Green Team Academy

Overview

Objective - To redesign the nonprofit website and come up with the new branding as well as consolidate the old website into Wix to decrease nonprofit spending.

Role: Content Strategy, Information Architecture, UX/UI Designer
Team Size: 3 - Director, Content Writer
Length of Project: 5 months
End Product: Active website through Wix

Problem

Visitors did not have a clear understanding of who Green Team Academy is, which resulted in them not participating.

How might we help them know who they are and as a result increase nonprofit engagement?

Solution

Organize the information architecture and content strategy to communicate the nonprofit's mission and efforts clearly which results in increased engagement.

End Results

Created GTA's new brand and voice
Decrease website spending for nonprofit
XX amount of participants registered for GTA

UX Research

Research Plan

6 participants
1x1 interviews

Objective

Understand what users look for in a nonprofit website
Discover the pain points users face when interacting with the site
Find out how users feel about the current web design

6/6 - immediately did not think it was a nonprofit
6/6 - commented how they don't understand what Green Team Academy does
4/6 - does not trust the site enough to make a donation
5/6 - expected to find volunteer opportunities on the Get Involved Page

What participants said -

"It doesn't feel like a nonprofit"
"I feel like it just wants money from me."

Pain Points

Visitors felt like the website just wanted money from them
It wasn't informational
Super wordy and A LOT of different ways to get involved but still not clear on what nonprofit is

Key Takeaway

I believe potential participants would be more inclined to get involved with GTA efforts if the information was organized better.

We might do this by improving the content strategy and information architecture so that it's clear. Doing this will communicate the legitimacy of the organization and the importance of its mission, resulting in increased donation volume and broader community impact.

Competitor Analysis

I analyzed 5 websites to learn what direct and in-direct competitors were doing as well as identify what works and what doesn't.

Nonprofit Organizations

College

University of Utah
Lenoir Rhyne University

Rise Against Hunger - Event Details Notes

Rise Against Hunger - Event Notes

University of Utah - home

Rise Against Hunger - Event Details Notes

1/8

Creating a Persona

Objective - Analyze data from the previous participants in the Green Team Academy. I learned participants are from across the countries, which is why I created two personas that were from different countries. That way I can understand the motivations why they would join Green Team Academy as well as the way they will engage the website since it differed.

Persona 1

User Scenario- 1

User Scenario- 2

Persona 1

1/4

Information Architecture

Summary

User Testing with 5 participants
Ongoing discussion with the Founder about the IA
5 site map iterations

User Testing Results

Did not understand that CAC and Summit were 2 different events the nonprofit hosted
Did not know how to get involved with the nonprofit
Users prefer menu items to be in alphabetical order

Founder recommendations

Make the volunteer button prominent
Change "Blogs" to "Challenger Stories"

Value Proposition

The Green Team Academy is developing coaching and supportive resources to help people who want to start an eco-initiative project to solve the uncertainty and lack of confidence people endure with thoughts of taking action.

We’re better because we don’t just raise awareness about environmental and community issues, we inspire action and offer coaching and support so that people can successfully execute their action plans.

We’re believable because of our participants' satisfaction and repeat participants.

Style Guide

I had meetings with the founder of Green Team Academy to discuss her vision for the nonprofit and the branding she wanted. She sort of gave me freedom to decide due to her not really knowing what was best.

Wireframe, Test, & Iterate

There were many iterations on the website. Between iterations, user testing and founder meetings were being done. All iterations were best on test findings and founder feedback.

Final Product

I gained valuable experience from this project. I had the chance to work with multiple positions to complete a new web design. From working with the founder to working with a content writer. I learned the challenges of having a founder give me all of the design freedom as well as working with a content writer and discussing where the writing will be on the website. I had a grand time and was very proud of the work I did.

Visit the website - https://www.greenteamacademy.org/

* Disclaimer: Ownership has recently changed so the website has had a couple of changes since