NYC Service
NYC Service builds partnerships to deepen and expand civic engagement through volunteer and service programs, creating sustainable change for our city's greatest needs. They aim to unite New Yorkers in service to advance lifelong civic engagement for a more equitable and inclusive city.
Role
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UX Associate Director
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Client management
Scope
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UX Research
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Workshop facilitation
Summary
NYC Service engaged the UX team at DoITT to help provide audience definition for their strategic plan. DoITT implemented HCD (human-centred design) methodologies to design a workshop that allowed the team to create an in-depth assessment around their target audience while conceptualizing ideas on how best to engage these individuals and groups.
Problem space
A study conducted by The Current Population Survey (CPS) reported that New York City volunteer rates were among the lowest of any major metropolitan area at 14.3 percent. Theories for this include racial and ethnic diversity along with income inequality. In addition, New Yorkers on average have a long commute time at around 45 minutes one way, cutting into time for volunteering.
Approach
Empathy Map
Youth Leadership Council
A youth leadership council is a “working group” of trained young people who work in partnership with adult leadership on issues of public policy, practice and service, toward a shared goal of improving effectiveness of policies and practices that impact the lives and communities of all New Yorkers, but particularly those that pertain to young people.
High School Student
Erin was a persona that encompassed the type of audience that will be most impacted by the Youth Leadership Council’s initiatives. She is at the age where teens begin to think about their academic and professional future. The aim is to inspire Erin to become one of the future Youth Leaders in New York City.
Ideation
During this exercise, the team focused on generating as many ideas as possible based on the chosen HMW (How Might We) opportunity statements. The team was instructed to generate ideas without structure or limits.
Feasibility
Impact Matrix
Each team presented several ideas from the feasibility matrix. As each idea was read out loud, the room helped decide which section of the grid the idea belonged in.
Ideation
Using a combination of Lego, coloured markers, paper and post-it notes, the team visualized their ideas and told a story of how they envisioned them coming to life.
Reflection
Through engaging conversation with everyone in the room, the team learned about perspectives from youth which will play a pivotal role in future initiatives - “Is the Youth Leadership Council for me? Will my past issues (arrests, gang involvement) be a barrier?” This question led the team from DoITT to consider involving more youth in future workshops to ensure their voices are heard.