My Role
UX Researcher
Tools
Miro, Canva, Pitch, Figma, Pen / Paper
Key Skills
User Research, Stakeholder Interview, User Interviews, Research Synthesis, Persona Creations and Presentations
Deliverables
User Research Report, Presentation
Project Team
1 Product Manager, 6 UX Designers, 1 Project Manager, 1 Stakeholders (CWOB)
Methodology
Agile / Scrum
Partnered with CWOB (Compassion Without Borders), a non - profit organisation giving access to care and medical treatment to animals in need in both USA and Mexico. This project aims to enhance it’s digital presence to attract and increase youth engagement for volunteering, and create strategies for donors and retention.
Define
About
Compassion Without Borders (CWOB) is a non-profit that brings brighter futures to animals in need on both sides of the US border with Mexico. They focus their efforts where the need is the greatest, and where animals are the very least likely to be helped due to financial, geographic, and cultural barriers. CWOB's activity areas are : Rescue dogs and cats at risk and treat them, Find stray animals adopting homes, Community, Access to care for low-income families and their pets, Educate about the importance of rescuing and adopting stray animals.
CWOB operates extensively within Latino communities, focusing on access to care and medical treatment for animals. They work cross-border, impacting areas with significant needs but limited resources. The organization has a strong emphasis on educating and empowering local communities to sustain animal welfare efforts.
Project Brief
This project focuses on identifying opportunities to enhance CWOB's digital presence and outreach efforts, exploring avenues to attract and engage a more diverse demographic, particularly younger audiences. This research will focus on understanding user interactions with CWOB's digital platforms, identifying usability challenges, and formulating strategies to attract and retain a younger and more diverse demographic. In this project we will identify and understand the barriers and motivations of younger users, especially focusing on user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) aspects that affect their engagement.
Hence, this involves:
Evaluating current social media channels
Exploring new online and offline platform strategies
Investigate preferred follow - up strategies for volunteering and donor retention
Building a community among CWOB supporters
Research & Findings
Stakeholder Interview
“Engaging younger volunteers and donors is crucial as they will carry forward this mission. We need strategies that resonate well with them.”
Interview Summary
The first step before diving deep into this project with research study, methods and creating a research plan was to understand the goals and needs of the organisation, and user pain points for a better and clear understanding to set the ‘Research Objectives’ accordingly. Therefore a virtual interview was conducted with the Co-Founder of CWOB - Moncho Camblor.
Past Failures : Previous initiatives that did not align directly with community engagement or that were too broad without focused impact have not succeeded.
Constraints : Limited by funding restrictions, especially unable to use U.S. grants for projects in Mexico
Business Model Integrity : The core mission of providing care and preventing animal surrender cannot be compromised.
Findings
Priorities : Moncho prioritizes bridging the gap between different donor demographics, particularly focusing on engaging younger donors through modernized digital platforms. He emphasizes the need to maintain high-quality content and genuine storytelling to connect emotionally with potential supporters.
Collaboration : To feel heard, Moncho values open communication where his insights significantly shape project outcomes. He seeks assurance that the project will respect the established methods while innovatively addressing new challenges particularly in digital engagement strategies.
Ideal Engagement Level : High; he desires active involvement particularly in shaping strategies that bridge generational gaps in donor engagement.
Surprising Takeaway : One surprising element was the significant difference between content preferences on different social media platforms, highlighting the need for tailored approaches to engage specific demographics effectively.
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Current Organization Problems
Engaging younger generations effectively
Difficulty in reaching new donors through current social media channels
Challenges in maintaining consistent branding that appeals to both older and younger demographics
Limited bandwidth and resources to experiment with new platforms like TikTok or LinkedIn
Declining Instagram followers despite high-quality content production
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Opportunity
Suggestions for enhancing website experience
Optimizing social media engagement through platform - specific content strategiesImproving donor relations through strong follow-up communication strategies
Creating data driven marketing strategies to increase conversion rates by using advanced analytics
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Key Success Metrics
Engagement Levels: Active participation from newer generations in both volunteerism and donations
Education Impact: Successfully training individuals in Latin America to carry forward the mission locally
Digital Presence Effectiveness: Increased interaction through social media platforms tailored to younger audiences without compromising content quality
Success is envisioned by creating a sustainable model where local communities are empowered to continue animal welfare efforts independently, supported by ongoing education and resource provision from his organization
Research Timeline & Plan
Phase 1
Background Research
Stakeholder Interview
Research Plan
Desk Research
Phase 2
Primary Research
Phase 3
Secondary Research
Phase 4
Research Synthesis
Qualitative Interviews
Screening Surveys
Participant Recruitment
Interview Script
Photo Elicitation Activity
Donor Survey
Content Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Affinity Mapping
Survey Analysis
User Persona
User Journey
Organizational Objectives
Expand Veterinary Care Access: Extend the reach of veterinary wellness and spay/neuter programs in the US and Mexico. Use digital channels to promote these programs and attract more funding and volunteers.
Enhance Supporter Engagement: Improve involvement of donors and volunteers through meaningful, ongoing opportunities. Develop initiatives that provide updates, recognize contributions, and offer personalized engagement.
Boost Online Engagement: Increase interaction on digital platforms to build a vibrant community of younger supporters. Utilize social media, e-newsletters, and the CWOB website to share impactful stories, updates, and calls to action.
Research Objectives
Key Objective: To provide data-driven strategies for CWOB to enhance engagement among young adult donors and volunteers, optimizing their online visibility and impact.
Study user behaviors, motivations, and barriers in volunteering and donating.
Conduct surveys and interviews to understand engagement preferences and pain points of younger users.
Analyze factors driving donations and engagement in animal welfare causes.
Define key personas and map their user journeys.
Enhance CWOB’s digital presence and accessibility.
Optimize content and design to attract and retain diverse demographics.
Explore retention and follow-up strategies for donor engagement.
Identify effective content types for different age groups.
How Might We?
Enhance storytelling techniques for amplifying the emotional impact of animal rescue stories, thereby increasing donor engagement and support?
Create segmented marketing strategies that cater specifically to different age groups while maintaining a cohesive brand message across all channels?
Identify and implement emerging social media platforms popular among younger audiences to increase outreach effectiveness?
Develop personalized follow-up strategies for donor communication, aiming to increase donor retention and satisfaction?
2. By implementing personalized follow-ups showcasing the impact of donations, we will observe higher donor retention rates and increased satisfaction, as donors feel more connected to the organization's mission and see the direct impact of their contributions.
Hypotheses
By improving the emotional resonance of animal rescue narratives and leveraging emerging social media platforms with tailored content strategies for different age groups, we will observe an increase in donor engagement, volunteerism, and overall support due to heightened empathy, connection, and reach across generational demographics.
Desk Research
To support primary objectives, desk research was performed to analyze the preferences, motovations, pain points, factors driving donation and volunteering engagement amongst the younger generation between 25 - 45 age group.
Key trends : Millennials and Gen Z transform charitable giving
Millennials and Gen Z are reshaping philanthropy in a number of ways. They are more likely to give online, to causes they care about personally, and to use crowdfunding platforms. They are also more likely to volunteer their time.
Donors accessed a charity’s online donation form through mobile devices. Below shows no of % of donors from every generation who accesses donation form
through mobile.
Gen Z Donors - 48%
Millenial Donors - 47%
Gen X Donors - 47%
Boomer Donors - 47%
Key Findings
Gen Z are willing to donate their own money for the causes they care about. As per 2015 study on U.S.A. teens, 32% already donated money to Non - Profits.
38% of Gen Z are likely to give recurring donation due to pandemic and social needs
Millennials under 35, are almost 3 times more likely to volunteer than others for social benefits
Millennials are the generation that is likeliest to use newer donation means, like Paypal, Venmo, and Cryptocurrency
Digital donation methods are the way of the future, and your nonprofit must be open to that, especially with this generation.
One of the biggest reasons people may be hesitant about donating to an organization is that their preferred payment method is not an option.
The best ways to engage millennials as volunteers : Corporate volunteer initiatives,family friendly opportunities,flexible volunteer opportunities,cultivate organizational transparency, share program impact, easy to use volunteer management software.
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis is conducted between 3 animal welfare organizations : Dogwood Animal Rescue Project, East Bay SPCA, and CWOB. This analysis helped to gain insights about what is and what isn’t working for CWOB and finding out best practices for CWOB to adapt to from the 2 organization in order to attract more younger audience for volunteerism and donation.
UNIQUE
BEST
SAME
CWOB
International Focus:
CWOB has a strong focus on international rescue operations, particularly in underserved areas like Mexico. They provide cross- border veterinary care and rescue efforts.
Medical Outreach Programs: They offer free or low-cost veterinary care in underserved communities, distinguishing them from local rescue operations."
Impact Transparency: CWOB excels in providing detailed impact statistics and financial transparency, building donor trust.
Emotional Storytelling: All three organizations use compelling stories of rescued animals to engage their audiences.
Key Insights of CWOB
Dogwood Animal Rescue Project
Fostering Network: Relies on a network of foster homes for animal rescue
Personal Stories and Community Engagement: Shares personal stories of rescued animals and fosters community engagement
Community Building:
Dogwood fosters personal connections through storytelling and community involvement, creating a strong sense of community among volunteers.
High-Quality Visuals: They utilize high-quality images and videos to attract and engage followers.
Community Engagement: The organizations focus on engaging the community through volunteer opportunities, adoption events, and interactive social media posts.
East Bay SPCA
Comprehensive Services: Offers pet adoption, veterinary care, training classes, and community programs
Comprehensive Services Programs: East Bay SPCA offers a wide range of services and community programs, including rescuing animals, educating the public, and supporting pet owners.
Multimedia Content: High- quality videos and professional photos enhance digital strategy for storytelling and education.
Multimedia Content: Their professional multimedia content sets a high standard for digital engagement.
Multimedia Content: Their professional multimedia content sets a high standard for digital engagement.
Limited Interactive Content: Less engagement with followers through interactive posts compared to Dogwood and East Bay SPCA.
Website Design: Could benefit from a more modern and visually engaging design to enhance user experience
Content Diversity: Needs to diversify content types on social media, incorporating more interactive and educational posts.
Poor Practices
Areas Of Improvement
User Interviews - Survey, Personas & User Journey Maps
Screener Survey
The respondents were recruited from different supporting groups like Facebook, Slack and Reddit who were pet owners, animal lovers or interested in animal welfare cause. The screener survey was created using ‘Google Forms’.
Key Insights
Most widely used ‘Social Media Platforms’
Facebook
57.6%
Instagram
56%
Snapchat
39.4%
Tiktok
39.4%
Twitter
36.4%
Reddit
30.3%
Engaging with content related to ‘Animal Welfare’
Daily
24.2%
Weekly
21.2%
Monthly
30.3%
Personas & User Journey Maps
Personas : The insights were synthesized into three distinct personas based on age, digital preferences (such as platform choice and content type), and patterns of donation and support, including motivations and obstacles. These findings were further compared with survey results to form data-driven recommendations.
User Journey Maps : For each persona, a user journey map was created to depict the optimal customer experience, drawing on qualitative data from interviews and surveys. These maps detail the phases of initial engagement, first experience, daily care and interaction,sharing the experience,challenges and support, rehoming the foster dog, continued involvement and advocacy. It offers clear visualizations of user interactions with CWOB’s digital platforms and content. While these maps reflect ideal scenarios based on collected insights, they represent a conceptual model, as no usability tests of CWOB’s existing social media and website was performed. These journey maps lay the groundwork for actionable recommendations to boost engagement and support.
Persona 1
Persona 2
Persona 3
Key Insights & Recommendations
User Interviews - Key Insights
Participants were initially recruited from the initial screener survey. The interview was held over on Zoom for approx 45-50 mins. Through user interviews, I got clarity on the user behaviours and preferences which in turn helped me to create User Personas and their individual user journey maps. Also the findings were synthesized via ‘Affinity Mapping’ process.
Developing these key insights was one of the most challenging part of this project as I had to synthesize insights from 12 user interviews which were approx 1 hour long. It required me to take approach of nianced interpretation skills which ultimately helped me to uncover the key insights
Below are the key insights gathered with these user interviews. The below insights are from 2 groups. Group A : 12 user interview participants and Group B : Follow up survey participants who have validated the insights given by participants from Group A.
01
Motivation & Engagement
Understanding what drives individuals to support animal welfare.
“Activities such as the rescue of animals, adoption, providing food materials to these animals, making sure they are well-fed, and protected motivates me.”
Group A
31.6% Childhood influence / Pet Bonding as a motivation factor
15.8% Family influence
Key Takeaways
Scheduling and the requirement to go through training and orientation can make it difficult for young people to get more involved. Online orientation is a preferred method.
“I find community events and workshops appealing, especially those that bring together pet owners and their pets. I enjoy activities that foster a sense of community and shared purpose.”
Group B
100% Personal experience with animals
47.8% Rescue success stories
34.8% Public awareness campaigns
The other main obstacle is time commitment. Balancing work and personal life can make it challenging to get youngsters more involved, but flexible opportunities help mitigate this issue.
02
Content Resonance
Understanding which type of content does youths prefer in animal welfare cause
“I’am most moved by stories of animals being rescued and rehabilitated. I find transformational stories of animals recovering from illness or injury particularly motivational.”
Group A
76.2% Positive rescue stories
30.77% Transformational stories
7.69% Humourous content
7.69% Humane treatment & vegan lifestyle
Key Takeaways
Participants viewed 'Positive rescue stories and Transformational stories' differently.
Group B
82.6% Success stories with positive outcomes
78.3% Visual content
65.2% Transformational stories
65.2% Educational content about animal welfare
21.7% Memes
Memes / humorous content was only preferred from 7.69% and 21.7% amongst the youths who took animal welfare cause seriously both with volunteering and donation.
03
Digital Channel Strategies
Discovering social media platforms and other communication channels that are most effective for reaching younger audience.
“I prefer WhatsApp as it effective in reaching out to broader audience quickly and efficiently.”
Group A
21.43% Emails
7.14% Newsletters and Online Articles
17.86% Instagram
10.71% Whatsapp
Key Takeaways
Partnerships with companies like Petco and virtual farm tours via platforms like Airbnb can also increase engagement with younger donors.
“For me, Instagram is the most effective platform for,as it allows for visual storytelling and easy sharing of updates and appeals.”
Group B
78.3% Community Events
78.3% School Programs
69.6% Social Media Campaigns
65.2% Instagram
56.2% Facebook
56.5% Interactive Digital Content
Apart from IG, FB, WhatsApp and Reddit picking up slowly and steadily amongst the youths.
04
Factors considered for Donation
Discovering factors which are most preferred for donating animal welfare cause
“If there is a good track record, you feel motivated. But if there is any history of fraud, then you don’t donate.”
Group A
31% Transparency
31% Impact Results
13.8% Track Record
10.3% Personal Visits
Key Takeaways
Mostly youngsters prefer having an update from the organization almost 'Frequently' from
time to time, without feeling overwhlemed. This helps them to remain consistently motivated with this cause.
“Transparency and visible impact of my donation are crucial factors for me to donate again.”
Group B
87% Transparency & Trustworthiness
65.2% Emotional Connection with Cause
56.5% Effectiveness & Impact of Organization
52.2% Impact / Tangible Results
Donors prefer 'Personalized Follow - Up Communications' for stronger emotional connection with the cause.
User Interviews - Recommendations
01
Using mix method approach to reach out to younger and broader audience
The research indicates that respondents are likely to get involved in events like local community events, school programs in -person opportunities if given a chance by the organization
Community Events & Campaigns
Organizing fundraising and community events like Dog Walks or Runs, Pet Coffee Shop Day.
Collaboration with Educational Institutes
Partner with local schools and colleges, and have each student partner up with CWOB’s mission to raise funds and volunteer for animal rescue operations, etc.
Partner with Corporates as CSR initiatives
Partner with companies with positive reputation and strong market presence and which aligns with CWOB's mission.
Types of companies to consider:
Pet supply, Lifestyle brands, Tech firms
Partner with Pet stores to host adoption events and awareness campaigns
Employee Volunteering: Organize volunteer days for tech employees to contribute their skills to CWOB's digital and operational needs.
Flexible time and Schedule
Flexible Scheduling: Offer adaptable volunteer hours to fit diverse schedules, making participation more accessible for those with busy lives.
Varied Opportunities: Create a range of volunteer positions to match different skills and interests, allowing everyone to make a meaningful contribution.
02
Diverse digital strategies and content preferences
The research indicates strong interests in positive rescue stories and various digital media strategies to attract younger crowd for supporting CWOB’s mission
Social Media Influencers
Partner up with upcoming and new 'Social Media Influencers'/ 'Animal rights activists' who shares content about animal welfare.
Provide them with photos and language to use in their posts
Invite them to the rescue center and show them the impact of the outreach influenced by their partnerships
Diverse digital engagement strategy
Apart from Instagram, build CWOB's WhatsApp community group to reach to broader audience quickly.
Use it to market the event and campaign details
Daily updates about the organization / rescue animal stories, etc
Create live Q & A sessions, Polls with the audience on regular basis where you get a chance to interact with the audience and vice a versa.
Use channels like 'Reddit' to reach out to youngsters for sharing pet stories, pet care and other informative articles.
User engagement content strategy
Use a balanced content strategy by:
Lighthearted stories, education
content and Transformational stories
Use tailored content strategy for each platform to engage users effectively
Youtube : Produce high-quality educational content and documentaries that showcase successful rescues and animal care practices, offering detailed insights for those interested in animal welfare.
Twitter: Share real-time updates and important news, including live rescue missions, events, and key announcements to keep followers informed.
Facebook & Instagram: Post emotionally engaging and visually appealing content to foster personal connections and community involvement. Use short, dynamic videos, interactive elements, and clear updates about animal rescues and welfare initiatives.
Enhancing online ‘Brand’ presence
Tools : Use Google Trends. This free tool allows you to compare similar search terms in general and in your area to see what is most popular.
Use Google Trends to get a better understanding of what key phrases people may be searching related to 'Animal Welfare' program/services.
Use SEO Minion/ any other SEO Analytical tool to the chrome browser and start running it on your webpages, taking notice of your URLs, titles and descriptions.
It will review your page titles, descriptions and more so you can see how you can make small tweaks to improve.
Consider recruiting a volunteer specifically for SEO and a one for your website. Volunteer does not have to be local.
Add AI Chat Assistant for easy inquiries and quick assistance through website.
Elevate 'Volunteer' experience on website by implementing easy 'Scheduling' process.
03
Follow up and donor retention preferences
The research indicates donors prefer having follow up communication from time to time by the organization which they support.
Transparency and truthful communication
Showcase real needs and positive outcomes
Provide a clear and readily accessible overview of donation usage. This could involve infographics or comprehensive reports detailing how funds are distributed across different projects and operational requirements.
Personalized updates
Regularly send out emails with updates about upcoming events and calls to actions to volunteers / donors.
Send personalized 'Thank You' messages to donors
Ask for their feedback
Regular follow-up through Social Media and emails
Personalized updates for Donors
Share detailed Impact Stories with Donors
Testimonials
Include genuine testimonials from individuals who have directly gained from the organization's work, along with feedback from volunteers who have donated their time and expertise. These personal accounts add authenticity and boost credibility.
Communicating CWOB’s goals and vision
Convey CWOB’s mission and plans to supporters, making sure they grasp the long-term vision and the significant impact of their contributions on reaching these goals.
Next Steps
Perform a detailed evaluation of social media metrics across various platforms.
Establish channels for collecting user feedback.
Engage current donors and supporters to confirm these insights.
Conduct additional research with a broader participant pool.
Validate survey findings with a larger sample for more comprehensive responses.
Refine follow-up methods to enhance donor and volunteer retention.
Develop and test content strategies with a wider audience.
My Learnings & Feedback
I experienced several limitations while undergoing this research study. Some of the limitations I faced were as follows: Participant recruitment, small survey and interview sample size, biasedness of the responses, time and budget constraints, etc. Besides all these limitations during the project, I had few key learnings which helped me grow as a UX researcher.
I learnt how to select appropriate research methods while undergoing a research phase. This is one of the most crucial parts and a responsibility as a researcher as it helps to improve the quality and applicability of the findings which is very valuable in any project.
Interpreting Findings : I learnt how to translate research into actionable recommendations which helped me ultimately to contribute into strategic decision making.
Data Overload : One of the key challenges was interpreting large number of qualitative data accurately which sometimes also lead into burnout situations for me.
