DESIGN SPRINT
Collaborate with Hidden Genius Project nonprofit over 5 days to develop a solution that would increase alumni retention rates and overall community engagement
The Hidden Genius Project is an organization dedicated to training and mentoring Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities. The organization aims to empower young African-American males with the tools to succeed in a technology-driven world, but it faces several challenges that affect its efficacy and reach.
1. There is a noticeable decline in engagement after graduation, with only about 50% of each cohort continuing to stay involved as Youth Educators. This significant drop-off suggests the need for more robust engagement strategies or alumni programs to sustain interest and involvement.
2. The project’s emphasis on competition for prizes and incentives, while beneficial for driving excellence and learning, might also be intensifying a competitive environment that could detract from the values of collaboration and mutual support.
3. There is a missed opportunity during the onboarding process to highlight career tracks outside of STEM, potentially limiting the organization's appeal to individuals with diverse interests and undermining its potential to foster a broader range of skills among its participants.
Addressing these challenges could help maximize the project’s impact and better support its mission of nurturing future leaders.
MY ROLE
User Research
UX/UI Design
the problem
the solution
user interviews
persona
TEAM MEMBERS
Me
Gina Yoo
Andre Ford
Brittany Carlson
Tara Hickey
RESEARCH
initial mind map
"HGP is also a place where you can fallback on, so being able to help out the young learners is opportunity. Ultimately, HGP is also about learning about yourself and becoming the best leader you can be for your community."
TOOLS USED
User Interviews
Design Sprints
Figma
Miro
TIMELINE
November 3-7, 2022
The Hidden Genius Project faces challenges with post-graduation engagement, as only about half of each cohort remains actively involved, pointing to a need for enhanced retention strategies. The project's competitive environment, focused on winning prizes, may inadvertently undermine the benefits of peer collaboration and support. Additionally, the onboarding process's strong emphasis on STEM careers overlooks the potential to attract and nurture talents interested in diverse non-STEM fields, limiting the program's overall appeal and inclusivity.
To address the engagement and diversity challenges faced by The Hidden Genius Project, a supplemental platform was developed to enhance the existing Hidden Genius Alumni Connect Platform. This new platform introduces pre-planned competitive journeys and success metrics, now gamified to heighten the competitive spirit within the organization. This gamification is designed as a motivational tool, encouraging members to continually improve and push themselves, while fostering meaningful cross-cohort connections. The organization can monitor these metrics to measure progress and success, ensuring that the platform effectively supports ongoing engagement and broadens the appeal to a more diverse group of participants.
During our design sprint for The Hidden Genius Project, the research process began with an initial review of the organization and its ongoing initiatives. My team and I conducted a brainstorming session to outline our initial perceptions of the primary challenges faced by the organization. This preliminary mind map served as a strategic tool to guide the direction of our inquiry, ensuring that we were well-prepared with focused questions for the subsequent user interviews with organizational staff and current "Geniuses." This approach allowed us to delve deeper into the issues during the interviews, informed by a foundational understanding of potential areas of concern.
After our initial brainstorming session, we conducted user interviews with both staff members and current participants of The Hidden Genius Project to gather firsthand insights. These interviews were critical in validating our initial assumptions and uncovering deeper issues within the organization. By engaging directly with the users, we were able to explore their experiences, challenges, and perceptions of the program in detail. This direct feedback provided invaluable context and highlighted specific areas where improvements were needed, guiding our next steps in the redesign process. The conversations also allowed us to tailor our solutions more precisely to the needs and expectations of the community involved.
"Out of the people that join, there are only a handful that stay involved. Many people lose touch. It would be nice if they can realize how many more opportunities come if they stay involved"
"The goal is for alumni to become Youth Educators in order for the program to continue to grow and continue its mission to help other geniuses."
- Joined HGP in 7th grade as a way to develop leadership skills
- Recent Program Graduate
- Rising Freshman at San Jose State University
- Interested in Web Design Graphics
- Wants to Engage with Students & Alumni as a way of giving back to his community and applying his leadership skills in a positive way
"Since graduation, I haven't really felt motivated to return back to the organization due to the lack of incentive. I am able to use the skills I gained during my time in the HGP at work, which fuels me and helps me better my life, so what do I get out of returning to the organization?
STRATEGY
business strategy
For this project, our team recognized a significant opportunity to impact the 5 million Black male youth in America, a minority population with considerable potential for positive community influence. We proposed a supplemental platform designed to empower alumni of The Hidden Genius Project to become catalysts for change in their communities. By enabling these alumni to give back and contribute to the organization that shaped them, the platform aims to extend the reach and impact of their training, fostering a cycle of continuous improvement and community development. This strategic initiative not only supports the growth of individuals but also enhances the overall effectiveness of the organization in its mission to uplift and transform communities through technology and leadership.
competitive analysis
business model canvas
The business model canvas played a crucial role by providing stakeholders with a clear view of the value proposition and strategic vision behind the development of the alumni platform.
By mapping out key business elements such as customer segments, channels, and customer relationships, the canvas allowed stakeholders to see the potential impact and scalability of the platform, ensuring alignment on goals and facilitating informed decision-making throughout the project development.
product development roadmap
PROPOSED SOLUTION
dashboard
Alumni can track their current achievements and see their progress in completing "Journey 1". The platform strives to model the same competitive spirit of the Hidden Genius Project, so the alumni can complete weekly challenges to earn more "Journey Points". In addition, the alumni can also track the progress of other members of the platform, which will hopefully encourage them to complete more milestones and challenges.
achievements tracker
Alumni can visually see the overall journey of milestones needed to reach the next journey. All of the milestones you can see on the platform were formed around keeping alumni engaged with the Hidden Genius Project and forming a stronger community. The goal of the page was to creates a sense of competition between cohorts to continually "level up," like in a video game and stay engaged with the organization.
messaging platform
Like a typical messaging platform, alumni can connect with each other, but also connect with current students in the program as part of a mentorship/buddy program. This creates a stronger network between cohorts and a more widespread awareness for the organization, while keeping the alumni engaged through a dedicated purpose that benefits both them and the organization.
job board
A key part of the Hidden Genius Project's mission is empowering young black males to be leaders in their community and connecting current members with innovators and companies making a difference. As a result, our team felt it vital to include a jobs portal where current geniuses in the organization could gain a better understanding of the kinds of roles available to them and also network with alumni who work at companies creating a positive social impact.
support groups
Due to the fact that everything was virtual as a result of the pandemic, our group felt like it would be a fun way to add opportunities on the alumni platform where alumni and current geniuses could meet face-to-face to chat.
This may potentially be seen as a challenge on the journey map, so to increase the sense of competition found in the HGP brotherhood, there is a cohort journey progress on the bottom, so various cohorts can keep track of each other's achievements.
