Discovery
The first step of the project was to reassess existing experience and gather any pain points CADRE applicants run into. We did this through interviews, and journey mapping with an empathy map of the journey. One of the findings we concluded the study with was that there were many steps of the application that applicants were not sure what the next steps were or the next steps were not very clear.
Journey Mapping
User journey mapping allowed the team to thoroughly analyze each step users took when applying for Cadre volunteering opportunities. By visualizing the entire process, the team was able to pinpoint where users might get stuck or experience friction, such as on confusing forms or unclear instructions. The map also highlighted key moments when users would likely have specific thoughts and questions, like "What documents do I need to submit?" or "Is this the right opportunity for me?" This process enabled the team to identify pain points, frustrations, and gaps in communication. As a result, they were able to address these issues by refining the application process, improving clarity, and ultimately enhancing the user experience for future applicants.
Brainstorming Solutions
Then we put together user stories to address, and possible solutions.
Design
When designing the interface I focused on the most common pain points and tried to make the application process easy to follow and resources easy to find.
I scheduled usability testing with current volunteers and potential volunteers as those two were the two most essential personas to understand the application process as well as onboarding and mentorship. Looking at the experience from both perspectives helped to understand the full process of using the application. Here are some insights gathered:
