Foundation Source is the leading provider of charitable software solutions in the United States. One of their applications, Foundation Source Online (FSOL), helps family and corporate private foundations manage grants, finances, and overall operations.
FSOL was originally designed for small family foundations, so as additional functionality was added to serve larger clients, the application started becoming disjointed and difficult for users to navigate. To help address these issues, we were brought in to help redesign the application with the goal of increasing client satisfaction.
Activities and deliverables
User research, Prototyping, Usability testing, Design system, Developer handoff
Who we worked with
Project Manager
Prioritize releases
Implement agile development processes to enable faster, iterative builds while maintaining stability and scalability.
Streamline workflows
Improved, intuitive workflows are needed to enhance self-service while ensuring seamless access to existing information.
Improve performance
Resolve performance issues affecting the user experience to ensure a responsive, efficient interface.
Purpose of our research
Using various research studies we aimed to:
Studies
Inconsistent link styles, no page indicator, and unclear button labels were identified as significant obstacles to navigation, confirmed by both stakeholder feedback and user shadowing sessions.
To enhance navigation, we developed a design system that standardizes styles and components for consistency across the application. Wayfinding elements, such as active page indicators, breadcrumb links, and clear page titles, help users orient themselves. Additionally, strategically placed links offer quick access to actions and related details.
User feedback revealed that the current dashboard feels cluttered with irrelevant elements like photo albums and mission statements. Users want a more focused design highlighting key information, enabling them to track performance and make informed decisions.
The new dashboard empowers users to customize elements like widgets and data views for a personalized experience. Key insights are highlighted through a clear visual hierarchy, ensuring important data stands out. Interactive charts and visualizations provide a quick, easily digestible overview, helping users make informed decisions at a glance.
Foundation Source’s commitment to enhancing user experience led to a comprehensive redesign of its software product, FSOL. Through meticulous analysis of usage data and onsite shadowing of private foundation users, UX Team gathered invaluable insights to inform the redesign process.
The result—a responsive, mobile-friendly prototype—serves as a testament to their dedication to meeting clients’ evolving needs, streamlining foundation management tasks from donation requests to tax preparations with efficiency and ease.
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