• NPO CONSULTATION / PROJECT OVERVIEW
ICV is an LA-Based 501©(3) non-profit organization with a mission to support the most vulnerable population of at-risk and exploited youth. Our team worked with the Homeless Outreach Program to build an internal platform that centralizes and automates their day-to-day workflow.
"Currently our team collects data on the ground quickly while meeting potential clients. We don't have a strong central database that securely stores and collect meta information about our clients" - Samuel Flores
"Scheduling check-ins with our clients and tracking numbers to report are currently all done on paper. We want to digitize this process." - Randy Segovia
THE PROBLEM STATEMENT:
How might we centralize ICV's operations into one platform while ensuring unfamiliar features feel intuitive? 🪄
[01] USER RESEARCH & INITIAL ITERATIONS
• COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
What are other database systems doing?
Notion: database excels in task and calendar layouts with a customizable side menu, offering flexible organization but can become sluggish with large datasets.
Google Drive: offers gallery views and powerful search bar enable quick file access, though it lacks structured data management features.
Airtable: provides a robust filter system and real-time collaboration, making it ideal for dynamic, data-heavy workflows, but its UI can be overwhelming for new users.
• USER INTERVIEWS
Understanding ICV's daily operations
To better understand how to serve ICV, we held bi-weekly meetings. Knowing how they currently operate and what systems they use were crucial. Transitioning from paper to digital is tough—we want to make this process as smooth as possible.
• ITERATIONS + MID-FI
Implementing feedback & rethinking visual hierachy
After making our initial designs, we presented to the ICV staff during our bi-weekly meetings and thought through visual hierarchy again. We made dozens of iterations throughout this time, but here are some of our biggest tipping points.
DASHBOARD CHANGES:
Numbers should be tally-able
Viewing daily schedule should be a priority
OLD DASHBOARD
NEW DASHBOARD
CLIENT PROFILE CHANGES:
Prioritize check-ins in the client profile
Nest upcoming check-ins within the check-in tabs
OLD CLIENT PROFILE
NEW CLIENT PROFILE
CALENDAR CHANGES:
Access personal & team calendar through toggles
Refine calendar view for maximum visibility
OLD CALENDAR
NEW CALENDAR
[02] A BLIP IN THE ROAD: understanding icv's different check-in flows
• CHALLENGE #1
3 different check-ins
Meeting clients can range from being a simple hello to a full deliberation. Here's a quick visualization that shows the relationship between different check-ins!
• THE SOLUTION
Creating multiple flows to check-in
We designed a way to ensure the flow for creating different check-ins were distinguishable, efficient, while also serving its purpose.
IN ORDER OF LEAST TO MOST COMPLEX:
Kit handouts can happen any time on the field, to anyone.
Wellness checks occur with clients in ICV system; a simple hello counts.
Scheduled check-ins are the most intentional and requires the most information to be inputted.
KIT HANDOUt
wellness check
scheduled check-in
[02] CONT: avoid double-counting family members
• CHALLENGE #2
Double counting family members
This occurs when both spouses are in the ICV system, either through having their own individual profiles or by being linked to a spouse who is already in the system. This can also include double-counting of dependents, if applicable.
• THE SOLUTION
Establishing a Head of Household
By assigning a client "Head of Household," we are able to eliminate double-counting and ensures an accurate count of the population served by ICV.
Revising the family section under the intake form
Clients will have to state if they have a spouse (regardless of if they are an ICV client), if they have dependents, and if they are the head of household. Children will only be stored under who is the head of household to avoid duplicates.
FAMILY SECTION UNDER THE INTAKE FORM
[03] USER TESTING & FEEDBACK IMPLEMENTATION
So... how responsive is our design?
We conducted unmoderated user testing on Maze using both tablet and desktop devices. This allowed us to simulate real-world usage scenarios, both in-field and in-office.
In addition, we also carried out live user testing sessions with ICV staff to gather direct feedback. From our analysis, we discovered that they faced the most difficulty navigating the tablet version of the interface, highlighting a key area for improvement in mobile usability.
• IMPLEMENTING FEEDBACK
Creating a collapsable menu
As a result, we designed a collapsible menu that allows users to easily navigate to the appropriate tab. This streamlined layout improves usability, reduces visual clutter, and enhances the overall user experience across the dashboard on tablets.
• DESIGN SYSTEM
Colors & components
We centered our primary colors around ICV's signature blue. For the secondary colors, we chose a pastel palette to add a whimsical touch to an otherwise standard dashboard.
[04] THE FINAL PROTOTYPE
ICV's Internal Client Management System
Home + Calendar
Check-ins, event scheduling, and kit tracking.
Clients + Database
Access & edit client information + view all clients through a database.
Intake Form
Onboard a new client through a secured intake form to be a part of ICV's system.
• impact
70% reduction in workflow duration
50% reduction in recording metrics duration
33% reduction in client intake process duration
100% smiles from Samuel & Randy :)
• WRAP-UP
My takeaways & gratitude!
Validate designs, quick & early
Conduct weekly check-ins with engineers to sync features & foster cross-team collaboration
Be flexible & design with the intention of change
Big shout-out to my team: Sonav Agarwal, Kylie Bach, Christine Han, Jimin Kim, Emma Teng, Akhilesh Basetty, Travis Ha, Janys Li, & Eric Huang.