Service design for volunteer satisfaction
In 2019, I received the Summer Scholars Independent Research Fellowship, Northeastern's most generous undergraduate research award, to fund a ten-week independent research project in collaboration with my faculty mentor, Dr. Miso Kim.
This research was conducted in partnership with the Boston Chapter of the Jeremiah Program, a national non-profit organization with the mission of ending the cycle of poverty for single mothers and their children—two generations at a time. This research supports this organization in its effort to develop its volunteer program and foster a robust pool of committed volunteers.
PROJECT GOAL
BACKGROUND
I approached this problem with a problem-solving methodology called service design, bridging the gap between theory and practice by providing the necessary framework for generating tailored strategies for improvement
METHODOLOGY
I conducted 18 interviews & 4 hours of direct observation. The data collected informed the development of visual models.
I conducted 18 interviews & 4 hours of direct observation. The data collected informed the development of visual models.
I facilitated 2 co-ideation workshops with volunteers from the Jeremiah Program and self-generated ideas for improvement.
I developed 6 prototypes, both digital and physical:
I conducted 6 feedback sessions with volunteers from the Jeremiah Program, which informed the final recommendations and the creation of a prioritization matrix (shown below).
I outlined 17 distinct recommendations and steps for implementation, in order of priority. I also designed a service blueprint showing a comprehensive view of all of these recommendations, integrated into the existing ecosystem.
FINAL RESULTS
All findings and recommendations were passed off to the Jeremiah Program in the form of this Research + Discovery Report.
This project culminated in an online resource that outlines each step of the service design process.
A service design approach: