Discover
- Desk research
- Competitor analysis
- User interviews
- Survey research
Dabei!
Eine App, die Menschen den Weg ins Ehrenamt erleichtert
Product Design Case Study
01Problem und Lösung
Das Problem
Viele Menschen können sich ein Ehrenamt vorstellen, zögern aber vor der Kontaktaufnahme, weil sie nicht einschätzen können, was konkret auf sie zukommt.
Die Lösung
Eine App, mit der sich Menschen vor dem ersten Kontakt gut informiert und sicher genug fühlen, um eine bewusste Entscheidung zu treffen.
02Research
Viele würden sich gern engagieren. Sie wissen nur nicht, was sie konkret erwartet.
41%*der Menschen in Deutschland können sich ein Ehrenamt vorstellen
66%*der jungen Erwachsenen können sich ein Ehrenamt vorstellen
76%fühlten sich schlecht über Aufgaben und Anforderungen informiertUmfrage · 16 von 21
4 / 5bestätigten diese UnsicherheitenInterviews
* Quelle: Freiwilligensurvey 2024.
03How might we
Wie können wir Nina genug Sicherheit darüber geben, was von ihr erwartet wird, bevor sie entscheidet, eine Organisation zu kontaktieren?
04Was das Produkt geprägt hat
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01Standardisierte Engagement-Profile
Ausführlichere Profile machen die Arbeit lebendig, die Pflichtfelder bleiben vergleichbar.
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02Ein Engagement nach dem anderen
Zu viele Informationen erschweren die erste Einschätzung, ob etwas relevant ist.
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03Ein Self-Check vor dem Kontakt
Es ist ein Self-Check, kein Test: Das Ergebnis unterstützt die Selbsteinschätzung, ohne eine Punktzahl zu vergeben.
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04Ein Account, der optional bleibt
Entdecken und Kontakt stehen allen offen, und der Account wird zum Mehrwert statt zur Hürde.
05Testing und Iteration
Die Struktur war für alle verständlich, nur die Übergänge brauchten Feinschliff.
- Der Sprung vom Setup zu Entdecken wirkte abrupt, jetzt verbindet ein Ladezustand beides.
- Drei von vier Teilnehmenden haben den Swipe-Hinweis übersehen, jetzt bleibt er bis zum ersten Swipe sichtbar.
- Das Ergebnis des Selbstchecks führt jetzt direkt zu »Kontakt aufnehmen« statt zurück zur Detailseite. So geht der Flow nahtlos weiter, statt dort abzubrechen.
06Was ich gelernt habe
Struktur braucht Übergänge
Was zwischen den Screens passiert, ist genauso wichtig wie die Screens selbst. Ohne Übergang wirkte der Sprung vom Setup zu den Ergebnissen im Test abrupt, und man war kurz unsicher, wo man gerade ist.
Sprache kann Unsicherheit auffangen
Nicht jedes bekannte Pattern passt
01Project scope
Define
- Segmentation
- Primary persona
- Problem statement
- How might we question
Design
- Information architecture
- User flows
- Wireframing: lo-fi, mid-fi, hi-fi
- Prototyping
- Design system
Test and iterate
- Usability testing
- Design iterations
- Final prototype
02Problem and solution
The problem
Many people can imagine volunteering but hesitate to reach out, because they can’t tell what exactly to expect.
The solution
An app that helps people feel well informed and confident enough before the first contact to make a conscious decision.
03Research
Many would like to volunteer. They just don’t know what exactly to expect.
I combined a survey, interviews and a competitor analysis to understand where people hesitate.
External research
41%*of people in Germany can imagine volunteering
66%*of young adults can imagine volunteering
Own research
Survey · 16 of 2176%felt poorly informed about tasks and requirements
Interviews4 / 5confirmed these uncertainties
* Source: German Survey on Volunteering 2024 (Freiwilligensurvey 2024).
In their own words · interviews
»There was a lot about how important the project is, but surprisingly little about what my task would be.«
»I don’t even know if I’m good enough for it. Whether I could really help, or would just end up getting in the way.«
»I do want to get involved, but I don’t want to feel like I’ve committed to every Tuesday for the next two years.«
»At some point I just scrolled past it, because there was so much and I couldn’t find the information I was looking for.«
Three recurring frictions
- 01Vague tasks
- 02Unclear fit
- 03Unknown commitment
Competitor analysis
- Inconsistent profiles
- Information that is hard to scan
- A pushy »get involved« call to action
- Account barriers
My research pointed to an information gap rather than a lack of interest.
04Persona
Primary persona
Nina
»I need to know what I’m getting myself into. How much time does it take, what would I actually do and can I even do it?«
Pain points
- Unclear tasks and requirements
- Doubts about her own suitability
- Difficulty estimating the time commitment
Need & goal
Clarity
How might we
How can we give Nina enough certainty about what is expected of her before she decides to contact an organization?
05Solution ideas
Why standardized profiles?
Kernlösung, weil der Recherche zufolge Informationen fehlen. Self-Check und Erfahrungsberichte ergänzen die Profile, ersetzen aber keine Angaben.
- 1
Standardized opportunity profiles
The core solutionConsistent information about tasks, requirements and time commitment closes the gap people described: not knowing what they’re signing up for.
- 2
Optional self-check
Supporting featureBuilds on the profile’s required information to help people reflect on their own fit. It’s not a test, just a way to get your bearings.
- 3
Volunteer testimonials
Additional reassurancePersonal experiences in the extended profile add a human perspective on top of the facts.
06Decision journey and wireframes
Wireframes of the core journey
The wireframes deliberately contained more copy than usual, so the user flow and information architecture could already be tested at this stage.
07What shaped the product
Problem, decision, interface.
Eight decisions made the biggest difference.
01A playful first impression
- TestingThe journey needed a clearer beginning.
- HypothesisIf the areas are introduced in their colours before the first questions, the journey has a clear start and the colours are instantly readable later on.
- DecisionAn animated intro playfully introduces all areas in their colors before asking any questions.
- Visual conceptEvery area has its own color, introduced here and carried through the app.
- Why it mattersColor becomes part of the information architecture: areas are quick to recognize.
- In testingAdded after the usability tests, because the start felt too abrupt.
02A guided start
- HypothesisA low-threshold start with four core questions on place, area, rhythm and time is enough to show suitable opportunities. Organisations give the same details as required fields, so both sides can be matched.
- DecisionFour quick questions about place, area, rhythm and time, one per screen and each skippable.
- Why it mattersDiscover starts with relevant opportunities, and setup stays a light first step instead of a form.
- In testingThe jump from setup to Discover felt abrupt. A loading state now connects the two.
03One opportunity at a time
- Research / problemToo much information can make the first relevance check harder.
- HypothesisThe card in Discover gives all the key details for a first assessment. Seeing only one opportunity at a time leads to a conscious decision: open it or swipe on, without comparing straight away.
- DecisionDeliberately avoid a list view: each card asks for a conscious relevance decision instead of side-by-side comparison. The detail page supports a closer assessment.
- In testingNavigating the card stack was intuitive. Only the swipe hint was missed by three of four, so it now stays visible until the first swipe.
04Filters that stay adjustable
- ProblemThe first setup choices might not match every later search.
- HypothesisWhen there are too few or not quite the right results, people want to widen or narrow the search without starting over.
- DecisionLet people refine the area or revisit their place, rhythm and time preferences from Discover.
- Why it mattersThe search can be widened or narrowed at any time, for example when there are too few results.
05Standardized opportunity profiles
- HypothesisIf the required details look the same and sit in the same place in every profile, they are quicker to take in and easier to trust, on the card and again in detail.
- DecisionUse the same required fields for every opportunity. The first profile shows only those fields; the extended version adds more detail and personality without changing the underlying structure.
- Why it mattersRicher profiles bring the work to life, while the required fields stay comparable.
- In testingTested with volunteers: information hierarchy confirmed. Still open: whether organisations can and want to maintain the required fields.
06A self-check before contact
- ProblemEven after reading a profile, someone may need more reassurance before making contact.
- HypothesisIt’s easy to miss a detail when reading a profile. A playful self-check leads through a few questions and quietly matches the required details with one’s own wishes. The assessment at the end gives more confidence before getting in touch.
- DecisionGenerate reflective questions from the profile's required information to help people consider their own fit before reaching out.
- Why it mattersIt is a self-check, not a test: the result supports reflection and self-assessment without assigning a score.
- In testingSeen not as a test but as orientation that adds confidence. The result now leads straight to »Get in touch«. Planned: an A/B test with and without the self-check.
07Contact without an account
- ProblemMandatory signup adds friction before the first contact.
- HypothesisWhen it’s clear that no account is needed and the reply comes by e-mail, the first message is easier to send.
- DecisionBefore someone writes or sends a message, the copy makes clear that no account is needed and the reply will arrive by email. A sent-message confirmation closes this low-barrier path.
- In testingConfirmed: »That makes reaching out feel much less complicated.«
08An account that stays optional
- First conceptIn my first concept, an account was still required to send a message. I had criticized early sign-up on competing platforms, but only moved the barrier one step later, from browsing to contact. I changed this before building the wireframes.
- HypothesisIf the account is offered as an extra rather than a requirement, people don’t feel pushed and stay open to it.
- DecisionEverything works without an account. Creating one keeps favorites and replies together in the app.
- Why it mattersDiscover and contact stay open to everyone, and the account becomes a benefit instead of a barrier.
- In testingConfirmed: »I don’t feel pushed to sign up.«
08Testing and iteration
Everyone understood the structure; only the transitions needed polishing.
4participants
3tasks
5hypotheses tested
4design iterations
In their own words · usability tests
»I get what the account would be useful for, but I like that it’s just there as an option. I don’t feel pushed to sign up.«
»Oh, okay, that was a bit sudden. For a moment I was like: wait, are these already my results?«
»I like that I can just write and get the answer by email. That makes reaching out feel much less complicated.«
Supported
- Information hierarchy
- Self-check as orientation
- Contact without an account
- Optional account
- Card-stack navigation
Test findings and changes
Transition
The jump from Setup to Discover felt abrupt; a loading state now bridges the two.
Swipe hint
Three of four participants missed the swipe hint; it now stays until the first swipe.
Animated intro
I added an animated intro before Setup to give the journey a clearer beginning. Category colors introduce the range of volunteering opportunities.
Self-check to contact
The self-check result now leads directly to »Contact« instead of back to the detail page. The flow continues naturally instead of stopping there.
Still open
The biggest open risk
Bei Freiwilligen hat der Test die Informationshierarchie bestätigt. Offen bleibt, ob Organisationen ihre Profile vollständig und verlässlich pflegen, denn davon hängt die Lösung ab.
Next step
Pflichtfelder mit Organisationen testen: Können sie die Angaben korrekt und mit vertretbarem Aufwand liefern?
Prototype
Click through the
prototype yourself
The core journey as an interactive Figma prototype, from setup to a sent message.
Open in full screenStarting the prototype loads it from Figma (USA) and transfers data such as your IP address to Figma. Privacy
09Design system
Color that structures information.
Ein Ziel: Informationen klar aufbereiten und leicht verständlich machen.
Farbe trägt Bedeutung, nicht Dekoration: Jeder Engagement-Bereich hat seine Farbe, in Chips, Karten und im Kopfbereich der Profile. Akzente für Self-Check und Profil, sanftes Grau für leere Zustände, Schwarz und Weiß als ruhige Basis.
Kräftige Headlines, runde Pills und Karten, ein klarer schwarzer Button pro Screen: Jeder Schritt ist schnell erfassbar. Wenige Komponenten wiederholen sich, jeder neue Screen fühlt sich vertraut an.
10Measuring success
Primary success metric
Contact conversion rate
The share of people who send a message after viewing an opportunity detail page. The initial target is a 10% improvement once a baseline has been established.
Conversion funnel
- Card viewed
- Detail opened
- Contact started
- Message sent
Supporting KPIs
- Detail view rate
- Favorite save rate
A/B test
Variant A
Detail view without the self-check
Variant B
Detail view with the self-check
Compared by decision confidence and contact conversion.
11How I used AI
AI was my tool and sparring partner: it suggested and structured content and challenged my ideas. I chose, weighed and decided.
Research
Finding and structuring secondary sources.
Perplexity, Claude, ChatGPT, NotebookLM
Interviews and survey
Drafting and structuring the interview guide and survey questions, transcribing and analysing the interviews.
Claude, ChatGPT, NotebookLM, Google Forms
Ideation
Expanding the idea pool after exploring ideas independently.
Claude, ChatGPT
Design
Quickly testing directions and handling smaller design tasks.
Claude, Figma Make
Critique
Reviewing and challenging product design decisions.
Claude, ChatGPT
Documentation
Drafting test scripts and KPI canvases, structuring research documentation.
Claude, ChatGPT
Case Study
Structuring, condensing and refining the final case study.
Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT
12What I learned
Structure needs transitions
What happens between screens matters as much as the screens themselves. Without a transition, the jump from setup to the results felt abrupt in testing, and people were briefly unsure where they were.
Language can absorb uncertainty
Microcopy was not just an addition but part of the UX. Small hints and clear labels helped manage expectations and make decisions easier.
Not every familiar pattern fits
Die frühe Registrierung hatte ich bei anderen kritisiert und dann selbst eingeplant. Nur weil ein Muster vertraut ist, ergibt es im eigenen Produkt nicht automatisch Sinn.