Researching
Design Contexts

A community partnership between Bloodworks Northwest and the Interactive Media Design program at UW Bothell

 
 
 

Project


Our team was responsible for designing and conducting a qualitative research project to help us explore the Bloodworks Northwest ecosystem; to hear and comprehend the experiences of key groups, and how they function within and around the organization.

Our work focused on presenting Bloodworks Northwest student ambassadors with additional tools and resources to support their efforts to connect and engage with potential donors.

 

Partners


Bloodworks Northwest

Naomi Howatt: Volunteer Services Program Manager
 

IMD Research Team

Christian Ignacio: UX/UI Research & Design
Jinyi Li: UX/UI Research & Design
Alan Xu: Research & Data Analysis
Juhyun Oh Research & Data Analysis
Max Tan Research & Data Analysis
Maxton McGuire Project Management & UX Research
 
 
 

Objectives


  1. Collaborate with Bloodworks Northwest to design and produce a qualitative research study.
  2. Observe and document the actions, people, and environments that contribute to the Bloodworks Northwest experience.
  3. Summarize and present the insights and experiences of key demographics into a detailed report.
 

Methods


Our team utilized a series of methods to guide our research. Over the course of the project, we visited four blood drives and one ambassador orientation. We were able to interview several donors and volunteers, as well as two ambassadors in training. In addition to our site visits and interviews, we analyzed key components of Bloodworks Northwest's media to see how they communicate and engage with their audience.

 
  • Blood Drives
  • Orientation
  • Donors
  • Volunteers
  • Ambassadors
  • Mobile App
  • Print Media
  • Website
 
 
 

Process


Our process was structured under defined phases.

Collect:
Source, record, and document.
Code:
Parse through and categorize data.
Conclude:
Summarize and report findings.
Conceptualize:
Ideate potential design opportunities.
 

Findings


With the information we generated through field observations, ethnographic interviews, and qualitative media analysis, we were able to develop informed conclusions.

  1. A post-orientation reflection helped illustrate how the ambassador training could be made more robust, and better prepare trainees for their new roles.
  2. An analysis of their media components helped discover miscommunications between their message and their content, and outlined areas for revision.
  3. A collection of field observations helped us understand their logistical needs and how they can maximize their engagement with potential donors.
 
 
 
 

Next Steps


To build on our research, we plan to reconnect with Bloodworks Northwest ambassadors for a co-design session, where we would expand upon their experiences and translate them into supportive resources and tools.

 

Projected user flow


We started with a mock user flow to set a starting point for our co-design session. This gives us the flexibility to build in or remove specific features based on the direct feedback and input from the Bloodworks Northwest ambassadors.

 
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Delve | Visual Identity