Simplifying and automating processes for volunteers so the branch can run more efficiently.

PROBLEM

When a new request for meals comes in, coordinators assign them to volunteer deliverers, and update the status as it is allocated and completed.

Coordinator-Volunteer correspondence is via email.

Volunteer deliverers are encouraged to Reply-all so they can follow the thread. As such, everyone’s inbox tends to be flooded with emails.

It becomes difficult to track which ones have been assigned because messages get lost in the thread.

Having been a regular Bellyful deliverer and coordinator, it inspired me to think of a solution to make the process of assigning deliveries and keeping stock logs easy so that volunteer experience is more pleasant and rewarding.

BRANCH PAIN POINTS

SURVEYS

I planned and conducted interviews and surveys with stakeholders and potential users within our branch and other branches across New Zealand.

From this data, I sought to make a solution that would make the assigning and remembering deliveries more efficient. 

Since not 100% of the users are not constantly on cellular data, I realised that it would need to run be able to run offline, then automatically update the system when the user is back online.

USER FLOWS

I reviewed our current process and looked at areas which can be automated.

Among the sticking points were deliverers remembering assigned referrals and coordinators resending unassigned referrals to everyone. 

This user flow shows the process a deliverer goes through in the app, addressing the main pain points.

With the app, the deliverer will have a tab containing all the referrals assigned to her, as well as the meals needed from the stock. 

If a referral remains unassigned after three days, a notification will automatically be resent to the deliverers, so the coordinator would not have to resend an email manually.

WIREFRAMING

I created pencil wireframes to visualize how certain problems could be solved. In this case, I drew them as soon as the solutions came to mind. 

LO FI MOCK UPS

The solutions were distilled when the low fidelity mock ups were created in Balsamiq. 

The text was tweaked so it closely matches the language of the coordinators and volunteers.

HI FI MOCKUPS

With the Hi Fi mockups, the UI was refined, putting a lot of focus on readability.

With this app, volunteers can clearly see which recipients they agreed to deliver to, which ones have not been assigned, and which are completed. 

They can also see accurate stock levels so it saves time on having to ask which freezer has enough meals to cover a delivery.

LESSONS AND CONSTRAINTS

I presented the initial design to the Bellyful volunteers for feedback. It was well received, and the constraints on the right were brought up.

I worked in collaboration with undergrad students of Massey University to develop the app. 

For the database, one group used Azure, the other, Firebase. We saw that although Firebase was more ideal in terms of speed and cost, it did not allow for some of the crucial functions to be performed, such as seamless reporting. 

The group who worked on Azure on the other hand, designed a back-end platform that was easier for the coordinators to use. Their prototype lacked the necessary functions so we were not able to test it exhaustively. 

I learned that constant communication is crucial in developing a project, since not everyone was present on all the meetings and it appeared that the brief could be explained more thoroughly.

A new team of Massey University students has just begun developing the app.