Challenge

I was in mixed feelings when I was offered to lead a Non-profit organization. First and foremost, I did not  have previous experience with non-profits, second the whole management team members were looking  forward to transition their responsibilities using this leadership change as an opportunity. Not to  mention, all management roles were voluntary and last three years membership was declining 20%  consistently and fundraiser programs were not attracting new donors. I was really called to turn around  this failing organization by the Chairman and Founder who had emotional ties with this organization.  The challenge in day one was to recruit new management team members, understand the cause of  member reduction and lack of attracting donors to the fundraiser programs.

Covid 19 was in the news and spreading. The mission of the organization was so relevant to create  impact in multiple countries if we could use this as an opportunity to energize this sleepy yet promising  organization.

Selection, Application and Insight

While I was recruiting my management team, I must confess that my first selection was this course. I  thought, design thinking methods and the tools will help. I decided to join this class as the rest of the  team members had day jobs. They were okay for me to share with them weekly class learnings. This  turned into kind of fun way of working and started to create bonding and motivated everyone to focus  on problems at hand.

Once the management team were fully in-place, it was my second week in the course. It was also our  second zoom meeting with management team where we started to use visualization tool to draw  pictures of stake holders and identify questions which will highlight their unmet needs. We also applied  the Mind Mapping teachings on the visuals. We saw no compelling need to use Mind Mapping Tool  separately. Here is a photo of one of the Drawings:

The next step was the validation of our assumptions with stake holders. Based on the feedbacks, themes  and patterns started to emerge but we realize that we are still missing information related with previous  fundraiser campaigns.

This caused us to apply secondary research tool on the volume and size of the previous fundraisers.  Once we had some additional data in our hands, we started to curate the feedbacks we received from  stakeholders and brainstormed around the cause and effects of how we engage and communicate with  them.  Secondary research was also highlighted the impact of cause definition and relevance to the  donors. To our surprise there was a ceiling for raised funds this organization was not exceeding.  Secondary research was also highlighted that in all the previous campaigns same people were reached  out and not many new donors were attracted.

On a separate note, fourth week with my team, Covid 19 was clearly became a pandemic. We started to  have side chat and agreed, this will be a great cause to initiate an experimentation, and perhaps make  an impact!

In the same week, when I listened high energy video presentation of David Lenz on Learning Launch  process, I am convinced and yet worried about how am I going to train and carry that energy to my team  and quickly decided to share the video with them. So, we had a team session and started framing  Learning Launch Design Tool. Here is a photo of the tool we started list our key assumptions:

Insight and Approach

Team started to list down 3 key assumptions we started accumulate on learning launch design tool. The  first assumption was Board members did not understand the mission clearly. During the secondary  feedback session, we validated this assumption. It was not necessarily true for all members but there  were few. The second assumption was, we can get broader participation to fundraiser with the right  cause. One of our team member searched and analyzed all the previous fundraisers. Her conclusion was  most of the campaigns fit the mission of the organization yet, did not attract broader participation. Third  assumption we made was effective digital platform usage can expand our reach and attract broader  donors to our campaign. We knew, we only used an e-mail campaign in the past and did not have any  measurements like; How many people opened their e-mail’s? How many of them clicked “donate”  button? How many visited our web-site and search our mission and cause? Also, when we checked our  web-site, we found content is quite outdated and not synched with campaigns. We had a member in our  team recruited just for this purpose. He was a web-designer and digital marketing expert. He quickly  designed a simple web-site on a platform where we could also manage our digital campaigns. You can  access to our web-site from her: www.theatfc.org

As a team we were quite excited to see how quickly we ramped up the technology platform and decided  to design a test campaign to raise funds for front line healthcare workers supply needs. Our cause was  relevant and platforms were ready in a week. That weekend, we launched the test campaign. We also  created Learning Launch Process Document similar to what was illustrated in David Lenz video and  created a shared document in Google Doc’s where everyone can add the findings, learnings and  feedbacks. This turned into our working document and we are still using it. Here is a picture of the initial  crafted document:

New technology platform was awesome and providing us all the needed information. At the end of the  first week we reviewed the statistics and quickly realized a similar pattern like previous campaigns.  Similar number of people participated through e-mail. Very few people visited our web-site.

Then we decided to pivot to social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. Made the role sort  and expanded the campaign to social channels in the second week. Also, we reached out to Board  members and asked them to post our campaign to their WhatsApp friend groups.  We also noted  another assumption in Learning Launch Design document and put in test. To make our new web-site  more appealing to Board members we informed them that we posted their pictures and bios in it. Here  is the link for it: https://oconnell-townsend.com/wp-content/categorieshomepage.html

By the end of that week statistics quite improved. We started to receive feedbacks from Board members  and friends like add mobile payment options during the check-out. The snowball was rolling down the  hill. Another idea was to create a WhatsApp group with Board member and share the statistics and  progress of the campaign. This further engagement of Board members also paid its dividends. With  several additional feedbacks and enhancements by the end of fourth week I called the team to  celebrate… obviously considering the social-distancing, we used an app called “HouseParty”. We all  were looking in our PayPal account and seeing a record level of funds raised and 300% increase of visits  to our web-site. Here is an example of statistics we were looking for:

Now, we all are convinced that we are on a journey of analyze, listen and apply.  Design thinking process  and tools helped us to create a team and enabled us to achieve something never happened before with  this speed and pace in this organization. Thank you.


Challenge I was in mixed feelings when I was offered to lead a Non - profit organization . First and foremost , I did not have previous experience with non - profits , second the whole management team members were looking forward to transition their responsibilities using this leadership change as an opportunity . Not to mention , all management roles were voluntary and last three years membership was declining 20 % consistently and fundraiser programs were not attracting new donors . I was really called to turn around this failing organization by the Chairman and Founder who had emotional ties with this organization . The challenge in day one was to recruit new management team members , understand the cause of member reduction and lack of attracting donors to the fundraiser programs . Covid 19 was in the news and spreading . The mission of the organization was so relevant to create impact in multiple countries if we could use this as an opportunity to energize this sleepy yet promising organization . Selection , Application and Insight While I was recruiting my management team , I must confess that my first selection was this course . I thought , design thinking methods and the tools will help . I decided to join this class as the rest of the team members had day jobs . They were okay for me to share with them weekly class learnings . This turned into kind of fun way of working and started to create bonding and motivated everyone to focus on problems at hand . Once the management team were fully in - place , it was my second week in the course . It was also our second zoom meeting with management team where we started to use visualization tool to draw pictures of stake holders and identify questions which will highlight their unmet needs . We also applied the Mind Mapping teachings on the visuals . We saw no compelling need to use Mind Mapping Tool separately . Here is a photo of one of the Drawings : The next step was the validation of our assumptions with stake holders . Based on the feedbacks , themes and patterns started to emerge but we realize that we are still missing information related with previous fundraiser campaigns . This caused us to apply secondary research tool on the volume and size of the previous fundraisers . Once we had some additional data in our hands , we started to curate the feedbacks we received from stakeholders and brainstormed around the cause and effects of how we engage and communicate with them . Secondary research was also highlighted the impact of cause definition and relevance to the donors . To our surprise there was a ceiling for raised funds this organization was not exceeding . Secondary research was also highlighted that in all the previous campaigns same people were reached out and not many new donors were attracted . On a separate note , fourth week with my team , Covid 19 was clearly became a pandemic . We started to have side chat and agreed , this will be a great cause to initiate an experimentation , and perhaps make an impact ! In the same week , when I listened high energy video presentation of David Lenz on Learning Launch process , I am convinced and yet worried about how am I going to train and carry that energy to my team and quickly decided to share the video with them . So , we had a team session and started framing Learning Launch Design Tool . Here is a photo of the tool we started list our key assumptions : Insight and Approach Team started to list down 3 key assumptions we started accumulate on learning launch design tool . The first assumption was Board members did not understand the mission clearly . During the secondary feedback session , we validated this assumption . It was not necessarily true for all members but there were few . The second assumption was , we can get broader participation to fundraiser with the right cause . One of our team member searched and analyzed all the previous fundraisers . Her conclusion was most of the campaigns fit the mission of the organization yet , did not attract broader participation . Third assumption we made was effective digital platform usage can expand our reach and attract broader donors to our campaign . We knew , we only used an e - mail campaign in the past and did not have any measurements like ; How many people opened their e - mail ’s ? How many of them clicked “ donate ” button ? How many visited our web - site and search our mission and cause ? Also , when we checked our web - site , we found content is quite outdated and not synched with campaigns . We had a member in our team recruited just for this purpose . He was a web - designer and digital marketing expert . He quickly designed a simple web - site on a platform where we could also manage our digital campaigns . You can access to our web - site from her : www.theatfc.org As a team we were quite excited to see how quickly we ramped up the technology platform and decided to design a test campaign to raise funds for front line healthcare workers supply needs . Our cause was relevant and platforms were ready in a week . That weekend , we launched the test campaign . We also created Learning Launch Process Document similar to what was illustrated in David Lenz video and created a shared document in Google Doc ’s where everyone can add the findings , learnings and feedbacks . This turned into our working document and we are still using it . Here is a picture of the initial crafted document : New technology platform was awesome and providing us all the needed information . At the end of the first week we reviewed the statistics and quickly realized a similar pattern like previous campaigns . Similar number of people participated through e - mail . Very few people visited our web - site . Then we decided to pivot to social media channels like Facebook , Instagram , Twitter . Made the role sort and expanded the campaign to social channels in the second week . Also , we reached out to Board members and asked them to post our campaign to their WhatsApp friend groups . We also noted another assumption in Learning Launch Design document and put in test . To make our new web - site more appealing to Board members we informed them that we posted their pictures and bios in it . Here is the link for it : https://oconnell-townsend.com/wp-content/categorieshomepage.html By the end of that week statistics quite improved . We started to receive feedbacks from Board members and friends like add mobile payment options during the check - out . The snowball was rolling down the hill . Another idea was to create a WhatsApp group with Board member and share the statistics and progress of the campaign . This further engagement of Board members also paid its dividends . With several additional feedbacks and enhancements by the end of fourth week I called the team to celebrate … obviously considering the social - distancing , we used an app called “ HouseParty ” . We all were looking in our PayPal account and seeing a record level of funds raised and 300 % increase of visits to our web - site . Here is an example of statistics we were looking for : Now , we all are convinced that we are on a journey of analyze , listen and apply . Design thinking process and tools helped us to create a team and enabled us to achieve something never happened before with this speed and pace in this organization . Thank you .