Mayor's Service Corp
Mayor's Service Corp
Mayor's Service Corp
A one-stop platform design for the Dearborn Government to recruit and match volunteers with citizens in need efficiently.
Design and implement an automated matching system based on Monday.com to connect volunteers and seniors of Dearborn, reducing staffs' manual workload and saving over $500,000 app development cost.
A one-stop platform design for the Dearborn Government to recruit and match volunteers with citizens in need efficiently.
Design and implement an automated matching system based on Monday.com to connect volunteers and seniors of Dearborn, reducing staffs' manual workload and saving over $500,000 app development cost.
iOS & Desktop
Timeline
Aug 2023 - Dec 2023 (4 months)
Timeline
Aug 2023 - Dec 2023 (4 months)
Timeline
2022.9 - 2022.12 (4 months)
My Roles
UX Research & Design, Experience & Service Design
My Roles
UX Research & Design, Experience & Service Design
Roles
User Research, Usability Testing, Interaction Design, UI Design
Tools
Figma, Monday.com, Google Sites
Tools
Figma, Monday.com, Google Sites
Tools
Adobe XD, Adobe Illustrator, Figjam
Team
Elaine Liu, Garret Potter, Jasper Ji, Ziyi Jiang
Team
Elaine Liu, Garret Potter, Jasper Ji, Ziyi Jiang
Team
Anirudh Kundu, Charlotte Du. Erin Zhan, Priyanshee Shah, Ziyi Jiang
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Problem
Problem
Problem
The Mayor's Service Corps in Dearborn aims to improve its snow removal service for seniors and citizens with disabilities by fostering connection with volunteers from local high schools. Their previous working process involved tons of manual work in matching process with low efficiency and did not get enough volunteers.
Objective
Objective
Objective
How might we make it simple and efficient for people to sign up and match to volunteer opportunities with the Mayor’s Service Corp?
Challenge
Challenge
Challenge
Budget limitation
Budget limitation
The goverment has no budget to develop a new platform from 0 to 1.
The goverment has no budget to develop a new platform from 0 to 1.
Offline to online
Offline to online
The previous workflow only relied on manual work.
The previous workflow only relied on manual work.
Communication gap
There are serious communication gap between various stakeholders.
There are serious communication gap between various stakeholders.
Solution
Solution
Solution
Our team provided an all-in-one solution, a service system, to reduce manual work, improve the overall workflow efficiency, and enhance volunteer participation.
4 Plug-ins
5 Boards at back end for MSC staff
5 Forms for end users
1 Website for end users
Impact
Impact
Impact
Launched Jan 2024
The system was launched to public.
$ 500,000 Saved
By our development work
80% Manual Work Reduced
The manual work for volunteer matching was reduced with improved efficiency.
100+ Users
The system attracted over 100 active users in the system within 1 month.
HOW WE GET THERE
HOW WE GET THERE
HOW WE GET THERE
Background
Background
Background
Let's start with a story!
Let's start with a story!
Let's start with a story!
Contextual Inquirty
Contextual Inquirty
Contextual Inquirty
How do we know the previous flow & opportunites?
How do we know the previous flow & opportunites?
How do we know the previous flow & opportunites?
Our team conducted
5 rounds interviews in
1 month with
15 stakeholders and end users
👧🏼 👦🏽
2 Students
👱🏻♀️ 🧔🏽 🧔🏻♂️
3 MSC staff
👩🏻🦰
1 High school contact
👨🏽🦳 👵🏼
2 Residents
👩🏾 👩🏽🦱 👨🏼🦲
3 Developers
👨🏻
1 Coordinator
👨🏼🦱 🧑🏻🦰
2 Call center staff
We synthesized the data of result of interviews by business origami and current flow chart iteration.
Users' Journey Maps
Users' Journey Maps
Users' Journey Maps
Based on analysis above, the current process looks like…
Based on analysis above, the current process looks like…
Based on analysis above, the current process looks like…
Result Analysis
Result Analysis
Result Analysis
… so, what are their needs and opportunities?
… so, what are their needs and opportunities?
… so, what are their needs and opportunities?
Students
👧🏼 👦🏽
To select the locations to work by their own
To work as a group rather than individually out of safety concerns from parents
To select the locations to work by their own
To work as a group rather than individually out of safety concerns from parents
Residents
👨🏽🦳 👵🏼
To receive notice if there are volunteering coming to help
To receive notice if the snow shoveling is down
To receive notice if there are volunteering coming to help
To receive notice if the snow shoveling is down
MSC Staffs
👱🏻♀️ 🧔🏽 🧔🏻♂️
To screen and qualify the citizens
To screen and authorize non-students volunteers
To take the matching work with an automatical tool
To screen and qualify the citizens
To screen and authorize non-students volunteers
To take the matching work with an automatical tool
Call Center Staffs
👨🏼🦱 🧑🏻🦰
After filling forms, they can automatically popped up to MSC staff, instead of manually send the sheet to them from a separate platform
After filling forms, they can automatically popped up to MSC staff, instead of manually send the sheet to them from a separate platform
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
How does Ann Arbor, a nearby city, solve this problem?
How does Ann Arbor, a nearby city, solve this problem?
How does Ann Arbor, a nearby city, solve this problem?
Pros
- Not involving 🧍♀️🧍🧍♂️too many staff in the process.
- Forms & sheets transformation to ArcGIS is 📥half auto.
- Aligning with existing stakeholders and 🙆🏻♀️needs.
Pros
- Not involving 🧍♀️🧍🧍♂️too many staff in the process.
- Forms & sheets transformation to ArcGIS is 📥half auto.
- Aligning with existing stakeholders and 🙆🏻♀️needs.
Cons
- Still 🧑💻lots of manual work for matching & email sending.
- ArcGIS 🙅♀️doesn’t play much role but incurs 👩🔧significant development and maintenance💰costs.
Decision Making Process
Decision Making Process
Decision Making Process
Why and how we chose an existing platform?
Why and how we chose an existing platform?
Why and how we chose an existing platform?
Based on all analysis above, we decide to choose a project management platform for integration because we need..
An☝️one-stop platform to integrate forms, sheets, matching process
A tool with💰low cost
A tool that can be implemented 💨 quickly, which means an existing platform allowing customization
A tool with customizable ⚙️automations
An☝️one-stop platform to integrate forms, sheets, matching process
A tool with💰low cost
A tool that can be implemented 💨 quickly, which means an existing platform allowing customization
A tool with customizable ⚙️automations
Then we compared the mainstreaming platforms in the current market
We finally chose Monday.com because it provides the best information transformationℹ️, integration with email/messages📧, and it allows high level automation customization⚙️ compared to other platforms.
Also, we found that some of the stakeholders have already used this platform in their daily work🧑💻, which means the relatively low learning lost and no extra subscription fee💰.
We finally chose Monday.com because it provides the best information transformationℹ️, integration with email/messages📧, and it allows high level automation customization⚙️ compared to other platforms.
Also, we found that some of the stakeholders have already used this platform in their daily work🧑💻, which means the relatively low learning lost and no extra subscription fee💰.
We finally chose Monday.com because it provides the best information transformationℹ️, integration with email/messages📧, and it allows high level automation customization⚙️ compared to other platforms.
Also, we found that some of the stakeholders have already used this platform in their daily work🧑💻, which means the relatively low learning lost and no extra subscription fee💰.
Co-Design
Co-Design
Co-Design
We facilitated a co-design session aiming to ideate an ideal flow
We facilitated a co-design session aiming to ideate an ideal flow
We facilitated a co-design session aiming to ideate an ideal flow
🧒🏻 👦🏻 👩🏻 👨🏼
👱🏻♀️🧔🏽🧔🏻♂️
👨🏻
👨🏼🦱🧑🏻🦰
👩🏾 👩🏽🦱 👨🏼🦲
👧🏼 👦🏽
👨🏽🦳 👵🏼
🧒🏻 👦🏻 👩🏻 👨🏼
👱🏻♀️🧔🏽🧔🏻♂️
👨🏻
👨🏼🦱🧑🏻🦰
👩🏾 👩🏽🦱 👨🏼🦲
👧🏼 👦🏽
👨🏽🦳 👵🏼
🧒🏻 👦🏻 👩🏻 👨🏼
👱🏻♀️🧔🏽🧔🏻♂️
👨🏻
👨🏼🦱🧑🏻🦰
👩🏾 👩🏽🦱 👨🏼🦲
👧🏼 👦🏽
👨🏽🦳 👵🏼
4 Designers (We are here!)
3 MSC staff
1 Coordinator
2 Call center staff
3 Developers
2 Students
2 Residents
Result of co-design
MVPs
MVPs
MVPs
Based on the new flow, 2 minimum viable products were developed
Based on the new flow, 2 minimum viable products were developed
Based on the new flow, 2 minimum viable products were developed
Iteration
Usability & comparative tests with all stakeholders
Usability & comparative tests with all stakeholders
Usability & comparative tests with all stakeholders
Testing Tasks
Results of usability testing
Enhanced Clarity and User Guidance: Provide clear instructions, contextual information, and immediate feedback upon form submission to guide users through the process and inform them of next steps. This includes explaining why certain information is requested and offering guidance on multi-selection questions.
Inclusivity and Accessibility: Incorporate features that cater to a diverse audience, including options for pronouns, gender identity, and accessibility accommodations such as ramps. Ensure forms are available in multiple languages to serve non-English speakers.
Feedback and Follow-Up Mechanisms: Establish clear mechanisms for volunteer and citizen feedback, including flexible photo submission policies and a grace period for submissions. Inform participants about how and where they can provide additional feedback or receive follow-up support.
Results of usability testing
Enhanced Clarity and User Guidance: Provide clear instructions, contextual information, and immediate feedback upon form submission to guide users through the process and inform them of next steps. This includes explaining why certain information is requested and offering guidance on multi-selection questions.
Inclusivity and Accessibility: Incorporate features that cater to a diverse audience, including options for pronouns, gender identity, and accessibility accommodations such as ramps. Ensure forms are available in multiple languages to serve non-English speakers.
Feedback and Follow-Up Mechanisms: Establish clear mechanisms for volunteer and citizen feedback, including flexible photo submission policies and a grace period for submissions. Inform participants about how and where they can provide additional feedback or receive follow-up support.
Results of usability testing
Enhanced Clarity and User Guidance: Provide clear instructions, contextual information, and immediate feedback upon form submission to guide users through the process and inform them of next steps. This includes explaining why certain information is requested and offering guidance on multi-selection questions.
Inclusivity and Accessibility: Incorporate features that cater to a diverse audience, including options for pronouns, gender identity, and accessibility accommodations such as ramps. Ensure forms are available in multiple languages to serve non-English speakers.
Feedback and Follow-Up Mechanisms: Establish clear mechanisms for volunteer and citizen feedback, including flexible photo submission policies and a grace period for submissions. Inform participants about how and where they can provide additional feedback or receive follow-up support.
Results of comparative testing
Usability and Clarity: There were concerns about the clarity of instructions, particularly regarding the selection of schools, the purpose of certain fields, and the process of choosing volunteer locations.
Safety and Privacy: Volunteers expressed a desire to know more about the residents they would be helping, including names, to ensure personal safety and comfort.
Preference: Volunteers preferred the simpler one, Process 2, for the additional context it provides about volunteering opportunities and the chance to coordinate with other volunteers.
Results of comparative testing
Usability and Clarity: There were concerns about the clarity of instructions, particularly regarding the selection of schools, the purpose of certain fields, and the process of choosing volunteer locations.
Safety and Privacy: Volunteers expressed a desire to know more about the residents they would be helping, including names, to ensure personal safety and comfort.
Preference: Volunteers preferred the simpler one, Process 2, for the additional context it provides about volunteering opportunities and the chance to coordinate with other volunteers.
Deliverables
Deliverables
Deliverables
Final flow
Final flow
Final flow
How we address needs in forms and boards design?
How we address needs in forms and boards design?
How we address needs in forms and boards design?
To screen/qualify the citizens
Only disabled/elderly citizens without funding can be approved automatically, while the information of the rest applicants will be sent to the section 'Review these request' of the citizen request information board to be reviewed and approved by staff manually.
To screen/qualify the citizens
Only disabled/elderly citizens without funding can be approved automatically, while the information of the rest applicants will be sent to the section 'Review these request' of the citizen request information board to be reviewed and approved by staff manually.
To screen/qualify the citizens
Only disabled/elderly citizens without funding can be approved automatically, while the information of the rest applicants will be sent to the section 'Review these request' of the citizen request information board to be reviewed and approved by staff manually.
Students’ flexibility
Students are allowed to fill a separate matching form to choose the locations they want to work on their own.
Students’ flexibility
Students are allowed to fill a separate matching form to choose the locations they want to work on their own.
Students’ flexibility
Students are allowed to fill a separate matching form to choose the locations they want to work on their own.
Students' safety concern
Students under 18 need to provide guardians' information.
Students over 18 need to sign to agree to guidelines and policies.
Students need to provide the information about what school and school clubs they are in to prove their identities as students.
Once non-students volunteers apply, their information will be reviewed and approved by MSC staff.
Students' safety concern
Students under 18 need to provide guardians' information.
Students over 18 need to sign to agree to guidelines and policies.
Students need to provide the information about what school and school clubs they are in to prove their identities as students.
Once non-students volunteers apply, their information will be reviewed and approved by MSC staff.
Boards interfaces for MSC staff at the back end
Boards interfaces for MSC staff at the back end
Boards interfaces for MSC staff at the back end
Board of citizen request information
Board of citizen request information
Board of volunteer application information
Board of volunteer application information
Board of matching
Board of matching
Board of citizen feedback
Board of citizen feedback
Board of volunteer feedback
Board of volunteer feedback
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
Learnings
Considering Multiple Perspectives in Design - Addressing Diversified User Needs
Our project highlighted the significance of incorporating multiple perspectives, necessitating a design approach that catered to diverse user needs. Working closely with stakeholders, we learned the value of empathy and collaboration in crafting a user-friendly design. The resulting product was a testament to the importance of inclusivity and accessibility when addressing a heterogeneous audience.
Understanding the Entire Product Development Cycle
The project provided a comprehensive understanding of the full product development cycle, from conceptualization to delivery. We learned the importance of each stage, embracing an iterative process that included feedback loops for continual improvement. This gave us insights into effective project management and the need to adapt to changing requirements throughout the life of the project.
Collaboration and Seeking Help from Others
Our success hinged on the ability to collaborate effectively and seek expertise when necessary. Engaging with professionals and support services like 'superform' allowed us to navigate technical challenges and fostered an environment rich in knowledge sharing. The project underscored the power of collective effort and the benefits of pooling diverse skill sets to achieve common goals.
Acknowledging Limitations and Trade-offs in the Real World
The project taught us the practical lesson that real-world scenarios invariably come with limitations and trade-offs. We faced constraints related to budget, time, and resources, which forced us to make strategic decisions about feature prioritization. This process sharpened our problem-solving skills and taught us the necessity of flexibility and pragmatism in project execution.
Considering Multiple Perspectives in Design - Addressing Diversified User Needs
Our project highlighted the significance of incorporating multiple perspectives, necessitating a design approach that catered to diverse user needs. Working closely with stakeholders, we learned the value of empathy and collaboration in crafting a user-friendly design. The resulting product was a testament to the importance of inclusivity and accessibility when addressing a heterogeneous audience.
Understanding the Entire Product Development Cycle
The project provided a comprehensive understanding of the full product development cycle, from conceptualization to delivery. We learned the importance of each stage, embracing an iterative process that included feedback loops for continual improvement. This gave us insights into effective project management and the need to adapt to changing requirements throughout the life of the project.
Collaboration and Seeking Help from Others
Our success hinged on the ability to collaborate effectively and seek expertise when necessary. Engaging with professionals and support services like 'superform' allowed us to navigate technical challenges and fostered an environment rich in knowledge sharing. The project underscored the power of collective effort and the benefits of pooling diverse skill sets to achieve common goals.
Acknowledging Limitations and Trade-offs in the Real World
The project taught us the practical lesson that real-world scenarios invariably come with limitations and trade-offs. We faced constraints related to budget, time, and resources, which forced us to make strategic decisions about feature prioritization. This process sharpened our problem-solving skills and taught us the necessity of flexibility and pragmatism in project execution.
