DonationConnect
Designing an App for Scheduling Donation Pick-ups
UX Case Study
Duration:
November - March
(21 weeks)
Product Overview
Responsibilities
Tools
DonationConnect is designed to streamline the process of scheduling donation pick-ups while providing users with comprehensive information about various donation places and their purposes. Targeted towards individuals and organizations passionate about giving back to their communities. The app aims to empower users to easily schedule pick-ups and explore diverse charitable causes.
User Research
Wireframing
Prototyping
Usability testing
Figma
Google slides
Figjam
Google Forms
Canva
Problem Statement
Inefficiency and lack of information in the process of scheduling donation pick-ups, by providing a user-friendly platform that streamlines scheduling while offering comprehensive information about donation centers.
Goals
The goal is to create a user-friendly app that simplifies the process of scheduling donation pick-ups.
Design Process
The objective of our research was to gain insight into user needs and pain points related to scheduling donation pickups, in order to inform the design of DonationConnect and create a more user-friendly experience.
I employed a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys. This allowed me to gather in-depth insights from individual users while also collecting broader data on user preferences and behaviors.
Target Audience
I Interviewed 15 participants ranging in age from 25 to 65, with diverse backgrounds and levels of experience with donation scheduling apps. Additionally, I distributed a survey to 60 users of similar demographics.
User Research
Findings:
- Lack of Dedicated Apps: Research revealed that there is currently no dedicated app specifically for scheduling donation pickups. Instead, participants mentioned relying on known donation centers such as the Salvation Army, which offer a scheduling feature on their websites.
- Limited Awareness: Many participants were unaware of the availability of online scheduling options for donation pickups. This lack of awareness suggests a potential opportunity for a dedicated app to fill this gap and provide a more convenient and centralized solution for users.
- User Preferences: Despite the absence of dedicated apps, participants expressed a strong preference for the convenience and ease of scheduling pickups online. They cited factors such as time savings, flexibility in scheduling, and the ability to track donation status as key advantages of online scheduling.
- Trust in Established Organizations: Participants indicated a higher level of trust in well-known donation centers such as the Salvation Army when scheduling pickups online. This trust factor may influence user behavior and preferences when considering donation scheduling options.
Implications:
The absence of dedicated apps for donation pickups presents an opportunity for DonationConnect to fill a significant gap in the market. By offering a user-friendly platform for scheduling pickups directly through the app, DonationConnect can provide convenience and efficiency to users who currently rely on disparate methods such as visiting individual organization websites.
Qualitative Research
Objective:
Gain in-depth insights into user experiences, needs, and pain points related to scheduling donation pickups
and using the DonationConnect app.
Methodology:
Conduct semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of users who have experience with donating.
Sample Questions:
1. Can you walk me through your experience with scheduling donation pickup, particularly through websites like the Salvation Army?
2. What factors are most important to you when considering using a website to schedule pickups with organizations?
3. Can you describe any challenges or frustrations you’ve encountered?
4. What features or functionalities would you like to see in a dedicated app for scheduling donation pick-ups, considering your experience with using websites offered by donation centers?
Key Findings:
Preference for Convenience: Users prioritize convenience when scheduling donation pickups, emphasizing the need for a streamlined and user-friendly process.
Importance of Trust and Transparency: Users value transparency about where their donations are going and how they will be used, as well as trust in the reliability of the pickup service provided by organizations like the Salvation Army.
Communication Needs: Clear and timely communication throughout the donation process is highly valued by users, including confirmation of pickup requests and updates on pickup status.
Accessibility Considerations: Users appreciate features that make the donation process accessible to everyone, including support for different types of donations and accommodations for users with disabilities.
Quantitative Research
Conducted an online survey distributed to 60 users who have experience with donating items. The survey consisted of multiple-choice and Likert scale questions designed to gather quantitative data on various aspects of the donation pickup process.
Pain Points
High Fidelity Screen
I created this user flow to show the easy process of scheduling a pick-up or drop-off.
I proceeded to create sketches for the app's design, initially drafting two different looks before settling on the final one. Additionally, I sketched out my vision for the app's logo to embody the brand identity.
Final Sketch
The login/sign-up page of DonationConnect serves as the entry point for users to access their accounts or create new ones. It features a streamlined interface with clear options for logging in or signing up, along with additional accessibility options to ensure inclusivity and ease of use for all users.
The create account/sign-up page of DonationConnect serves as the starting point for new users to join the platform. It features a straightforward interface where users can enter their name, email, and password to create an account. Upon successful registration, users are directed to the profile page to provide additional information such as their address and phone number.
Sign up
The home page of DonationConnect serves as the central hub for users to explore and engage with donation centers in their area. It features a user-friendly interface with intuitive navigation, search functionality, and accessibility options to ensure inclusivity and ease of use for all users.
List of donation centers, showcasing their names and featured donation initiatives. A robust search engine allowing users to look up specific donation centers by name, location, or keyword. Profile icon in the top right corner of the page, providing users with direct access to their personal profile and account settings. An accessibility icon in a prominent location on every page, offering users various accessibility features such as text enlargement, language translation, contrast adjustment, image hiding, and dyslexia-friendly formatting.
Home page
Color Palette
Typography
Style Guide
Final Designs
Key Takeaways
The absence of dedicated apps for donation pickups presents an opportunity for DonationConnect to fill a significant gap in the market. By offering a user-friendly platform for scheduling pickups directly through the app, DonationConnect can provide convenience and efficiency to users who currently rely on disparate methods such as visiting individual organization websites.
Research has highlighted a clear need for a dedicated app like DonationConnect to facilitate the scheduling of donation pickups, filling a gap in the current landscape where users must rely on disparate methods. By addressing user preferences for convenience, trust, and transparency, DonationConnect has the potential to become a valuable tool for individuals looking to make charitable donations.
Roadmap
Conduct thorough user research to understand needs and preferences, defining MVP features focusing on convenience, trust, transparency, and accessibility. Following this, design and prototype the app, integrating feedback before proceeding to development. The development phase will see us building frontend and backend components, rigorously testing, and ensuring seamless integration. After a soft launch for initial feedback, refine the app based on user input, before scaling up with marketing efforts, feature expansion, and community engagement to foster growth and sustainability.
Pick-up Slots
Users struggle to find convenient pick-up times that align with their schedules, resulting in frustration and delays in donating items.
Lack of Information
Users encounter challenges in accessing comprehensive information about donation centers, including their location, operating hours, and accepted items, leading to uncertainty and hesitancy in choosing where to donate.
Scheduling Process
The current process of scheduling donation pick-ups is unmanageable and time-consuming, requiring users to navigate multiple platforms or make phone calls, causing inconvenience.
Limited Visibility
The current process of scheduling donation pick-ups is unmanageable and time-consuming, requiring users to navigate multiple platforms or make phone calls, causing inconvenience.
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