Do Good (Mobile App & Responsive Website)

My research began by considering 2 different populations who struggle when it comes to job search support; domestic abuse survivors and graduates of the foster care system.  In both cases, these people do not have a reliable group of friends and family that can help the users network. 

After finding a series of videos interviewing members of both groups, there were a few insights that presented unexpected challenges.  With domestic abuse survivors, they are unable to have any kind of online presence for fear of being found or targeted by their abuser.  This lack of social presence is often a red flag for employers but it’s an unavoidable issue for the survivors.  For children in foster care, there are often educational gaps as kids are shuffled between homes and schools.  25% of these kids experience PTSD and 70% of young women are pregnant by the age of 21.   Many are removed from their foster homes when they age out at 21 and nowhere to go and now emotional support to guide them into the world.  As a result, 20% of foster kids end up homeless.  All of these users could benefit from an organization whose main goal is to support that transition from victim to champion.

Many of the competitor’s sites were simplistic and felt like a standard template.  The mission of this organization is to make those who are less fortunate, feel as though they are having a unique experience.  In my design, I tried to think outside of the box and create a unique online experience for the user, without over complicating the design.  After exploring sites of high end stylists and styling organizations, I was inspired by their content layout.  For the final design, I combined both inspirations for the final option.

Based on the usability study, we’ve used different containment values to lead the user through the different sections of the questionnaire since the information extends below the fold.  We knew that we needed to create a confirmation that the user had completed the necessary task.  We created a pop up with information confirming the action and notifying the user that they would be contacted by phone.  Once they receive this notification, they are directed back to the home page to encourage them to make additional appointments for other services.

Because this product is geared toward users from a variety of different cultures, there was a lot of consideration of accessibility beyond English speakers. Colors and shapes were selected for their contrast to help users recognize the important elements of interaction.  Imagery was specifically chosen to guide users to the pages of which they are in need.  The use of circles is a theme throughout the site because it is a common symbol of community, unity and new beginnings.  As a result, the circle is used to draw a user’s attention through the processes required on the site.

One of the things our users mentioned in the research process was that anonymity online is vital.  In many cases, people escaping an abusive homelife can be found online by their abusers.  Because of this we wanted to highlight the Privacy Policy, both in writing and through the use of a video in an effort to boost accessibility for all users.  By connecting the video thru Youtube, users may apply captions to the video in their most comfortable language.  They also receive the important information verbally.  This puts a face to the company and encourages the user to feel like they are being spoken to, directly.  The use of comforting imagery is intentionally applied to ensure that users feel valued, welcome and safe.