Breaktime Website Case Study
BreakTime, a nonprofit dedicated to ending homelessness, teamed up with Sam Goodman, Project Director and human rights advocate, to leverage digital tools, particularly their website, for raising awareness and engaging the community. This project description outlines the challenges, strategies, and outcomes of their innovative digital approach to combat homelessness.
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My duty
User Research: Conduct in-depth research to understand the needs, preferences, and pain points of our target audience, which may include both people experiencing homelessness and potential donors or volunteers.
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Content Strategy: Collaborate with content creators and strategists to develop a content plan that effectively communicates the complexities of homelessness, fosters empathy, and encourages community engagement.
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Website Design: Work on the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design of the BreakTime website. Ensure that it's user-friendly, responsive, and visually appealing, making it easy for visitors to navigate and engage with content.
Problem / Goal
Problem:
The first piece of this puzzle was the issue of Low User Engagement. Our online audience seemed to be slipping through our fingers, with visitors merely skimming the surface of our website content. Our social media platforms, once vibrant, were now quieter than we'd like. It was clear we needed to find a way to truly captivate and retain their attention.
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Then, there was the enigmatic riddle of Encouraging Donations. It felt like we were trying to coax fireflies in the night; visitors to our platform weren't always motivated to contribute financially. We had a story to tell, one of positive impact, but our storytelling needed refinement. We needed to better communicate how every donation could make a difference.
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Goals:
Firstly, we aimed to Increase User Engagement. We envisioned a digital landscape where visitors didn't just pass through but stayed a while, engaged deeply with our content, shared it enthusiastically, and kept coming back for more. Our goal was to create an online space that felt like a welcoming home for everyone who cared about our cause.
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Next up, we set our sights on Boosting Donations. We wanted to inspire a wave of generosity, making it crystal clear how every donation could directly impact the lives of those experiencing homelessness. The objective was to transform mere website visitors into passionate advocates for our cause, encouraging them to take action and offer their support.
Design Process
As I embarked on the BreakTime project, I knew I had to delve deep into the core issues. To understand the user personas better and truly get into the shoes of those affected, I conducted interviews with homeless young adults. These interviews were conducted with empathy and the intention to comprehend their pain points, needs, fears, and aspirations. During these interviews, we gathered a wealth of information, including statistical data that underlined the magnitude of the challenges they faced.
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Our data-driven approach was a compass throughout this project. Through rigorous analytics, we meticulously tracked user behavior, assessed website performance, and gained precise insights into what resonated with our audience. Our continuous refinement was guided by these metrics, enabling us to fine-tune our content strategy and enhance the user experience continually.
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But we didn't stop at data; we believed in building a community. The website evolved into more than just an information source; it became a platform for connection. Discussion forums, comment sections, and engagement features fostered connections among visitors, and these interactions generated even more data, showing us the growing engagement of our community.
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Furthermore, storytelling became a potent tool for us. We shared narratives of individuals facing homelessness, and these stories were not just anecdotes but were backed by compelling metrics that showcased the transformative effect of BreakTime's initiatives. Visual elements, such as infographics and videos, strategically employed these statistics to convey the organization's mission and its impactful outcomes.
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Recognizing the diversity of our audience, we ensured the website was fully responsive, offering an optimal user experience across devices, including smartphones and tablets. This approach paid off as our mobile user statistics showed a significant increase in engagement.
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Our design process was a continuous journey driven by statistics and user feedback. We embraced regular reviews and updates, fueled by insights from data metrics, ensuring our design always aligned with emerging trends in web design and user experience. It was a journey of discovery, innovation, and unwavering commitment, all underpinned by the numbers that represented our impact on homelessness in America.
Post Metrics
In my work with BreakTime, I tackled the pressing issue of homelessness in the United States, where more than 550,000 people face this challenge every night. To make a real impact, I redesigned the organization's website. This new site focused on user-friendliness, engaging content, easy donations, and social sharing.
We used data to guide our strategy and content, turning the website into a thriving community where people could share their experiences with homelessness. Through stories, visuals, and calls to action, we encouraged visitors to become advocates.
The impact was clear in the rising visitor numbers and engagement. A mobile-friendly design made the site accessible to a wider audience. This journey was all about adapting, driven by user feedback and design trends. The end result was a powerful platform for change, uniting people, fostering compassion, and inspiring action in the fight against homelessness.
Contact
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