User testing to improve the volunteer journey
Volunteers are integral to the Red Cross movement, and so it is really important that we ensure their experience with us is as positive as possible. We want them to feel valued, and be able to find out about and engage in opportunities that are fulfilling to them. We are part of a wider project that recognises this is not always the case, and is looking at the ways the volunteer experience can be improved.
On the digital end, we put our heads together and hypothesised that;
- People would feel more likely to volunteer if; they were aware of the positive work done in their local area by the Red Cross,
- By providing lighter touch opportunities that people can sign up for quickly, people will find it easier & are more likely to start volunteering at the Red Cross.
- People are more likely to apply for opportunities if they are able to connect directly with the volunteer manager.
- People want to be able to sign up to something that’s happening soon.
Sounds great, right? To us, yes, but consensus in the team is one thing, testing your ideas with members of the public (not vulnerable to your team’s groupthink) is quite another.
To reflect these ideas we built two prototypes:
- ‘See what’s happening in your area’, this prototype allows people to search for their location, and then showed them a mix of key stats and local stories, with an ask to ‘Help now’.
- ‘Volunteer today’; this prototype allows people to search for and filter light touch volunteering opportunities, find out more, and apply.
We decided to test these with 18 participants who don’t volunteer for the Red Cross and represent a diversity of ages, ethnicities and occupations. It is also important to acknowledge that attitudes and circumstances vary according to location, and so we did a third of our testing in London, a third in Bristol, and the final six in Abergele in North Wales.
What do we mean by testing?
In this kind of prototype testing, the emphasis is on testing our own ideas, not those of the participants. It is important to create a friendly environment where participants feel comfortable to express themselves honestly. Testing takes around 45 minutes per participant, and in that time we ask them a bit about themselves, and go through the prototypes, asking them to think out loud as they go. We have a prepared script, but, once we have established rapport with the participant, it is usually better to let the conversation flow between the person leading the tester and the participant, while bearing in mind the key areas we are seeking feedback on. Meanwhile, a third person sits in on the testing and makes notes throughout. We also film the person and record the screen, to make sure we don’t miss anything.
What did we learn?
1. See what’s happening in your area
Our assumption was that by showing people what the Red Cross do in their area, they’d be more likely to volunteer or further engage with us.
The testing supported this hypothesis, with a third of people stating that they would definitely look into volunteering, and others saying that they would consider it or explore it further.
We also got a number of additional insights; including that individuals would like to know more from the statistics, wanted to see themselves reflected in the stories, and that we need to think carefully about wording and tone of voice to ensure our intended message resonates.
2. Volunteer today
The testing supported assumptions two and three, outlined above, with users commenting that it was quick and easy to use, and that it made them feel that different skill sets could be useful.They liked seeing the picture and name of the manager, but also talked about wanting to know more information about the manager.
Results around the third assumption were less clear cut, and there is more to explore here. Some of this may be around the way we defined the search filters, and being clearer on timings of opportunities, and what we’ll provide or volunteers would need to have.
What happens next?
Our findings from this round of testing doesn’t mean we’re finished. We will use these to build the next iteration of prototype, which we will likely then test again, watch this space…
To learn more about all the wider work happening to improve the volunteer journey, take a look at Chris Reed’s blog.
