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What is Artists For Humanity?
Artists For Humanity (AFH) empowers teens by providing a supportive space for artistic exploration and mentorship. Through paid professional experiences and public art projects, AFH transcends divisions, fostering confidence and skills in the next generation. The organization collaborates with businesses, exposing teens to entrepreneurship and contributing to community transformation. AFH's impactful approach combines mentorship, creative expression, and community engagement to shape teens' lives and enrich the broader community.
Visit www.afhboston.org↗ to learn more.
Background
During my commute home, a triple display ad in the subway caught my attention, showcasing Artists For Humanity. Intrigued, I decided to delve deeper into the organization's mission and business model. A swift online search during my train ride revealed their dedication to fostering youth creativity for over two decades, igniting my desire to contribute.
With my employer offering grants for volunteer work, I seized the chance to align my passion with their philanthropic efforts. Expressing my interest, I toured Artists For Humanity's facility and connected with their team, ultimately securing a consultancy role. This position focused on enhancing their web presence by identifying gaps and improving the user experience, all within the framework of my volunteer commitment for the grant program.
Deliverable Plan
I aimed to create valuable research artifacts for AFH that could be used in potential rebranding, website updates, or collaborative endeavors. It was crucial that these deliverables effectively captured AFH's current web presence and delved into the intricacies of their business operations, highlighting both positive and negative aspects of the user experience.
Additionally, I strived to support each deliverable with thorough research and evidence, particularly focusing on understanding user wants and needs and providing actionable insights on how AFH could best accommodate and leverage these findings for future success.
Product-Service System Analysis
The initial phase of document creation focused on developing a Product-Service System Analysis (PSS) as the first deliverable. This document aimed to conduct preliminary research into various facets of the AFH business model, including motivators, community engagement, and the suite of values offered.
The overarching objective was to identify initial opportunities in an off-the-cuff manner, providing valuable insights into potential areas for enhancement or innovation. Beyond its role in uncovering opportunities, the PSS also served as a learning tool, facilitating the explanation of complex aspects related to AFH's business model. By delving into the motivations and community dynamics, this document laid the foundation for a deeper understanding of AFH's operational landscape and set the stage for subsequent detailed analyses and strategic recommendations.
User Journey Maps
The foundational stage of the project was meticulously shaped through the creation of user journey maps, a process that would serve as the bedrock for developing immersive "walk-a-mile" personas. These detailed user journey maps were strategically designed not only to capture and visualize the diverse categories of users engaging with AFH but also to delve into the emotional landscape of each user, providing a nuanced understanding of their sentiments at various touchpoints.
The artifact extended its focus to dissecting each moment or stage of the user experience, aiming to pinpoint opportunities to enhance overall user experiences. By scrutinizing the intricacies of user interactions and emotions throughout the journey, the objective was not just to understand but to actively identify areas for improvement and optimization.
This comprehensive approach not only empowered AFH with a keen awareness of their user base but also laid the groundwork for constructing rich, empathetic personas, ensuring that the subsequent stages of the project were infused with strategic insights and a user-centric perspective.
'Walk-A-Mile' User Personas
The next phase of the project involved the creation of user personas, synthesizing insights from the wealth of previously collected information. The "walk-a-mile" conceptual segment of this deliverable emerged as a distinctive feature, setting it apart from conventional user personas. This transformative process entailed imaginative and empathetic exercises, aiming to delve into another person's life experiences, personality, motives, and preferences. The objective was to immerse oneself in the shoes of these personas, navigating the experience path to and from AFH.
Beyond this innovative methodology, in tandem with rigorous evidence and comprehensive desk research, technologies like AI were utilized in conjunction with scientific typologies such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Empathy Quotient (EQ) to generate Q&As and conduct mock interviews with these fictitious personas, enriching the depth and authenticity of the personas with a blend of technological advancement and psychological profiling.
Website UX Audit
Drawing upon the established principles encapsulated in both the Laws of UX and the Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design, I conducted a comprehensive audit deeply rooted in tried-and-tested design methodologies.
Infused with insights garnered from my experience as a seasoned designer, this document was crafted not only as an assessment but as a foundational reference for AFH to consult 'good' design best practices.
Homepage Redesign
After going through the deliverables above with the AFH team, we agreed to start redesigning the homepage based on feedback and research. Our aim was to maintain alignment with the original design of the site, as discussed with AFH early on. They preferred not to deviate significantly from their established branding, which many of their materials already adhered to. While the homepage's structure largely remained the same, we made some adjustments to the information hierarchy to improve the page's flow.
The redesign maintains a familiar look and feel that AFH's user base appreciates. We focused on subtly shifting the visual identity towards a more professional tone while still retaining elements of the playful aesthetic.
