Root 2 Rise Non-Profit
Website, Branding & Product Redesign
Project Overview
Root 2 Rise is a non-profit organization that transforms the lives of marginalized high school students by creating leadership opportunities for them in K-8 classrooms.
Timeline
Tools
My Role
Product Designer
3 weeks:
Research, Analysis, Ideation, Design & Development.
Team
Charlotte Truong
Christine Blehm-Higgins
Page Okuda
Sofia Gonzales
Figma
Miro
Photoshop
Trello
Slack
Problem
Root 2 Rise is a non-profit organization that transforms the lives of marginalized high school students by creating leadership opportunities for them in K-8 classrooms. After talking to the founder, the goal for their site is to showcase the impact their work has on the community, which helps them secure grants to continue the work. As UX/ UI Designers, how might we help contributors understand Root 2 Riseʻs purpose so they can secure more funding for their future?
Solution
Aiming to emphasize the meaning and impact of the Root 2 Rise and improve the donation process, our team rebranded and redesigned the website with the focus on showcase and convey the impact Root 2 Rise has on the community through meaningful information, images and video.
Impact
While the original website did not have a donation button which frustrated the users who trying to donate for a good cause. Our redesign streamlined the process, enabling donors to access the donation button which can be located on the global menu and homepage within 3 seconds. This significantly improved donation opportunities.
User Research
Research Findings/ Pain Points
Research 1- Stakeholder Interview
During the initial stakeholder interviews, key representative highlighted several issues with current website:
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Lack of prominent access to essential information like the organization's core values and donation calls-to-action (CTAs).
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Technical difficulties for members attempting to log in or sign up.
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Unsatisfactory visual design and layout, potentially leading to poor engagement and user satisfaction
Root 2 Rise - Original Website
Research 2- User Research
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Indication of a potential misunderstanding among users regarding the core meaning and function of Root 2 Rise as an organization
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Cluttered and confusing navigation structure, hindering users' ability to find desired content effectively
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Unclear communication of the organization's mission, work, and impact
Affinity Diagram
Heuristic Evaluation
To assess the user-friendliness of the website, we conducted a heuristic evaluation focusing on the homepage and additional key pages, analyzing their adherence to established usability principles.
Problem Statement
The current Root 2 Rise website suffers from unappealing content and design, failing to effectively engage users. This lack of user-centric design hinders the organization's ability to secure donations and grants through the website.
Definition & Ideation
User Scenario
User scenarios helped us understand how people actually use and experience the Root 2 Rise website. Creating these realistic stories allowed us to make design choices that improve the user experience for everyone.
Information Architecture
Prototype
Wireframes
We dedicated significant effort to designing the homepage because it serves as the main landing page. Landing pages create a powerful first impression and provide crucial information for users visiting Root 2 Rise's website. By prioritizing the homepage design, our goal was to craft a compelling and informative introduction that would engage users and positively shape their initial perception of the organization.
Design Concept
Visual Identity
Per the client's request, we incorporated Root 2 Rise's current logo and brand colors into the user interface design for the website.
High-fidelity Design
Initial Hi-Fi & Usability Tests
We completed 6 usability tests between desktop and mobile versions of our redesign. Some key takeaways:
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Language was too disempowering
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Hover gradient fonts inaccessible
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Missing search and language options
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Some design notes (too much white space, confusing button placements, some icons are too large)
High Fidelity Wireframes
The desktop and mobile prototypes feature a clean, user-friendly interface that allows visitors to seamlessly navigate and explore Root 2 Rise's mission, programs, success stories, and opportunities for involvement through an engaging visual design. With a consistent experience, the prototypes aim to immerse users in the organization's brand while effectively communicating key information and motivating support.
DESKTOP
MOBILE
Results
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90% users can understand Root 2 Rise’s value and purpose
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The organization’s quantitative impact is understood by all users
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Students can now access their documents to become mentors.
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Our clients is delighted by the new design & eager to implement on website
Takeaways
Lessons Learned
Collaborative Design Process
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This project highlighted the importance of collaboration throughout every phase of development.
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Our experience working in a group taught us that collaboration can be challenging due to differing design styles and decision-making approaches.
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Taking the time to listen to each team member's perspective proved invaluable for learning and incorporating diverse feedback.
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Clear Client Communication
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Maintaining clear and consistent communication with the client organization was crucial for aligning goals and expectations.
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Establishing a shared understanding of the client's objectives from the outset was essential to create a product that effectively addressed their needs.
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Regular check-ins and feedback loops with the client ensured that the design remained on track and aligned with their vision.
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User-Centric Mindset for Non-Profits
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Designing for a non-profit organization reinforced the importance of adopting a user-centric mindset.
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Understanding the diverse user groups, including donors, volunteers, and beneficiaries, was vital to creating an engaging and accessible experience.
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Balancing the organization's mission with user needs required careful consideration and iterative design choices.
What's Next?
While the achieved results from this project are satisfactory, there remain several areas for continued improvement and additional features to explore, given more time:
Information Architecture Enhancements
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Design and implementation of a dedicated Donor page to streamline the donation process.
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Creation of more visual infographics to effectively communicate quantitative data on donations and impact.
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User Accounts and Personalization
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Development of a gated "Members Only" area for mentors, fostering an engaged community.
Iterative UX Refinement
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Conducting further rounds of usability testing to identify remaining pain points and iterate on the design.
