- Diverse cultural practices necessitate customised features and campaign approaches.
- User trust is a critical factor in the success of fundraising campaigns.
- Existing methods have a relatively low success rate, indicating room for improvement.
- Security and transparency are paramount to address concerns over fraudulent campaigns.
- Users face multiple challenges in raising funds, including limited payment options and geographical restrictions.
Online Fundraising platforms for Africa
Highlights
Client
Fundfrica
Website
https://fundfrica.com/
Platform
Mobile app and Web dashboard
Role
Sole Designer, UX Researcher & Brand Designer
Skills & Methods
Research, User Interviews, UX/UI Design, Prototypes & A/B Tests, Usability Tests
Tools
Figma, Adobe Suite, Zoom and Maze
The Problem
The challenge presented was to create Fundfrica, a crowdfunding platform tailored for Africans to raise funds for a wide range of events, from joyous celebrations and graduations to the direst of circumstances such as accidents and illnesses. The primary problem lies in the absence of a dedicated and accessible crowdfunding platform in many African countries, particularly Nigeria, leaving individuals and nonprofits without a reliable means to mobilize financial support for their diverse needs.
20 Countries
No access to GoFundMe in many African countries, affecting over 20 countries.
20%
Only 20% express high trust in crowdfunding platforms for social good in Africa.
60%
Over 60% unable to meet their funding needs.
30%
Less than 30% of campaigns reach their funding goals.
15%
Approximately 15% of campaigns are fraudulent.
2000+
Need for adaptation to over 2,000 distinct ethnic groups.
The Solutions
The solution for Fundfrica revolves around providing a user-friendly platform accessible on both mobile and web, allowing individuals and nonprofits to effortlessly create accounts, set up crowdfunding campaigns, monitor progress through intuitive analytics and reporting dashboards, and efficiently withdraw funds. It eliminates the need for extensive customer support by offering a seamless and intuitive experience, empowering users to independently navigate the platform. Fundfrica's holistic approach ensures users can easily both seek and offer support, fostering a vibrant community dedicated to social good in Africa.
Defining The Problem
We are designing Fundfrica to address the challenge of limited access to crowdfunding platforms in many African countries, such as Nigeria, where GoFundMe is not available. The primary problem lies in the absence of a dedicated platform for Africans to raise funds for a wide range of needs, from celebrations to emergencies, hindering financial support for individuals and nonprofits.
Opportunity
The opportunity here is to create a user-centric, culturally sensitive crowdfunding platform that caters specifically to Africans. By addressing geographical limitations and tailoring the platform to diverse cultural practices, Fundfrica can become the go-to solution for social good fundraising in the region.
Hypothesis
We hypothesize that by providing a seamless and secure platform, Fundfrica will empower users to independently create and manage crowdfunding campaigns, bridging funding gaps for countless life events and critical needs. We anticipate that this will lead to increased user trust, engagement, and a vibrant community dedicated to supporting one another across Africa.
Research
In the research phase, we conducted extensive user interviews, surveys, and market analysis to gather insights into the fundraising habits and preferences of Africans, as well as their specific pain points and needs in the absence of a dedicated crowdfunding platform.
Key Insight form the research
Who are we designing for
We are designing for a diverse range of users across Africa, including individuals celebrating life events, those facing emergencies, and nonprofits with pressing social causes, all seeking a user-friendly and culturally sensitive crowdfunding platform tailored to their specific needs and contexts.
Core Task Flow
Fundfrica's core task flow begins with users exploring campaigns, followed by creating, managing, and updating their own campaigns. It concludes with users monitoring campaign analytics, engaging supporters, and initiating fund withdrawals, ensuring a seamless and empowering experience.
Ideation
In the ideation phase, we envisioned a mobile app that offers a seamless, intuitive experience for users like Amina to easily create and manage crowdfunding campaigns. Additionally, we designed a comprehensive dashboard for campaign tracking and reporting, ensuring both mobile and web users have access to powerful tools for achieving their fundraising goals.
Wireframing
The Final Solution
In the final design phase, we translated our ideation into tangible mobile app screens that prioritize user-friendly navigation, visual appeal, and cultural sensitivity. The dashboard complements the mobile app with clean, informative displays, empowering users like Amina to effortlessly manage their campaigns and track progress, whether on mobile or web.
Explore Page
We designed a well-structured home page that allows users to easily navigate and explore available campaigns, discover trending initiatives, and create their own campaigns effortlessly, ensuring a seamless user experience.
Dashboard
Our dedicated dashboard provides users with clear analytics, campaign growth tracking, a supporter directory, and streamlined content management, enhancing their ability to monitor and manage their fundraising efforts effectively.
Campaign
The simple and intuitive dedicated campaign page accommodates video content, multiple galleries, sharing features, creator updates, and allows supporters to publicly post well wishes or congratulatory messages, ensuring an engaging and supportive environment.
Mobile Home Screen
The intuitive and user-centered home screen generates personalized feed content based on user interests, searches, favorites, campaigns, and location. Additionally, the dedicated explore page offers flexible content sharing and summary data of campaigns, including video content and the ability to set campaigns on a watchlist.
Simple Campaign Page
This dedicated campaign page ensures a straightforward user experience, supporting video content, multiple galleries, sharing features, creator updates, and enabling supporters to publicly share well wishes or congratulatory messages. Users can also easily add bank details for fund withdrawal.
Structured Alerts and Menu Page
Our detailed notification screen allows users to track the growth of their campaigns in real-time, receiving alerts for every activity instance on their created or followed campaigns. The well-structured menu enhances navigation, ensuring users can access key app features seamlessly.
Success Metrics
In our assessment of Fundfrica's success, we will diligently track essential metrics to measure the platform's impact. These metrics encompass campaign outcomes, user engagement, fundraising effectiveness, trust-building, and geographical expansion. These insights will enable us to continuously enhance the platform's performance, aligning with our goal of providing a dependable, culturally attuned, and inclusive crowdfunding solution for the African community."
40%
40% campaigns reached their funding goals
60 Days
Average time taken to reach campaign funding goals
25 Countries
Number of African countries with active campaigns
15 Interactions
Average number of interactions per user per month
Conclusion and
Takeaway
In summary, Fundfrica's design journey illuminated the pivotal role of user-centricity and iterative testing in crafting a culturally sensitive and inclusive crowdfunding platform. By actively involving users and embracing transparency, we've not only created a reliable tool for raising funds but also cultivated a thriving community dedicated to supporting one another's diverse needs across the African continent.
Key Takeaways
User involvement is pivotal for design success. Continuous testing identifies overlooked opportunities. Cultural sensitivity fosters trust and engagement. Transparency is vital for user confidence. Embrace iterative design for ongoing improvement.
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