UX: BCSR

Research:

            I met with the founder/director and other shareholders (board members, clients, etc.) to understand the history, mission, business plan, marketing plan, and operations. The operation aims to provide challenges for its clients and help them overcome the hard things. I also researched similar programs and their websites and look.

 

Stakeholders:

            I worked with key members of the company to identify stakeholders. They comprise four main groups: 1) the founder/director; 2) the donors/prospective donors; 3) the parents of the campers; 4) the campers – kids 12-15 years old.

 

Personas:

            I worked with the team to develop personas that represented people from each of the main stakeholder groups. I learned that they have an obstacle to helping people understand what their program is. It is neither a dude ranch or summer camp for rich kids, nor is it a Reform Camp for troubled kids. I learned that most of their clients come from Utah, though not all, and that roughly 70% are Mormon. I learned that both the Mormon and the non-Mormon clients struggle with questions related to the position of the company and other clients relative to their religious beliefs. And I learned that a primary concern for parents is the safety of their kids, which is complicated in a program designed to challenge kids.

 

Director/Founder desires and pain points:

Desires:

            The director has a loyalty to the mission and the history of the camp Birch Creek is based on. Key points are allowing for free play, the length of the program (long enough for habits to form), making it affordable (especially to the poor), doing projects that aren’t contrived, engaging with the community through service that actually benefits the local community, and most importantly challenging the campers and helping them to overcome their challenges.

 

Pain points:

            Is aware of the obstacles his clients face in providing the experience he sells. By providing real challenges, there is inherent risk. Campers don’t want to do hard things. Their parents are concerned with the safety of their kids as they face the challenges. Donors don’t want to be liable.

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Donor desires/pain points:

Desires:

            Donors tend to have ties to the program. They have seen change in themselves or their children or grandchildren first hand. They want to provide that kind of opportunity to others.

Pain points:

            They don’t want to overfund a program for no good reason. They are concerned about their own liability—even though they believe in the outcome, associating themselves with inherent risk is scary.

 

Parents of campers:

Desires:

            Parents want their kids to have an increase in self-esteem, demonstrate resilience, and have a good time forming memories. They want outcomes that will be demonstrated in the ‘real world’.

 

Pain points:

            Length of program—other summer camps are shorter. Price of program—other summer camps are cheaper (even though they are more expensive/day). Safety. Safety. Safety. Parents are concerned about the religious values their kids will learn. Parents are confused about if their kids are the right fit. They don’t understand if it is a summer camp or a troubled kid camp.

 

Campers:

Desires:

            Campers want to have a good time on their summer vacation.

 

Pain Points:

            They worry it will be a punishment or a boot-camp type experience. They worry they will miss their parents/families/friends.

 

 

Main points:

1. Clear communication about what the program is, and who it’s for and what outcomes can be expected.

2. Clear communication about safety measures.

3. Testimonials.

4. A website should appear professional, but not too slick. Professional enough to help with safety concerns, not so slick that donors worry about how their money is spent.