The problem with Stone Soup was that the platform's visual design, information architecture, and user experience were not optimized for clarity and engagement. Users struggled with navigation, finding relevant content, and interacting with the platform effectively. Additionally, stakeholders wanted to increase engagement with the "Donate" and "Volunteer" buttons, but the existing design did not effectively guide users toward these key actions.

Heuristic Evaluation – Allowed us to assess the existing platform’s usability, identifying pain points related to navigation, accessibility, and overall user experience.

Content Hierarchy – Ensured that important information, such as the "Donate" and "Volunteer" buttons, was prioritized and structured in a way that made it easier for users to find and take action.

Prioritization Matrix – Helped us determine which design improvements would have the most significant impact based on user needs and stakeholder goals.

Proto Persona & Persona – Allowed us to define our target users, including their motivations, behaviors, and challenges, ensuring that our design decisions aligned with their needs.

Style Guide – Created consistency in the visual design, ensuring that typography, colors, and UI elements were cohesive and aligned with the brand’s identity.

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The Stone Soup project highlighted the importance of user-centered design in creating an intuitive and engaging platform for North Carolina residents. Through research, we discovered that clear information architecture significantly improves user engagement, particularly by making key actions like the "Donate" and "Volunteer" buttons more accessible. We noticed a large decrease on time on task for each of our user flows. Additionally, the project reinforced the importance of iteration, as testing and refining the design through feedback loops led to continuous improvements.

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