunteers) may need a simple and intuitive interface to navigate easily.
Research questions:
“What insights can we gain from a user flow of volunteers choosing activities that fit their interests?”
“Do the visual elements of the app support the users navigation through the app?”
As this project was guided through the Google UX Certificate program, I used the human centered approach of design thinking to craft solutions to the problem. After taking steps to empathize with users and defining the problem, I iterated several solutions before building prototypes.
Future Implications
Storytelling and Emotional Connection: Non-profit websites often rely on storytelling to create emotional connections with visitors and inspire action. I will need to focus on incorporating compelling visuals, engaging narratives, and multimedia elements to effectively convey the organization's mission, impact, and stories.