Start Small Think Big
Feature updates for a nonprofit that advances economic equity by connecting entrepreneurs facing systemic barriers to a curated system of resources and support.
Role: Co-designer
Company: Start Small Think Big
Design Partner: Roxanne Ravago
Intern: Evie 
Task
Start Small Think Big is a nationwide nonprofit with a mission to fight systems of oppression and structural racism. They strive to advance equity in small business (SMB) ownership by providing pro bono Financial, Legal, and Marketing services to small businesses from historically excluded communities.
We worked with them to conduct user research, testing, and cross-functional workflow improvements, eventually designing feature improvements supporting OKRs.
Idea
We designed from the angle of Equity and Accessibility that considers the unique needs and challenges of SMB owners with limited resources, from communities of color, low-tech literacy, and ESL backgrounds.
Research
We studied the current user flows for each user group, features and known pain points.
Next, we conducted stakeholder interviews and led multiple stakeholder workshop sessions. From dot voting, we determined of the seven areas of the journey there were four to improve upon: application, onboarding, matching and feedback.
Next we conducted a workshop with the SSTB team to brainstorm ideas that they think would resolve some of these issues. This part of the process was especially helpful with making the stakeholders feel like they were being heard and acknowledging that they are the subject matter experts.
What came out of it were many innovative and creative ideas to create a more cohesive experience for the users. Below are the top two areas that the stakeholders voted on wanting to see these features added into the web app.
Survey of current user flows and features available to both client and volunteer personas
Synthesis of stakeholder interviews and workshops
Dot voting and ideation generated in workshops with the stakeholders
Core Insights and Key Opportunities
Chosen Concepts
Roxanne and I took one user each. I took the Client and applied two different concepts together to create a new dashboard for the web app that gives the user a very quick overview into where they are in multiple processes, while also giving words of affirmation, taking a poll on how their relationship with their volunteer is going and other needs as well.
Updated Personas
We updated the personas and then conceived new ways to solve issues brought up by the stakeholder group.
Design + Testing
We created the following features and conducted user testing with our two persona groups.
The Dashboard
Today’s Check-in and check-in overview page
Service and learning-oriented checklists
Badges earned
User Testing via prototype
Finally, we tested the features with a real client in the case of this concept and recorded where improvements could be made. These will be solved in the next round of revisions. Click below for the clickthrough prototype.
Result and Next steps
The SSTB team submitted our work as part of an application for additional funding to MIT Truist Foundation. They have just been awarded the funding as of April 2024 and we are set to develop these feature updates.