Project Overview

Introduction

The Reindeers Donation platform provides a flexible and intuitive way to support children in need, offering both financial contributions and gift selection options. The platform guides donors through a simple, step-by-step process, from choosing the type of donation to setting a budget. After completing the donation, users can track their gifts and receive messages from the children, creating a personal and transparent experience. Reindeers Donation not only makes giving easy but also builds a meaningful connection between donors and the children they help.

Problem

Donors often face challenges in choosing between financial donations and selecting the right gifts for children, while also wanting to track the impact of their contributions.

Solution

This donation platform allows donors to either give financial support or choose gifts for children. The process is easy and guided step-by-step, offering flexibility to personalize donations based on price or gift type. After donating, donors can track where their gifts go and receive heartfelt messages from the children they’ve helped.

My Responsibilities

• ‍Product design，
• UX research,
• Content development,
• Roadmap planning,
• System design
• Visual design.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Exploring Similar Platforms: Insights from Donation Center Websites

• Most donation websites, like Goodwill, DonorsChoose, The Salvation Army, and Habitat for Humanity Restore, focus primarily on donors.
• While some offer options to donate money or goods, others don’t provide choices.
• Most of them are clean and easy to navigate.

FIRST STEP RESEARCH

Providing Targeted Donations for Children in Varied Circumstances

Our platform offers categories based on children’s specific needs, allowing donors to support targeted groups like those in rural areas, with health challenges, or requiring educational resources. According to research, here are the main categories:

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE

Balancing Client Expectations with User Insights

I conducted user research through interviews with 4-5 participants, asking a series of questions related to donations, such as their preferred donation methods. From these conversations, I gathered valuable user insights:

• Users prioritize knowing how their donations are used, and trust in the platform heavily influences their decision to donate;
• A clean and easy-to-use interface encourages users to donate.
• Most prefer a simple, guided donation process;

Therefore, I chose to explore various options for the client.

DESIGN GOALS

User Research-Backed Proposal for the Client

• Simple Donation Flow: The page provides a straightforward and intuitive process for donors to choose their donation amount and frequency, ensuring a smooth experience.

• Personalized Gift Selection for Donors: Donors are given a more personalized choice between monetary donations and specific gifts, allowing them to connect with the recipients in a meaningful way.

• Trust-Building Through Specific Case Support: Donors can choose to support specific groups, building trust by showing exactly how their contributions will help. This feature also encourages long-term support by allowing donors to consistently contribute to the groups or individuals they are most passionate about helping.

DESIGN CHALLENGE #1

Current User Flow
Offline&Online Blended

Proposed User Flow
Online Only

DESIGN CHALLENGE #2

User Groups
Types

User Groups
Needs

DESIGN CHALLENGE #3

Donate Goods
All-in-one

Strengthes

• Improved user control;
• Clear organization which is easy for decision-making;
• Sufficient information about donation;

Weaknesses

• Overwhelming options;
• Potential for misuse;
• Limited personal connection.

Donate Goods
Step-by-step

Strengthes

• Guided experience
• Reduced overwhelm of filters

Weaknesses

• Longer Process means tedious and slow
• Limited Flexibility

Donate Goods
Step-by-step: Choose the Package

DESIGN CHALLENGE #4

Tracking System
Polishing

USER TESTING

Which Option Makes More Sense?

I conducted a usability test with 8 participants to compare two donation selection methods: browsing through a list with filters and using a step-by-step process. For the test, we prepared prototypes for both methods, along with tasks and scenarios to guide participants through the experience.

The results showed that 62.5% of participants preferred the guided steps approach, while 37.5% leaned towards browsing with options. This feedback helps me refine the user experience and align it with donor preferences.

Participants shared feedback:

Based on their feedback, we made updates to improve navigation in the step-by-step process to make it more user-friendly.

USER FLOW

A Seamless Guided Experience for Donors

TAKEAWAYS

What I have learned

After handover, stakeholders praised the platform’s ability to foster emotional connections between donors and children, emphasizing that features like step-by-step donation, tracking, and recipient messages add a compelling personal touch.
This feedback inspired me to focus on deepening emotional engagement, optimizing donor journeys, and ensuring scalability for future growth.