UofT · UX Research & Design

WeAct

Reimagining Local Volunteering

Making local volunteering easier to find and commit to.

Open Full Case Study
Timeline Fall 2025 · 12 Weeks
Team 4 Members
Role UX Research & Design
Context University of Toronto
WeAct app volunteer screen on iPhone WeAct app list view screen on iPhone
WeAct logo

The Problem

Locals want to volunteer, but can't easily find opportunities that fit their schedules, interests, and life-goals.

My Role

  • UX Research
  • UX/UI Design
  • Insight Synthesis
  • Workflow Simplification
  • Wireframing
  • Prototyping
  • Testing
  • Iteration
  • Collaboration
8 User Interviews
8 Usability Tests
4 Team Members
12 Week Timeline
Research
Synthesis
Ideation
Prototyping
Testing
Iteration
01Research & Discovery

Research, Synthesis and Ideation...

  • Comparative/Competitor Analysis
  • Pain Points & Motivations
  • Journey Mapping
  • Personas
  • User Interviews
WeAct user journey map showing the volunteer discovery and commitment flow
02Key Insights

People are Very Busy...

In both our primary and secondary research, time constraints were the dominant barrier to motivation and engagement with local causes.

User persona 1 User persona 2 User persona 3

Insights to Design...

We wanted to ensure that our users were heard, so we took our data and collaborated to design the best outcomes.

  1. Opportunities rarely align with schedule/location.
  2. Applying takes too long and has too much repetition.
  3. Users struggle to see the impact of their contributions.
  4. Scheduling reminders are fragmented and tiresome.
Interview transcript analysis
03Design & Prototyping

Prototyping...

Iteration based on research, ideation and feedback.

Lo-fidelity wireframes Hi-fidelity prototype screens
04Usability Testing

Testing...

Prior to the final Hi-Fi prototype, each group member conducted 2 Usability Testing sessions while observing an additional session whilst taking notes.

Interview questions and usability testing materials
05Outcomes & Impact

Key Outcomes & Deliverables...

Hi-Fidelity deliverables — created by me.

Hi-fidelity prototype deliverables showing multiple app screens

What Was Solved?

  • Opportunities to get involved are now easy to find and sign-up for.
  • Reduction in friction from the application process.
  • Volunteers can now commit to opportunities, schedule them with ease, and track their impact with confidence.
Final app outcome screens
06Reflection

Skills Built & Reflection...

I am proud to have worked on a project focused on community wellbeing and encouraging people to support one another.

Skills Built...

  • Research & Insight Synthesis
    • Interviewing, testing, pattern extraction, and forming actionable insights.
  • User-Centered Design
    • Translating needs and pain points to direction and flows.
  • Interaction Design
    • Reducing friction, clarifying navigation, and designing efficient flows.
  • Collaboration and Communication
    • 2 presentations, skill sharing, meetings, and project collaboration.
  • Design Tools
    • Figma — prototyping, wireframes, components and assets.

Things I Learned...

  • How to balance user needs with real-world constraints, both in terms of organizational factors (such as time and expectations) and practical limitations (such as technical feasibility and scope).
  • Grounding decisions in solid evidence.

Challenges...

  • Balancing different user needs and assigning priorities, such as focusing more on discovery layout over impact visualization.

Improvements for Next Time...

  • Conduct usability testing earlier to determine a better prioritization order.
  • Expand the diversity of testing participants to catch edge cases.