Digital Donation

Creating a simplified way of donating in the digitally shifted society

In this study case, I'm showcasing the development of a donation app platform designed to assist a local church in digitising their donation process. The objective was to create a seamless and user-friendly platform that would enable church members to conveniently make contributions using their smartphones and bank cards. Through extensive research and iterative design, we crafted an intuitive interface that streamlined the donation experience, ensuring a secure and efficient transaction flow. The platform incorporated features such as customisable donation amounts, recurring donations, and personalised acknowledgments to enhance donor engagement. By implementing this solution, the church witnessed a significant increase in donations amounts, fostering a stronger connection between the congregation and the act of giving.

My Role

As a UX & UI Designer, during this project I had the responsibilities of:

Researching and gathering ideas on current trends with donation platforms
Designing the interface and the out look of the customised app
Conducting usability testing

Design Tools

Figma | FigJam

Time Frame

2 Months -

Problem Statement

The local church's limited and inefficient donation process, coupled with environmental risks, has resulted in reduced donations, diminished trust, and a compromised sense of security for the congregants, hindering their ability to contribute effectively and impacting the church's charitable matters.

Research

Searching and Gathering Information

In order to develop an effective donation app platform for the local church, extensive research was conducted to explore existing donation platforms, analyse the donation landscape, and study various layout designs. A comprehensive review of established donation platforms was undertaken, examining their functionalities, user experiences, and best practices. This research provided valuable insights into industry trends, user expectations, and successful design patterns. The gathered research findings played a crucial role in informing the design decisions and ensuring that our donation platform was user-centered, intuitive, and aligned with the latest industry standards.

Simple but not customisable or personalised to the user unless willing to change the surrounding environment

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Ideation

Exploring and shaping solutions

Drawing in the design decision gained inspiration from the research findings and embracing the colour palette that reflects the church's values and ambiance. From the shades of orange and red, the design aims to evoke warmth, passion, and a sense of spiritual connection. In line with the church's brand, the Gothic A1 font, known for its classic and friendly appeal, is selected to maintain a cohesive visual identity and enhance the welcoming experience. By incorporating these elements, the design seeks to create an interface that resonates with the research findings, providing a visually engaging and church-friendly experience for the users.

Design

Development

Resurrecting solutions

Collaborating closely with the developer, the idea and designs were transformed into a functional reality, with meticulous attention to detail and implementation of the envisioned user experience. Additionally working along side with the client for this platform, to gain a deeper understanding of their requirements for the digital and physical product. Ensuring that the final outcome aligns with their goals and provide a seamless experience.

Usability Testing and Final Delivery

Resurrecting solutions

After the development phase, a live product usability testing was conducted with churchgoers to evaluate the donation platform. The results of the testing revealed that users found the platform to be simple and intuitive to use, reflecting the success of the design decisions. However, during the testing phase, certain bugs within the coding and issues with external products were identified. These issues were promptly addressed, and necessary fixes were implemented to ensure a smooth user experience. By identifying and rectifying these issues, we put the platform through a second round of usability testing and was able to see the improvements, allowing us to deliver the platform in an improved state, providing a seamless and reliable donation experience for the churchgoers.

Outcome

With the completion of this project it provided a transformative solution for the local church, enabling them to digitise their donation process and enhance engagement with their congregation. Through the extensive research, thoughtful design decisions, and collaboration with both the developer and the client, we successfully created a user-friendly donation platform that addressed the challenges of limited accessibility and inefficiency. The platform's intuitive interface, secure transaction flow, and personalised features have significantly increased donations and fostered a stronger sense of community. Fundamentally, this platform has facilitated a more convenient and modernised way of giving, strengthening the connection between church members and the act of donation.

Reflection

Upon reflecting on this project, I have realised and identified several areas for improvement and valuable lessons learned as a Designer.

Collating the assets in Figma with detailed notes attached for the developer, ensuring clearer communication and minimising any misunderstandings.
Providing specific assets in different formats, such as using GIF or video format for moving backgrounds, would have facilitated the development process and streamlined backend coding.
Understanding the importance of considering the frame ratio before handing over the final design, as the product that was going to be used to host the donation platform was changed a few times before the final decision was made. Ultimately if the design was done in the correct ratio, this would have made it easier for both myself and the develop to align assets correctly.

Overall, this project has taught me the significance of effect asset organisation, providing assets in the appropriate format, and considering the platform specific requirements for a smoother collaboration and development process.