CASE STUDY
QUENCH
DONATION PLATFORM
A line about the project in two lines , big and clear enough
Role : UX Researcher & Designer
INTRODUCTION
About the Project
Quench is a donation platform built to support UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 — Clean Water and Sanitation. It empowers individuals to contribute directly to providing clean, safe water for communities in need, with an emphasis on transparency, accountability, and trust.
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Overview
The platform offers real-time updates, donor feedback loops, and clear fund tracking to build and maintain trust. By aligning purpose with usability, Quench demonstrates how design can influence meaningful change.
The Story
T.he global water crisis affects millions — yet many hesitate to donate due to a lack of trust or clarity on where their money goes. Quench was born from a desire to change that narrative. It’s more than a donation app; it's a blueprint for ethical giving. Through intentional design choices, it fosters trust, encourages action, and keeps donors engaged by addressing their emotional and informational needs.
Quench tells the story of how design can become a bridge between intention and impact
| Problem Space
Despite the increasing awareness of social issues and the willingness of people to donate, many potential donors face barriers that prevent them from contributing effectively.
Traditional donation platforms often lack transparency, personalization, and engagement, leading to donor hesitation and low retention rates. Additionally, many nonprofits struggle to reach the right audience and maintain consisten.t funding
Target User
First-time Donors
Socially Conscious Donors
High-Impact Philanthropists
NGOs & Nonprofits
Design Citeria
User-Friendly Experience
Transparency & Trust
Reliability & Accountability
Engagement & Retention
| Glimpse of Solution
TRANSPARENCY
Asking NGOs to share detailed information about their campaign and timeline.
VERIFICATION
Allow only Government Verified NGOs to enroll on the Application.
AWARENESS
Educating Individuals through our app on how to save water by tracking their water usage.
RESEARCH
| Survey Insights
A survey was conducted to gauge people’s awareness of water scarcity, their perceptions of donation apps, and the challenges they face when using such platforms.
NO. OF SURVEY PARTICIPANTS - 70
Awareness
"I believe there is a lack of awareness about the water crisis and how individuals can contribute to the solution."
NGOs
"I'm unsure where to find trustworthy NGOs or how to volunteer for their campaigns."
Tracking
"I aim to monitor my water consumption actively to play my part in conserving water for future generations."
Transparency
"I don't trust online donation apps as I can't verify if the money reaches its destination or see its impact."
IDEATION AND PRIORITIZING
| Brainstorming
We conducted intensive brainstorming and ideation, breaking the process into three key areas: Transparency, Awareness, and Community. We explored every possible way to reinforce these elements, ensuring a more effective and engaging donation experience.
TRANSPARENCY
AWARENESS
COMMUNITY
DECISION MAKING
| Design Strategy
Vision
The aim was to build a bridge between individuals and global water initiatives
The strategy centered around transforming a traditionally opaque process into a transparent, emotionally meaningful, and user-centric experience.
Core Design Goals
Four key pillars to guide every design decision
Trust By Design
Emotional Engagement
Effortless Giving
Community & Retention
Design Principles
Transparent by Default — Users should see and feel the impact of their donation.
Empower Through Information — Present the right data without overwhelming the user.
Emotionally Honest — Use visuals and tone to evoke empathy, not guilt.
Always Actionable — Every screen should offer a clear path to act, learn, or give again.
Feature Prioritization Strategy
We applied a Value vs. Complexity Matrix to scope a lean but high-impact MVP.
Included in MVP:
Verified project pages with funding progress bars
Real-time updates from NGOs
Donor dashboard with transparency metrics
Personalized thank-you notes and stories
Strategic Approach
Discovery & Awareness — Educating users about the water crisis and introducing trusted partners.
Contribution Flow — A seamless and reassuring donation experience with real-time feedback.
Post-Donation Engagement — Personalized updates, project milestones, and donor recognition to maintain momentum.
Success Factor
Trust & Transparency : >80% of users said they would trust Quench over current apps
Ease of Use : All users completed a donation in <3 steps during testing
Emotional Impact : Users described the experience as "motivating" and "clear in purpose"
Retention Potential : 70% of testers said they would donate again due to the follow-up features
DESIGN AND ITERATION
| Designing Flows
We initiated the design process by outlining key user flows. Starting with hand-drawn wireframes, we conducted early-stage user testing to validate core interactions. Based on the feedback, we iteratively refined the design—progressing from sketches to low-fidelity and then high-fidelity prototypes.
DESIGN
| Final Flows
HOME SCREEN
PROJECTS – Discover and support impactful initiatives by exploring projects seeking funding.
VOLUNTEER– Find meaningful volunteering opportunities nearby and contribute to causes that matter.
COMMUNITY – Share your contributions, celebrate achievements, and inspire others to take action.
STORIES – Explore success stories from NGOs, showcasing the real-world impact of collective efforts.
IMPACT - Creating a meaningful cycle of community engagement
DONATIONS
PROJECT DETAILS – Explore comprehensive project insights, including top donors and their contributions.
DONATIONS – Contribute any amount of your choice, with the option to donate anonymously.
POST DONATION – Receive a heartfelt thank-you message, reinforcing the real-world impact of your generosity.
IMPACT - Making every contribution count with transparency and gratitude.
SEEING IMPACT
PROGRESS TRACKING - Stage-wise visual representation of the project's journey.
UPDATES - Real-time photos, videos, and notes showcasing project developments.
EXPENSE - Transparent expense sheets from the NGO to ensure donor trust.
DOCUMENTS - Supporting documents and messages from the NGO for added transparency.
IMPACT - Making every contribution count with transparency and gratitude.
REFUND
ON HOLD– Users receive notifications if a project they supported is temporarily paused.
NOTICE – Users can view the NGO’s explanation for why the project was put on hold.
TRANSFER OR REFUND – Users can choose to transfer their donation to another project within the NGO or request a refund.
REFUND TRACKING – Users receive a receipt and can track their refund transaction.
IMPACT - Building trust through accountability, clear communication, and donor choice.
WATER TRACKING
ASSESSMENT – Users answer a few simple questions to evaluate their water consumption.
DASHBOARD – Visual analytics display monthly water usage and expenses.
TIPS – Personalized recommendations help users reduce their water consumption.
IMPACT - Helping users track, understand, and reduce their water consumption.
TESTING
| User Testing
No. of Users
10
Type of Test
In Person
Support
User follow tasks
TASK 1
TASK 2
TASK 3
TASK 4
Make a Donation
Seeing an Impact
Getting a Refund
Water Tracking
User Feedback
TASK 1
Categories to search for projects should have a nearby option
Hide Name feature should be in settings
TASK 2
Notification button could be in the navigation panel - as few users missed it
Project selection button could be in a different colour to stand out and clear
TASK 3
Some prior information should be provided about the water tracking system
TASK 4
Refund project should be highlighted differently
CHALLENGES FACED
| Challenges
The persona for individuals in need was developed based on common knowledge rather than surveys or interviews, as reaching out to them proved difficult.
When designing the water tracking feature, we initially planned to integrate a device installed on household water pipes to track precise water usage. However, due to time constraints, this feature couldn’t be implemented.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
| Takeaways