Project Overview
Make the world a kinder place with Noble, the MVP mobile app for spreading positivity and generosity.
Connect with others, exchange uplifting messages, and participate in philanthropic activities. Noble will encourage, remind, and reward you for performing acts of kindness, both for those you know and for those in need.
Noble mobile application provides a digital platform for users to exchange kind messages and deeds with one another, and get involved in philanthropic activities organized by Noble and its partners. The app encourages, reminds, and rewards users to perform a kind deed to somebody they know, or better yet, somebody they do not know who might desperately need it.
Problem statement
People often feel overwhelmed, uncertain, and unmotivated to perform acts of kindness in their busy lives. They may also hesitate due to concerns about time, financial resources, or discomfort with connecting with strangers online.
Our app aims to address these challenges by providing an easy-to-use platform that inspires and motivates users to perform acts of kindness, connect with strangers in a positive way, and make a meaningful impact in their communities, all while fitting into their busy lives and respecting their comfort levels.
Why Volunteer and Philanthropic Activities?
Benefits of volunteering: 4 ways to feel healthier and happier:
- Volunteering connects you to others.
- Volunteering is good for your mind and body.
- Volunteering can advance your career.
- Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life.
Solution
Our app makes it easy to perform acts of kindness by providing tailored ideas, using gamification for motivation, offering options for various time and resource commitments, and incorporating user reviews for trust-building.
Spread kindness effortlessly with our app!
My Contribution
As a designer, my contributions to the app development process included:
- Participating in brainstorming sessions for product ideas.
- Creating surveys and interviews for user feedback.
- Conducting in-depth user interviews.
- Developing Information Architecture/User flow and User journey map.
- Creating medium-fi wireframes and UI mockups.
- Building interactive prototypes for usability testing.
- Creating a component library and style guide for consistency.
- Conduct usability testing via Zoom to collect user feedback.
My contributions focused on research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing, contributing to the app's user-centric design and positive user experience.
target audience
Anyone regardless of gender but more specifically:
- 21-45 years old active mobile phone users, who are familiar with and/or actively using existing social media apps
- Full-time employees and students, which are usually tight in their schedules and look for easy ways to be more involved
- People who are already actively involved in philanthropy and seek new sources of information
- People who don't have volunteer experience and don't know how to start
design research
method: survey, deep interviews
During the research phase for the Noble app idea, we used a combination of surveys and 1-on-1 interview sessions to gather key qualitative data on 70 individuals. Our goal was to answer important questions such as:
How interested is the public in using a mobile app to get involved in philanthropic activities?
Are people interested in using an alternative platform to make stronger connections?
What concerns might potential users have about using a digital platform to promote informal volunteering and philanthropic activities?
Using our online survey and interview sessions, we were able to gain insight into our target audience's mental model when it comes to philanthropy. With this information, we were able to create 2 personas that helped guide our development process. Overall, our team successfully gathered valuable qualitative data that informed our approach to designing the Noble app.
Key findings from our research
- 75% of participants showed high interest in using a community participation platform.
- One-third of respondents were already involved in philanthropy, while two-thirds expressed interest in getting more involved.
- Even those not actively involved in philanthropy expressed above-average interest in our app, with 72% indicating a strong desire to participate.
- The majority of interested respondents were full-time employees in the 26-44 age group.
- Most participants felt that performing good deeds was a natural part of being a good human being and did not require monetary motivation.
- 90% of participants reported pleasant emotions when involved in philanthropy or helping others.
- 60% of interested respondents did not intend to volunteer anonymously, with all those willing to volunteer openly ready to share their experiences.
- These findings informed the design and functionality of the Noble app, ensuring it meets the needs and desires of our target audience.
Additional quantitative data from our research:
- Over 80% of survey respondents were Millennials, aged 26-44.
- The gender breakdown was approximately 30% male and 70% female.
- About 50% of participants were part/full-time employed, with 13.8% as entrepreneurs, 13.8% as stay-at-home parents, 20% as students, and others as retirees or unemployed.
- 55% of respondents identified as more introverted than extroverted, while 24.6% identified as more extroverted.
- These insights into the demographics and personality traits of our target audience were crucial in shaping our approach to designing the Noble app.
Persona
During our research for the Noble app, we collected qualitative data from 70 individuals through online surveys and 1-on-1 interviews. From this data, we identified two key personas named Jennifer and Bryan. Creating personas like Jennifer and Bryan allows us to gain a deeper understanding of our target audience and design a product that addresses their needs and desires. By understanding our users' motivations, pain points, and behavior, we can create a tailored product that meets their specific preferences and requirements.
user persona 1
user persona 2
User Journey Map
To create the user journey map for the Noble app, we started by defining the key stages that a user goes through when using the app. Then, we mapped out each step in the user's journey, including touchpoints, pain points, and opportunities for improvement.
We used this technique because it helps the team to gain a deep understanding of the user's needs, behaviors, and goals. It also helps to identify areas where the user experience can be improved and to align the team's efforts towards creating a better product that meets the user's needs.
Journey Mapping
Feature List
- Browse curated philanthropic activities based on abilities, resources, and interests.
- Donate to local, national, or global charities and track donation usage.
- Exchange Noble gifts with a support group or other members.
- Share videos, photos, and stories on the Feed page for feedback and support.
- Access personalized data to measure progress and achievements.
