ShelterBox Volunteer Portal Redesign
Redesign of the volunteers portal taking a strong user led approach.
Role
Designer
Industry
Charity
Year
2019
Reflections
This project involved usability testing, but unfortunately, I didn’t gather as many metrics or detailed insights to include in this case study. The feedback from users helped refine the design, but the focus was more on the improvements rather than comprehensive data collection. Since then, I’ve made a point to incorporate more detailed analytics and insights into my process.
Reflections
This project involved usability testing, but unfortunately, I didn’t gather as many metrics or detailed insights to include in this case study. The feedback from users helped refine the design, but the focus was more on the improvements rather than comprehensive data collection. Since then, I’ve made a point to incorporate more detailed analytics and insights into my process.
The Problem
When I joined the ShelterBox volunteer portal project, the platform was in its third edition but had significant usability issues. Volunteers found it difficult to navigate and unengaging, resulting in low usage. A fresh approach was needed to improve the experience, and a new technology platform was selected to rebuild the tool from the ground up.
Crucially, the portal had not previously incorporated user input, nor had it followed any structured research or UX process. This redesign presented an opportunity to involve volunteers in user research and design activities for the first time, ensuring that they felt engaged in the process and motivated to use the new portal.
Research
To understand the pain points, I began by gathering feedback from key stakeholders regarding the known issues with the current portal. I also conducted interviews with several volunteers to gain insights into the specific challenges they faced while using the platform.
These conversations helped identify recurring themes, giving us a solid foundation for developing a user-centered design. Additionally, I used these interviews to collect early-stage ideas and suggestions from the volunteers themselves, ensuring that the redesign would address their concerns and improve usability. By actively involving users, we made sure they felt heard and invested in the success of the new design.
Key issues highlighted:
Volunteers struggled to find and sign up for relevant opportunities.
Poor navigation and usability made it difficult to access key features and functionality
The design felt disconnected from ShelterBox and its mission, lacking brand alignment, storytelling, and an engaging, welcoming feel.
Volunteers found it challenging to complete key activities like submitting invoices and logging their hours.
Volunteers found it difficult to find or collaborate with others in their area, making it harder to organise and support upcoming activities.
Volunteers felt their profiles did not accurately represent them, lacking important details such as past activities, skills, and role history.
Personas
Next, I worked closely with the project owner and community volunteer coordinator to define key volunteer personas. These personas were developed based on the research and feedback gathered from both stakeholders and volunteers. They represented distinct volunteer types, each with unique needs and behaviours when interacting with the portal.
Throughout the project, these personas acted as a guiding reference, ensuring that the design decisions aligned with the requirements of all user groups and that the portal would work effectively for everyone involved. The introduction of a structured UX process and user engagement helped build confidence in the new design, fostering a sense of ownership among the volunteers who would ultimately use the portal.
The Problem
When I joined the ShelterBox volunteer portal project, the platform was in its third edition but had significant usability issues. Volunteers found it difficult to navigate and unengaging, resulting in low usage. A fresh approach was needed to improve the experience, and a new technology platform was selected to rebuild the tool from the ground up.
Crucially, the portal had not previously incorporated user input, nor had it followed any structured research or UX process. This redesign presented an opportunity to involve volunteers in user research and design activities for the first time, ensuring that they felt engaged in the process and motivated to use the new portal.
Research
To understand the pain points, I began by gathering feedback from key stakeholders regarding the known issues with the current portal. I also conducted interviews with several volunteers to gain insights into the specific challenges they faced while using the platform.
These conversations helped identify recurring themes, giving us a solid foundation for developing a user-centered design. Additionally, I used these interviews to collect early-stage ideas and suggestions from the volunteers themselves, ensuring that the redesign would address their concerns and improve usability. By actively involving users, we made sure they felt heard and invested in the success of the new design.
Key issues highlighted:
Volunteers struggled to find and sign up for relevant opportunities.
Poor navigation and usability made it difficult to access key features and functionality
The design felt disconnected from ShelterBox and its mission, lacking brand alignment, storytelling, and an engaging, welcoming feel.
Volunteers found it challenging to complete key activities like submitting invoices and logging their hours.
Volunteers found it difficult to find or collaborate with others in their area, making it harder to organise and support upcoming activities.
Volunteers felt their profiles did not accurately represent them, lacking important details such as past activities, skills, and role history.
Personas
Next, I worked closely with the project owner and community volunteer coordinator to define key volunteer personas. These personas were developed based on the research and feedback gathered from both stakeholders and volunteers. They represented distinct volunteer types, each with unique needs and behaviours when interacting with the portal.
Throughout the project, these personas acted as a guiding reference, ensuring that the design decisions aligned with the requirements of all user groups and that the portal would work effectively for everyone involved. The introduction of a structured UX process and user engagement helped build confidence in the new design, fostering a sense of ownership among the volunteers who would ultimately use the portal.
Whiteboard Wireframes
To begin the design process, I facilitated a workshop with the project stakeholders, using the personas we had defined earlier to guide our discussion. During the session, I sketched low-fidelity wireframes directly on a whiteboard, focusing on the key screens and elements needed for the portal. By referencing the personas throughout the workshop, we ensured that each feature and layout was tailored to meet the needs of different volunteer types.
After finalizing the sketches and confirming that they addressed the requirements of all personas, I transitioned them into high-fidelity mockups. This allowed us to quickly move from conceptual designs to polished visuals, ready for further refinement and development.
Designs & Prototype
One of the key objectives for the ShelterBox volunteer portal redesign was to ensure the look and feel were consistent with the main ShelterBox branding, as well as the overall experience on the website.
This meant incorporating images of the people the charity supports in a positive, community-focused manner, while also maintaining clear and consistent branding throughout. The aim was to create a welcoming and personalised portal that conveyed a sense of community, aligned with the charity's core values.
I focused on designing a clean, clear layout that highlighted key features and functionality, with a particular emphasis on simplifying complex forms and making it easier for users to sign up for events.
Clear call-to-actions were strategically placed to guide users through their journey, ensuring a seamless and intuitive experience. By aligning the design with the main ShelterBox supporter website, I ensured that users would have a cohesive experience across the platform, reinforcing the brand identity.
These high-fidelity designs were transformed into interactive prototypes, allowing us to visualize the user journey and interactions. This approach provided a valuable opportunity to refine the design and gather feedback before implementation.
Usability Testing
The prototypes were tested with a small group of volunteers representing different persona groups. Moderated sessions were conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams, including some of the same volunteers who had participated in earlier interviews.
User testing revealed key pain points and opportunities to enhance the portal’s usability, including:
Volunteers wanted a clearer view of tasks or events that required their attention.
Clearer visibility of events that urgently need volunteers would improve user experience.
Providing more options and detailed information for each event would be beneficial.
Users identified missing links and resources in the quick links section.
Adding descriptive text to quick links, along with update indicators, would help users understand their purpose and currency.
Based on this feedback, refinements were made to the designs, which were then handed off to the development team.
Final Designs
Designs & Prototype
One of the key objectives for the ShelterBox volunteer portal redesign was to ensure the look and feel were consistent with the main ShelterBox branding, as well as the overall experience on the website.
This meant incorporating images of the people the charity supports in a positive, community-focused manner, while also maintaining clear and consistent branding throughout. The aim was to create a welcoming and personalised portal that conveyed a sense of community, aligned with the charity's core values.
I focused on designing a clean, clear layout that highlighted key features and functionality, with a particular emphasis on simplifying complex forms and making it easier for users to sign up for events.
Clear call-to-actions were strategically placed to guide users through their journey, ensuring a seamless and intuitive experience. By aligning the design with the main ShelterBox supporter website, I ensured that users would have a cohesive experience across the platform, reinforcing the brand identity.
These high-fidelity designs were transformed into interactive prototypes, allowing us to visualize the user journey and interactions. This approach provided a valuable opportunity to refine the design and gather feedback before implementation.
Usability Testing
The prototypes were tested with a small group of volunteers representing different persona groups. Moderated sessions were conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams, including some of the same volunteers who had participated in earlier interviews.
User testing revealed key pain points and opportunities to enhance the portal’s usability, including:
Volunteers wanted a clearer view of tasks or events that required their attention.
Clearer visibility of events that urgently need volunteers would improve user experience.
Providing more options and detailed information for each event would be beneficial.
Users identified missing links and resources in the quick links section.
Adding descriptive text to quick links, along with update indicators, would help users understand their purpose and currency.
Based on this feedback, refinements were made to the designs, which were then handed off to the development team.
Final Designs
Conclusion
I moved on from the company before the project was fully finalised. At the time of my departure, the project was in its final development phase, with plans for a full launch to all volunteers. Wider feedback was expected to be gathered post-launch, which would have informed future development sprints.
Conclusion
I moved on from the company before the project was fully finalised. At the time of my departure, the project was in its final development phase, with plans for a full launch to all volunteers. Wider feedback was expected to be gathered post-launch, which would have informed future development sprints.
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Copyright 2025 by LJ Hazzard
Copyright 2025 by LJ Hazzard
Copyright 2025 by LJ Hazzard