Helping employees achieve giving goals by re-framing the conversation

This product started with one month of product definition and internal communication work, followed by a three-month proof of concept with a market test. It culminated in a nine-month full platform build and successful product launch.

Together the team created a simple, trustworthy experience that is unique in the marketplace. Our solution provides employers and employees an engaging way to give back. It’s a data and goal driven, user centered approach which is propelling an engine of impact.

As head of UX at BLDG-25, I served as principal designer, articulating our vision while making evidence-based decisions to guide our direction. I led a talented team of four designers, coaching them in design sprint methodology and providing regular mentoring on our design system. Working directly with two Fidelity product owners, I researched personas, defined features, created roadmaps, and developed an early proof of concept. I also collaborated closely with our CTO and engineering team throughout story mapping, planning, review, and retrospective ceremonies to ensure seamless delivery.

Fidelity Charitable asked us to connect disenfranchised donors to charities while also adding the ‘High-Earning, Not Rich Yet’ (HENRY) target to their giving products. They tasked us with designing around a global, social, and inclusive donor outlook.

Fidelity clients wanted matching gift and volunteer programs to be more effective and deeply customizable. Employees wanted to achieve personal giving goals and learn about charities they weren’t aware of. Trust, transparency, and ease of use were among the barriers to success.

The team created a robust understanding of both business goals and customer needs through primary and secondary research methods. Our efforts included surveys, interviews, quantitative and qualitative studies, task analysis, usability testing, and use cases. We synthesized this into three personas including a customer administrator and two customer employee personas.

After defining the business goals and user needs, we created rapid solution sketches and wireframe prototypes to help solidify the initial inputs from stakeholders and competitive analysis. These artifacts helped us have tangible discussions with the broader team and validate any large gaps.

With a rapid prototype the product management team could sell the product vision internally and we could begin gathering insights from our customer advisory board. The developers created a functional prototype that we then launched to a few thousand employees, and we validated key business metrics and secured a budget for the MVP.

We applied behavioral economics and primary research to create a more engaging donor experience:

• Transparent Operations – Clear windows into each charity’s programs and financials
• Personal Connection – Videos and photos of non-profit staff coupled with in-person donation and volunteer options help donors feel part of each mission
• Goal Commitment – Planning donation goals during onboarding increase follow-through
• Strategic Anchoring – Higher-than-average suggested donation amounts establish a new perceived norm
• Smart Defaults – Recurring payments as the default option boost monthly giving
• Visible Impact – Company-matched amounts shown during checkout double the emotional benefit
• Volunteer Tracking – Easy tracking of time spent on individual or company-sponsored volunteer efforts
• Collective Action – Donors experience being part of a larger giving community

Fidelity Workplace Giving streamlines charitable programs with:

• Seamless Integration – Embeds directly into existing benefits platforms, eliminating third-party management
• Automated Matching – Easy configuration of company matching gifts to boost employee giving
• Centralized Control – One administrative process to measure engagement and impact
• Customizable Charity Options – Group, highlight, or exclude specific charities for employees
• Flexible Access Management – Simple user, permission, and organizational settings
• Actionable Reporting – Clear metrics to track program activity and impact

Working together with our partners at Fidelity, we brought together multiple stakeholders, customers, and data streams to build a product experience that ignited engagement, sustained interest, and resulted in profound impact for all.

• 19 enterprise customers in the first 12 months
• Average transaction value 150% above baseline
• Onboarding process to plan donation goals boosts follow-through
• Behavioral nudges to anchor giving goals
• Timely notifications for incomplete donations and other key actions
• Company-matched amounts at checkout foster emotional connection and community
• Easy-to-read reports measure activity and program impact
• Speed to market
• First cloud-native application at Fidelity

Our solution engages both employers and employees in giving back while connecting diverse donors to charities through a global, inclusive approach. Together we created a simple, trustworthy experience that is unique in the marketplace. It’s a data driven, user centered approach which is propelling an engine of impact.