Savvy Giving by Design
Streamlining the onboarding process for interior designers.
non-profit
ux research
ux design
Non-Profit & Project Overview
Savvy Giving by Design is a San Diego nonprofit that brings comfort and hope to families with children facing medical challenges by transforming their living spaces. To support their pop-up designer program, my team and I reimagined the onboarding experience, creating a seamless training system using Zoom recordings and infographics.
Instead of redesigning an existing interface, we built an interactive platform that made the process more intuitive and accessible. By the end, we delivered a solution that empowered designers to get started quickly and confidently, allowing them to focus on what truly matters—creating healing spaces for children in need.
Design Process
After connecting with Savvy Giving by Design's founder and program director, Susan and Megan, our next step in user research was reaching out to current designers in the pop-up designer program.
Design is iterative, and pivots are normal. A structured approach ensures flexibility, smooth transitions, and fewer future hiccups.
Background & User Testing
To kick off our user research, we connected with Savvy Giving by Design’s founder, Susan, and program director, Megan, before reaching out to designers in the pop-up program. Onboarding had traditionally been a 1–2 hour Zoom call with Susan, so we reviewed its recording and outline to understand the existing process. From there, we conducted user interviews to gather insights on designers' experiences with online learning and training, aiming to identify key areas for improvement.
After analyzing data from 4 interviews, we organized insights into a Figjam file with 6 categories:
Logistics
Learning preferences
Pre and post-training
Observations
Online education
Miscellaneous aspects
Main Insights
User Persona
After multiple interviews, we created Sally Sofa, an interior designer eager to give back through Savvy Giving by Design. Despite her passion, she feels frustrated by unclear onboarding, highlighting the need for a more streamlined, supportive experience.
SWOT Analysis
The most time-consuming part of our project was finding the right platform for online training. I conducted a SWOT analysis and collaborated with stakeholders to define key requirements. Our ideal solution needed to be:
Cost-effective – Prioritizing free or low-cost options for the nonprofit.
Supportive of diverse learning styles – Accommodating hybrid learning preferences.
Flexible and user-friendly – Ensuring an intuitive experience for both learners and administrators, especially for Savvy's long-term ownership.
A birds-eye view of the analysis, where we compared different platforms based on what our stakeholders needed.
Each team member explored a platform and shared its pros and cons, focusing on aspects like cost, course management, and design tools.
3rd-Party Platform Selection Process
Using FigJam, we conducted a competitive analysis, evaluating platforms based on stakeholder needs. Each team member researched options, weighing cost, course management, and design tools. After exploring platforms like Coursera and Eduflow, I found Thinkific—a free, intuitive, and customizable solution. With stakeholder approval, we moved forward, finalizing user flows and layout based on research and feedback.
Brainstorm & Ideation
As mentioned earlier on in this case study, the resources provided for developing the training comprised several documents and Zoom recordings. Upon thorough examination, we compiled a comprehensive list of content to incorporate. Through extensive deliberation, review, and fine-tuning, we assessed various concepts and devised a structured layout and user flow.
The initial concepts for training content and included features were documented on FigJam.
The onboarding structure was designed based on our target audience's needs. Through research and a staged approach, we created a training layout that equips interior designers with the knowledge and confidence to excel:
Pre-training introduction
Five primary sections
Post-training review
Downloadable resources
User Flows
Thinkific met our criteria with its free plan, intuitive course design, easy navigation, and strong customization options. With stakeholder approval, we moved forward with developing training content on the platform. Our research and collaboration ensured the finalization of key user flows and layout.
Dashboard
Course
Final Designs
Savvy already had an established style guide, so my team and I leveraged their existing palette and fonts to maintain consistency, ensuring credibility while providing designers with familiar branding to prevent future issues.
