Promoting social impact through education-driven action
How can we effectively empower individuals to create tangible positive impact in the world? Sprout promotes social impact by connecting news articles with reputable non-profits and charities, providing users with an accessible pathway to making a tangible difference.
Timeline
8 weeks
Role
Solo project at Parsons
Promoting social impact through education-driven action
How can we effectively empower individuals to create tangible positive impact in the world? Sprout promotes social impact by connecting news articles with reputable non-profits and charities, providing users with an accessible pathway to making a tangible difference.
Timeline
8 weeks
Role
Solo project at Parsons
Promoting social impact through education-driven action
How can we effectively empower individuals to create tangible positive impact in the world? Sprout promotes social impact by connecting news articles with reputable non-profits and charities, providing users with an accessible pathway to making a tangible difference.
Timeline
8 weeks
Role
Solo project at Parsons
Summary
In today's complex social, environmental, and political landscape, it can be overwhelming to stay educated on global issues and take steps toward meaningfully supporting a cause.
I set out to design a platform that could bridge awareness to action, simplifying the process and making social impact more accessible for the everyday person.
Research
Understanding the Problem Space
I interviewed six students to better understand some pain points and what the primary barriers to social impact were. I wanted to learn about their needs, motivations, and frustrations with current methods of donating and staying educated about what's going on around the world. My findings from the interviews helped shape my "How Might We" that would guide me in understanding the main problems to solve through Sprout.
Researching Existing Systems
I also looked into the existing systems within the social impact space. I analyzed GoFundMe, direct organization platforms, and social media to understand what's working and what's not in this landscape already.
Analyze
Problem Statement
The challenge is to lower the barriers to donating and taking action, while ensuring donors feel informed, fulfilled, and trust the impact of their contributions.
Potential Users
I identified three potential users across different demographics – understanding what drives each of these groups, what their pain points are, and how they approach social impact helped me create a platform that is engaging, accessible, and effective for a range of users.
Design Decision: Why a mobile app?
Phones have become an integral part of our lives, and according to Global Trends in Giving Report 2018, online donations made through credit/debit card are the preferred method across all age demographics. A mobile app would be the most appropriate to provide users with a convenient, accessible, and secure platform to donate and support causes they care about, anytime and anywhere.
Design
Goals
I established four primary goals that served as the scaffolding in which Sprout was designed around. These goals kept me grounded in the problems and pain points I had identified and were working to address.
Wireframes / User Flow
Final Design Solution
Main Hub for Quick Information & Action:
A top feature highlights urgent events/fundraisers with more information & donation options
"My Charity Impacts" shows users their contributions, fostering a sense of connection & accomplishment
"News section" and "Trending Causes" offers recent articles and topics about what’s going on in the world
"Local Fundraisers” connect users to their local community
Informed and Confident Decision Making
Provide users with information needed to make informed decisions about where to donate their time and money
"Overview" offers a concise summary of the cause
"Charity Details" breaks down the non-profit's response to the issue, with external links for further learning
Connecting News Articles with Ways to Help:
The News page compiles articles from reputable sources, informing users about current events and social issues.
Each article includes a “How to Help” section with links to relevant fundraisers, empowering users to take action.
Related articles are provided for further research and learning, enhancing the educational experience.
Visualizing Donations as Immediate Impact:
The Donations page allows users to give any amount and see the immediate impact.
One-time or monthly recurring donations streamline the process for users.
Personalizing Social Change:
Profile pages display donation stats and access to all organizations donated to.
Achievement badges motivate users to take more action and fulfill their goals.
Staying Up-to-Date:
The Past Donations and Updates page keeps users informed about the impact of their contributions.
Regular updates from organizations create a sense of community and participation in different causes
Reflection
Takeaways
This project has been a huge learning experience, and it's something I'm eager to continue exploring and refining in the future. It was incredible being able to see an idea that I value and am passionate about–designing for social change and impact–come to life visually, as I researched, ideated, and designed the final product.
If I were to continue working on this project, I would love to delve more into the idea of integrating news and charity together. How can I further bridge information and action, educating users in ways that make them feel inclined to contribute and help? Another potential idea I’d love to explore is the idea of non-monetary contributions, if the idea of volunteerism or community service could be implemented within a system like Sprout as well.
Summary
In today's complex social, environmental, and political landscape, it can be overwhelming to stay educated on global issues and take steps toward meaningfully supporting a cause.
I set out to design a platform that could bridge awareness to action, simplifying the process and making social impact more accessible for the everyday person.
Research
Understanding the Problem Space
I interviewed six students to better understand some pain points and what the primary barriers to social impact were. I wanted to learn about their needs, motivations, and frustrations with current methods of donating and staying educated about what's going on around the world. My findings from the interviews helped shape my "How Might We" that would guide me in understanding the main problems to solve through Sprout.
Researching Existing Systems
I also looked into the existing systems within the social impact space. I analyzed GoFundMe, direct organization platforms, and social media to understand what's working and what's not in this landscape already.
Analyze
Problem Statement
The challenge is to lower the barriers to donating and taking action, while ensuring donors feel informed, fulfilled, and trust the impact of their contributions.
Potential Users
I identified three potential users across different demographics – understanding what drives each of these groups, what their pain points are, and how they approach social impact helped me create a platform that is engaging, accessible, and effective for a range of users.
Design Decision: Why a mobile app?
Phones have become an integral part of our lives, and according to Global Trends in Giving Report 2018, online donations made through credit/debit card are the preferred method across all age demographics. A mobile app would be the most appropriate to provide users with a convenient, accessible, and secure platform to donate and support causes they care about, anytime and anywhere.
Design
Goals
I established four primary goals that served as the scaffolding in which Sprout was designed around. These goals kept me grounded in the problems and pain points I had identified and were working to address.
Wireframes / User Flow
Final Design Solution
Main Hub for Quick Information & Action:
A top feature highlights urgent events/fundraisers with more information & donation options
"My Charity Impacts" shows users their contributions, fostering a sense of connection & accomplishment
"News section" and "Trending Causes" offers recent articles and topics about what’s going on in the world
"Local Fundraisers” connect users to their local community
Informed and Confident Decision Making
Provide users with information needed to make informed decisions about where to donate their time and money
"Overview" offers a concise summary of the cause
"Charity Details" breaks down the non-profit's response to the issue, with external links for further learning
Connecting News Articles with Ways to Help:
The News page compiles articles from reputable sources, informing users about current events and social issues.
Each article includes a “How to Help” section with links to relevant fundraisers, empowering users to take action.
Related articles are provided for further research and learning, enhancing the educational experience.
Visualizing Donations as Immediate Impact:
The Donations page allows users to give any amount and see the immediate impact.
One-time or monthly recurring donations streamline the process for users.
Personalizing Social Change:
Profile pages display donation stats and access to all organizations donated to.
Achievement badges motivate users to take more action and fulfill their goals.
Staying Up-to-Date:
The Past Donations and Updates page keeps users informed about the impact of their contributions.
Regular updates from organizations create a sense of community and participation in different causes
Reflection
Takeaways
This project has been a huge learning experience, and it's something I'm eager to continue exploring and refining in the future. It was incredible being able to see an idea that I value and am passionate about–designing for social change and impact–come to life visually, as I researched, ideated, and designed the final product.
If I were to continue working on this project, I would love to delve more into the idea of integrating news and charity together. How can I further bridge information and action, educating users in ways that make them feel inclined to contribute and help? Another potential idea I’d love to explore is the idea of non-monetary contributions, if the idea of volunteerism or community service could be implemented within a system like Sprout as well.
Summary
In today's complex social, environmental, and political landscape, it can be overwhelming to stay educated on global issues and take steps toward meaningfully supporting a cause.
I set out to design a platform that could bridge awareness to action, simplifying the process and making social impact more accessible for the everyday person.
Research
Understanding the Problem Space
I interviewed six students to better understand some pain points and what the primary barriers to social impact were. I wanted to learn about their needs, motivations, and frustrations with current methods of donating and staying educated about what's going on around the world. My findings from the interviews helped shape my "How Might We" that would guide me in understanding the main problems to solve through Sprout.
Researching Existing Systems
I also looked into the existing systems within the social impact space. I analyzed GoFundMe, direct organization platforms, and social media to understand what's working and what's not in this landscape already.
Analyze
Problem Statement
The challenge is to lower the barriers to donating and taking action, while ensuring donors feel informed, fulfilled, and trust the impact of their contributions.
Potential Users
I identified three potential users across different demographics – understanding what drives each of these groups, what their pain points are, and how they approach social impact helped me create a platform that is engaging, accessible, and effective for a range of users.
Design Decision: Why a mobile app?
Phones have become an integral part of our lives, and according to Global Trends in Giving Report 2018, online donations made through credit/debit card are the preferred method across all age demographics. A mobile app would be the most appropriate to provide users with a convenient, accessible, and secure platform to donate and support causes they care about, anytime and anywhere.
Design
Goals
I established four primary goals that served as the scaffolding in which Sprout was designed around. These goals kept me grounded in the problems and pain points I had identified and were working to address.
Wireframes / User Flow
Final Design Solution
Main Hub for Quick Information & Action:
A top feature highlights urgent events/fundraisers with more information & donation options
"My Charity Impacts" shows users their contributions, fostering a sense of connection & accomplishment
"News section" and "Trending Causes" offers recent articles and topics about what’s going on in the world
"Local Fundraisers” connect users to their local community
Informed and Confident Decision Making
Provide users with information needed to make informed decisions about where to donate their time and money
"Overview" offers a concise summary of the cause
"Charity Details" breaks down the non-profit's response to the issue, with external links for further learning
Connecting News Articles with Ways to Help:
The News page compiles articles from reputable sources, informing users about current events and social issues.
Each article includes a “How to Help” section with links to relevant fundraisers, empowering users to take action.
Related articles are provided for further research and learning, enhancing the educational experience.
Visualizing Donations as Immediate Impact:
The Donations page allows users to give any amount and see the immediate impact.
One-time or monthly recurring donations streamline the process for users.
Personalizing Social Change:
Profile pages display donation stats and access to all organizations donated to.
Achievement badges motivate users to take more action and fulfill their goals.
Staying Up-to-Date:
The Past Donations and Updates page keeps users informed about the impact of their contributions.
Regular updates from organizations create a sense of community and participation in different causes
Reflection
Takeaways
This project has been a huge learning experience, and it's something I'm eager to continue exploring and refining in the future. It was incredible being able to see an idea that I value and am passionate about–designing for social change and impact–come to life visually, as I researched, ideated, and designed the final product.
If I were to continue working on this project, I would love to delve more into the idea of integrating news and charity together. How can I further bridge information and action, educating users in ways that make them feel inclined to contribute and help? Another potential idea I’d love to explore is the idea of non-monetary contributions, if the idea of volunteerism or community service could be implemented within a system like Sprout as well.