Dimensional Destitution

This app is trying to bridge that gap, connecting people who want to help with those who need it most.

OVERVIEW

DIMENSIONAL DESTITUTION

In India, the homeless population struggles to survive, and people often want to help but don't know how. It's like wanting to give to someone on the street but not being able to stop in traffic.

This app is trying to bridge that gap, connecting people who want to help with those who need it most.

We're also working on the idea of collaboration with the Indian Government for this!

In India, the homeless population struggles to survive, and people often want to help but don't know how. It's like wanting to give to someone on the street but not being able to stop in traffic.

This app is trying to bridge that gap, connecting people who want to help with those who need it most.

We're also working on the idea of collaboration with the Indian Government for this!

DISCLAIMER 🫡

The word Destitute is culturally used differently in India - there, that's a word that is extremely respectful.

So….What's this all about?

There are about 70 Million destitutes in India who can be seen around everywhere.

Woah! Right?

They were not tracked and kept in a separate census list, so…

The General Public's Problem

Monetary help was misused

The General Public often saw that after donating by the kindness of their heart, the donations were misused for Alcohol & Drugs

The Destitute's Problem

Being helpless & Mistreated

The Destitute were rudely treated by the General Public.

The User and The Benefactor

Who are we solving for?

We are solving for the destitute who just need a chance to get back on their feet and the donors who want to help - but want to know it's going to the right place and making a real difference.

Problem Statement

What are we solving?

Let's break down who's facing what challenge here, and how everyone wins by solving it.

How might we empower the destitute in India by creating a platform that fosters trust, transparency, and sustainable support, while also addressing the practical concerns of potential donors to ensure eventual self-sufficiency

What

Who

Why

Solution

A mobile platform to connect users (public - donators; volunteers and the needy)

This app bridges the gap between donors and the destitute through volunteers. By scanning a location, users can upload images and details of the homeless, allowing volunteers to deliver goods or services on the users' behalf. The app tracks the assistance and informs the user how their contribution impacted someone’s life. (This project was created with the focus of India. Some scenarios might not be relatable as they are how it works in India and not the other parts of the world).

Authentication Screens

User Flexibility

The message applies the emotional design and call to action principles. It creates an emotional trigger by using a playful tone ("Oh no!") and encourages users to take action by informing them of nearby people they can assist. This motivates engagement by appealing to empathy and providing a clear, actionable task.

This UX design decision aligns with the flexibility and user control principle which is a key usability heuristic by Jakob Nielsen, allowing users to switch between options (donor, volunteer, or explorer) at any time. It enhances user autonomy, accommodates diverse needs, and reduces commitment pressure during sign-up, improving overall user satisfaction.

Incentives as Motivation

Home Screen

In-app Map

Donor & Volunteer Rewards

Help History

Users get rewards for helping destitutes, and these rewards are in the form of points which can be converted into cash and donated to help more people.

They are also able to access their donation/volunteer history to see how much they’ve helped the less privileged so far and to motivate them. They can also see their earned points monthly and overtime, to compare their donations over a period.

User Impact

Account Settings

The Process

How did we get there?

We started with user observation (habitat studies) to understand the interactions between the Users and the Destitutes in depth. This was followed by secondary research where we gained a deep understanding of the multifaceted nature of poverty, existing solutions, user needs, and the competitive landscape, laying a strong foundation for the project.

We then performed indirect and direct competitors analysis.

Problem statement - How might we empower the destitute in India by creating a platform that fosters trust, transparency, and sustainable support, while also addressing the practical concerns of potential donors to ensure eventual self-sufficiency

What

Who

Why

What did we find out?

The Users, Benefactors and the Volunteers say ~

Data was collected from a 119 participants including potential Users/ Volunteers of ages 15-50, combining Surveys and Interviews - to understand pain-points, needs, wants and point of views.

What are the Benefactors saying?

They lost their jobs after Covid-19, and aren't getting enough money to feed their family. Most of them are willing to work if they get employed.

What are the Donors saying?

They know that there are a mix of genuine and people who have just gotten comfortable with begging.

They are only willing to help people who are genuinely in need by providing skills and necessities.

What are the Volunteers saying?

They are willing to help people genuinely in need when only they're free and it's blending in conveniently with their schedules.

Empathy Map

All about the users - how do they feel?

I developed an empathy map to deeply understand our users' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, guiding our design decisions to create a more meaningful and user-centered experience.

MoSCoW Prioritization Analysis

Let's get to translating their feelings into features!

I went about prioritizing the essential features for the product based on alllll the data collected! This was to ensure a user-focused MVP.

User Persona

All about our ideal users!

After mapping out user requirements, have a look at who our users mostly are!

Card Sorting and Information Architecture

Structuring this app and navigations - start solving!

We held 17 remote card-sorting sessions to structure the app’s information architecture. Initially working with 24 product categories, we refined them into 5 main categories with 3-6 subcategories each. This simplified user flow and made navigation more intuitive.

Sketches

We brought this idea to life!

Brainstorming, rough sketches, lots of iterations and varieties

Storyboard

How would a volunteer enjoy their benefits in the app?

Volunteers using the app reward systems

Mid Fidelity Wireframes

We digitalized the outlines!

Looking at the structure materialize :)

Relevant information is displayed on the home screen immediately a user logs in to their account. Information about people around them who need help. They’re also able to search within other locations to find people to help. This helps increase the options for destitutes in areas where there are more less donors.

Users are also given the flexibility to locate a person if they are motivated or have the capacity to do more based on the person’s situation. Middleman are involved in this phase for security of both parties.

The destitute basic information is displayed - i.e. their name, age, family, needs, wants, etc.

The user’s impact is also displayed under their profile. This aids in motivation to help more, as well as reassuring them of their impact on the needy.

Branding and Design Systems

How did we want it to look and why?!

We had some logic and reasoning behind the logo we created and the colours we handpicked for this app.

Logo Logic and Colour Theory

#396783

The hexadecimal color code #396783 is a medium dark shade of cyan-blue. Cyan is a restful, calming color that symbolizes relaxation.

#91b7c6

The hexadecimal color code #91b7c6 is a medium light shade of cyan.

It is typically associated with liveliness, youth and energy

#fcf5d0

The hexadecimal color code #fcf5d0 is a very light shade of yellow. As it is the color of the sun, associated with warmth & energy. In color psychology, yellow is thought to encourage optimism & be uplifting.

Brand Language

Reflections - Moving on

User Motivation and Rewards: While the reward system was effective in attracting volunteers, we noticed that long-term engagement could be enhanced by expanding reward options, including more experiential incentives like exclusive access to events.
Behavioral Challenges with Destitute Engagement: Despite the platform’s potential, we encountered challenges in motivating some of the destitute to participate in the skills programs, highlighting the need for more nuanced approaches to long-term destitution solutions.
Enhancing User Experience: Usability testing revealed areas where the user flow could be further simplified, particularly in the onboarding process. As we move forward, we will focus on making the app more intuitive and user-friendly, especially for first-time users.
Expanding the Platform's Reach: Going forward, we plan to explore partnerships with more local businesses and NGOs to broaden the platform’s impact, and introduce additional features such as skill-training modules to make the destitute self-sufficient in the long term.

These reflections will help shape the next iteration of the platform, ensuring it continues to address the needs of all its stakeholders effectively.