Engaging small corporations in charity
Client
Team
Hyper Island (5 students)
Services
Unicef Sweden
Team
Hyper Island (5 students)
Services
Design Research, Prototyping
Project Overview
Our team of five students from diverse backgrounds worked with UNICEF Sweden to develop a human-centered strategy aimed at increasing donation frequency and fostering long-term corporate commitment among Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The goal was to create a new donation program that would have a sustainable impact on both SMEs and UNICEF’s mission.
Research Approach
Our team of five students from diverse backgrounds worked with UNICEF Sweden to develop a human-centered strategy aimed at increasing donation frequency and fostering long-term corporate commitment among Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The goal was to create a new donation program that would have a sustainable impact on both SMEs and UNICEF’s mission.
Research Approach
- Stakeholder Mapping: We identified key players in the donation ecosystem and created a comprehensive Stakeholder Map, which was instrumental in understanding the broader context and relationship dynamics between SMEs and UNICEF.
- Data Collection: Through a mix of methods (survey, interviews, and desk research). After initial survey challenges, we conducted in-depth interviews with 3 SMEs and a former business owner who had facilitated corporate-charity partnerships. These insights informed the strategy development.
- Persona Development: Although AI-generated personas were initially created, we pivoted away from them after determining they didn’t capture the human aspects of our target audience. Instead, we focused on insights gathered from direct interviews to drive our design process.
Framework in use
Insights & Synthesis
- Key Insight: One major takeaway was that SMEs felt distant from the children they were supporting, leading to a gap in emotional connection and long-term engagement.
- Methods: We used the "How Might We" (HMW) method and the "5 Whys" to uncover the core challenges and needs, leading to the development of problem statements for ideation.
Stakeholder Map
Behind the scenes
Ideation & Prototyping
- Framework: The Double Diamond model guided our research and ideation phases, chosen for its proven effectiveness in design thinking processes.
- Methods: We employed the Crazy 8 ideation technique and Impact Matrices to prioritize ideas. We focused on “Quick Wins” to deliver actionable solutions in the short term.
- Prototype: Our final solution was a membership model with three engagement tiers for SMEs, which allowed them to showcase their support for UNICEF via a branded badge.
- Onboarding Process: Employees of each company participated in a quiz that determined their tier based on their desired company commitment.
- Give and take: The employees would choose things they’d give up in order to gather financial support — drinking less coffees, cancel company trips or free lunches.
- Membership Benefits: Tiers included various benefits, such as quarterly events, white papers, and educational content, designed to build trust and knowledge sharing.
From the final presentation
Outcome
The membership model served as the core recommendation for UNICEF, offering SMEs an opportunity to publicly demonstrate their commitment to social good while engaging their teams in meaningful ways. The prototype was delivered in the final presentation, though it was not tested with SMEs before submission.