Overview
My Role
Design Manager / Senior UX Researcher
Team
Tia Tyrrell
Em Cote
Armand Andrade
Dong Liu
Project Type
Contextual Research
Product Design
Duration
10 weeks
Year
2021
Read the full case study here
- Problem Definition
- Research & Discovery
- Analysis
- User Personas
- Solution
- Conclusion
Table of Contents
Act Up
The project focuses on the circular economy, which emphasizes resource regeneration and reuse, as opposed to the traditional linear take-make-dispose model. However, the circular economy is often perceived as abstract and challenging to engage with, particularly among younger audiences. Our goal was to inspire youth to embrace altruistic practices—selfless concern for others—while fostering a deeper commitment to sustainability and community values.
Problem
The Circular Economy, focused on resource regeneration and reuse, is often seen as abstract and hard for younger audiences to connect with. This leads to solutions that address only short-term issues, missing the deeper, long-term sustainability goals.
Our aim is to inspire youth to adopt altruistic values while strengthening their commitment to sustainability. By leveraging social capital and holistic approaches, we seek to make the Circular Economy more tangible and ensure lasting engagement.
Solution
Nonprofit Volunteers App Concept: We proposed a nonprofit volunteer app specifically designed for high school students to engage them in sustainable volunteer activities through a combination of education, gamification, and community-building features.
Core Features:
Volunteer Opportunities Database: Connects students to local and global opportunities based on their interests and availability.
Gamification: Encourages participation through rewards and leaderboards, fostering lifelong habits of environmental stewardship and community involvement.
Educational Resources: Offers learning materials on sustainability and the circular economy.
Community Engagement: Enables students to share their experiences and track the impact of their volunteer work.
The app adapts to societal changes through continuous iteration and user feedback, empowering students to contribute to the circular economy while building a strong sense of community.
Problem Definition
The Circular Economy & Altruism
Our team identified a significant challenge: the lack of sustained engagement with youth in the circular economy. The circular economy emphasizes resource regeneration and reuse, unlike the linear take-make-dispose model. However, it is often perceived as abstract and difficult to engage with, particularly among younger audiences. Our focus was on engaging youth in altruistic practices, defined as the selfless concern for the well-being of others, with the goal of inspiring deeper commitment to sustainability and community values.
Literature Review
Capitalism and Altruism: Research highlights the social and environmental downsides of capitalism, suggesting that altruism can counterbalance these effects, fostering a more sustainable model.
Empathy and Youth Engagement: Cultivating empathy through education is shown to promote altruistic behavior among teens, aligning well with our project goals.
Limitations of Current Platforms: Existing charitable platforms largely target adults, leaving a gap for youth-focused solutions that address sustainability and community engagement.
Research & Discovery
Primary Research
We conducted primary research through interviews with individuals from philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, and school administrators. This helped us better understand the needs related to altruism, empathy development, and community service opportunities for high school students.
Key Findings:
70% of students were aware of ways to contribute but expressed a desire for more diverse and accessible volunteer opportunities.
The majority of respondents felt that an app would effectively encourage community engagement and participation.
Parents, teachers, and peers were identified as significant influences on students’ decisions to volunteer.
Survey Demographics
Although we didn't attain participants matching our targeted demographics, we achieved a diverse overall sample size. Notably, we obtained responses across seven distinct income tiers, particularly enriching our dataset on early household incomes.
What was your family’s average annual household income when growing up?
Where did you grow up for the majority of your formative years?
Influences & Actions
The most significant insights gained from these questions revealed the vast array of altruistic influences people experience while growing up. However, despite this diversity in influence, the frequency and methods of giving back were considerably less varied.
Where do you think most people gain their sense of empathy?
On average, how many times do you give back to your local community?
What do you believe influenced your personal will to do good for others during your formative years?
Awareness & Interest
70% of people were aware of a specific way to contribute to their community from a young age, yet 66.7% still wish there were other ways to do so. Additionally, there is a super major of individuals that believe and app designed to encourage altruism would be effective and are interested.
As a teen, are/were you aware of specific ways you could contribute to your community?
How effective do you feel an app encouraging students to learn about and engage in altruism would be?
Do you wish there was another way to participate in effective altruism while knowing you’re really making a difference?
How interested would you be in an app that taught critical thinking, empathy, and other effective altruism skills?
Analysis
Data Analysis
Using the insights gathered, we affinitized the data and conducted a SWOT analysis to better understand the opportunities and challenges in designing a solution. Empathy maps were developed to visualize users' needs, motivations, and pain points, which informed our design process.
Data Analysis Highlights:
Strengths: High interest in community service among teens.
Weaknesses: Lack of easily accessible, youth-centered platforms.
Opportunities: Gamification and social engagement could increase participation.
Threats: Competing priorities, such as schoolwork, may limit student involvement.
Research Contextualization
We connected the findings from our literature review and primary data collection to the broader context of youth engagement and the circular economy. This helped us frame the problem more effectively and refine our approach.
Contextual Tools:
Stakeholder Maps: Helped us identify key groups impacted by the app and tailor the solution to their needs.
Empathy Maps: Provided a deeper understanding of users' thoughts, feelings, and actions.
P.O.E.M.S. Chart: Assessed user interactions with various aspects of the app, resulting in a well-rounded, interactive design.
Stakeholder Map
Empathy Map
P.O.E.M.S. Chart
User Personas
Target Audience
The primary audience for this app is high school students aged 13–19. These teens are often required to complete community service hours for school or extracurricular programs and are seeking meaningful volunteer opportunities that align with their values and interests.
The secondary audience includes nonprofit organizations that need volunteers and are looking for ways to engage youth in their initiatives. This group benefits from increased visibility, a steady stream of volunteers, and a platform that connects them with engaged and eager young participants.
User Personas & Journey Mapping
We developed user personas to explore the diverse experiences of high school students engaging with the app. Journey maps allowed us to visualize the volunteer experience, identifying potential gaps in user engagement and opportunities for improvement.
Customer Journey Map
Visualized the experience of using the app, from discovering volunteer opportunities to tracking impact.
Solution
Nonprofit Volunteers App Concept
We proposed a nonprofit volunteers app tailored to high school students. This app focused on engaging youth in sustainable volunteer activities by combining education, gamification, and community-building features.
Core Features:
Volunteer Opportunities Database: Connects students to local and global opportunities based on interests and availability.
Gamification: Incentivizes participation through rewards and leaderboards.
Educational Resources: Provides learning materials on sustainability and the circular economy.
Community Engagement: Allows students to share their experiences and track the impact of their volunteer work.
Proposed Workshops:
Active Listening and Empathy Development: Helps students enhance their understanding of diverse perspectives.
Cultural Competency Training: Encourages appreciation of diversity and effective engagement across different backgrounds.
Conclusion
Outcome
The proposed app empowers high school students to contribute to the circular economy, fostering lifelong habits of environmental stewardship and community involvement. Through continuous iteration and user feedback, the app aims to adapt and grow with societal changes.