black girls do stem
Black Girls Do STEM is an organization dedicated to empowering young Black girls. With a focus on STEM, the organization is supporting Black girls who are naturally curious and brilliant, but might not always see themselves reflected in these exciting fields. Black Girls Do STEM is all about fostering a love for learning and building a future brimming with possibilities for these future professionals.
MY ROLE
UX Consultant
TOOLS USED
Notion
Google Suite
TIMELINE
1 Year
TEAM
Kim Wells
Al Lopez
THE PROBLEM
The website was not fully accessible to all users and had a user interface that hindered information discovery. This can lead to frustrated users who struggle to navigate the site, find the information they need, or participate in programs due to accessibility barriers. Additionally, without user feedback, the organization could be missing opportunities to improve the website's content and functionalities to better serve their audience.
THE SOLUTION
To improve user experience for all stakeholders (students, guardians, mentors, donors), we wanted to implement a clear and accessible navigation system. For students and guardians, we wanted to focus streamlining the application process, making it easier to find and submit applications. To help potential students make informed decisions, we wanted to develop informative resources that detail program benefits, expectations, and the experiences of past participants. Finally, we wanted to simplify the donation process by integrating user-friendly options, allowing program supporters to contribute with ease. These improvements aimed to create a more welcoming and inclusive experience for all stakeholders.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
We conducted a comprehensive competitive analysis of 8 similar organizations focused on accessible programs for girls interested in STEM. This analysis focused on key aspects of user experience across their online presence and operational structure. Here's what we examined:
1. Donation Pages: We evaluated user-friendliness, clarity of donation options, and the overall design aesthetic of their donation pages. This allows us to identify best practices and potential pain points for potential donors when contributing to BGDSTEM.
2. Team Composition: We analyzed the composition of staff, board members, and volunteers at these organizations. This provides valuable insights into the diversity and expertise represented within their leadership and support structures. Understanding their team composition can help us identify areas where BGDSTEM could strengthen their own team's skillsets and perspectives.
3. Newsletters and Communication Style: We reviewed the format and content of their newsletters to understand how they connect with their target audience. This helped us to assess the effectiveness of their communication strategies and identify ways to tailor newsletters to resonate more effectively with BGDSTEM’s audience.
4. Revenue Streams: We analyzed their revenue sources, including individual donations, grant funding, and any other revenue streams they might have. Understanding their financial landscape helped to benchmark fundraising strategies and identify potential new revenue sources to support BGDSTEM.
By conducting this competitive analysis, we gained valuable insights into the overall user experience offered by similar organizations. We used this information to refine our the Black Girls Do STEM website, communication strategies, and fundraising efforts, ultimately creating a more impactful and user-friendly experience for the girls they serve.
HEURISTIC ANALYSIS OF WEBSITE
The website's usability could be improved in several areas. A persistent top navigation bar would prevent users from losing their place on long pages. Shortening content would enhance clarity. Footer navigation elements disappear on hover, making them easily missed. Clicking on some links leads to a Google Drive link with no clear exit strategy. The "Programs" page should indicate when applications are closed and reopen. Consider reducing white space on the homepage and long pages. The large image header could be adjusted to prioritize content. Testimonials from program participants would be valuable. Finally, the contact form should restrict the "Name" field to text input only.
RESEARCH
Notes pulled from In Person Interview sessions with students from BGDS, specifically concerning if their parents/guardians use the site and in what capacity.
What We Found
Do your parents use the BGDS website currently?
33% of the students said their parents use the site
Of those that did, most of them accessed the site on mobile
This means the site needs to be tested on mobile devices once it is updated. Android and iPhone. Currently, the site is clunky on mobile, and difficult to complete several functions. Mobile is the main way people access the internet globally. Making it easy for them to pay from their phone increases the chances of them giving.
Parents and guardians that used the site often were looking for up-to-date information about upcoming events, like location, and confirmation that the event was occurring
Students stated it was currently hard for their parents to find events. We wonder if they can sign up for a notification, like text notification, for certain events?
One student said it was hard for their mom to find the link to sign up for the program.
Many of the students said their parents were not aware of the website. That instead their parents mainly just paid attention to the emails and reaching out directly to Cynthia.
We feel this is a perfect space for the marketer to use the emails to drive traction to the website for the giving campaign.
Do you use the BGDS website currently?
Most of the students in the BGDS program said that they did not use the website currently. Several of them have viewed it, but do not look at it regularly.
Those that have seen the website usually view it on a computer.
Students that used the current website reported that they often use the site for exploratory reasons about their STEM curiosities. They are looking for upcoming lessons and materials from past lessons.
This would be a good opportunity to put those resources online. But we know that comes with the administration work and the cost of that work to upload and sort documentation. This may be a later state ask.
One student noted that they, “try to use my phone but the screen is really small…I end up using the computer.”
This is an opportunity to improve the accessibility of the site. The parents are more likely to donate through their phones. If the kids can’t see neither can they. Google Lighthouse can be used as a free report to test this. There are also minimum font guidelines and accessibility control functionality that needs to happen here. So their grandparents that may need to magnify the site to see can do that. We can send over articles on incorporating accessibility and using Google Lighthouse or we can have a session to talk through this.
Quote from a student: “It’s my first year. I like that it is a program for Black girls to learn about STEM.”
When asked what her favorite thing about the program was, one girl stated “Open community to ask questions and readily get information on things I care about.”
The following responses are pulled from the parent Zoom session concerning how info/news is received from BDGS.
What are some ways you receive news about BGDS? Do you use mobile or the web when browsing the site?
Most parents used their phone to see the website.
They reported they do not often go to the website but instead look at the email, go to FaceBook, or directly contact Cynthia.
One parent stated, “I had a difficult time navigating the site during my very first attempt, but quickly found what I was looking for via Facebook, so I stuck to that platform.”
This is a call out to keep posting on Facebook but also an opportunity to update the site with more up-to-date information the parents care about if you want them to use the site.
Parents pointed out that many of them did not know what STEM meant.
Quote from a parent when asked what the most important thing that they wanted others to know about BGDS is: “I would want to know that it’s okay to be a Black girl who is interested in STEM. Sometimes we can underestimate how important intelligence is and that people can grow in intelligence because of programs like this, that empower Black girls to pursue things outside of what friends or others might be interested in. Seek out every avenue and be a Black girl doing STEM.”
