ServeSmart
Bridging the Gap Between Organizations & Volunteers
A platform designed to empower volunteers and streamline NGO operations — all in one place.
Problem
The need for volunteering is growing, but existing platforms fail to offer a simple, reliable, and engaging way for organizations and volunteers to connect.
Volunteers often face issues like:
Lack of relevant or nearby volunteering opportunities
Confusing or outdated application processes
No clarity on event details or required skills
No way to track their impact or growth
On the other hand, organizations struggle with:
Managing events and volunteer data manually
Finding and retaining the right volunteers
No tools for recognizing or rewarding volunteer contribution
In a world where impact matters, both volunteers and organizations need a smart, human-centered platform that simplifies engagement, tracks effort, and brings purpose to the forefront.
How might we design a platform that empowers volunteers, supports organizations, and drives social impact through smart, seamless, and thoughtful design?
Goal
Design a purpose-driven, intuitive, and empowering platform that connects volunteers and organizations to create real impact.
ServeSmart is built to:
Enable meaningful connections
Simplify the volunteering process
Make opportunity discovery easy
Recognize effort and contribution
I spoke to real users — volunteers, NGO heads, and coordinators.
Here’s what they wanted:
Clear, relevant volunteering opportunities
Simple registration and tracking
A way to see their impact and growth
Design Process
A structured flow, driven by real insights and sneaker culture vibes.
Empathize – Listening First
I began by talking to real users — NGO coordinators, active volunteers, and students who were interested in helping but didn’t know where to start.
What I heard:
“I want to help, but I don’t know how or where.”
“Following up with volunteers manually is exhausting.”
“We struggle to track hours, impact, and attendance.”
Define – Narrowing the Gaps
I organized insights into two key personas:
The Volunteer: Wants clarity, simplicity, and recognition
The Organization: Needs structure, visibility, and engagement
The common gap? A smart, centralized system that works for both.
Wireframe – Lo-fi First
I translated ideas into low-fidelity wireframes using Figma.
Focused on:
A clean, intuitive bottom nav for volunteers
Easy-to-use dashboards for organizations
Modular components that scale across modules
Design – Bringing It to Life
I created a modern, friendly UI using the Montserrat typeface and a soft yet energetic color palette.
Kept the layout minimal to prioritize content
Used iconography and status chips for clarity
Integrated gamification elements visually (XP bars, badges, progress cards)
Test & Improve – Small Loops, Big Wins
I shared prototypes with a few target users (both volunteers and NGO leads).
Feedback:
Volunteers wanted filters and nearby recommendations
NGOs wanted easier tracking of hours and follow-ups
Minor tweaks made for clarity, visibility, and consistency
Ideate – Brainstorming with Purpose
I sketched and mapped core flows around:
Opportunity discovery
Event registration
Tracking XP and volunteering hours
Admin-side dashboards for managing and rewarding volunteers
Gamification ideas like badges, XP, and leaderboards were added to encourage long-term participation.
Typography
Montserrat is a modern, geometric sans-serif with roots in urban signage and timeless clarity. Its clean structure and approachable forms make it perfect for a platform like ServeSmart — friendly, functional, and built for trust.
Aa
Typeface
24px
16px
14px
Montserrat
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
1234567890.,;?!/ ABCabc123.,?!
Colors
#59120D
Blood Red
Bold accent, hype color, alerts, call-to-actions
#2B3138
Graphite Gray
Card backgrounds, shadows, secondary UI
#373F51
Slate Blue
Accent for cards, tabs, or status bars
#1E2128
Midnight
Deep background, modal overlays
#FFFFFF
Pure White
Bold accent, hype color, alerts, call-to-actions
#000000
True Black
Bold accent, hype color, alerts, call-to-actions
Reflections
Designing ServeSmart was more than just building a platform — it was about enabling purpose. I learned that in the social impact space, connection and engagement come from thoughtful UX, role-based clarity, and making every interaction feel meaningful.
This project helped me:
Design role-based flows that feel effortless for different user types
Use gamification to encourage real-world action and engagement
Blend empathy with clarity in community-focused UX decisions
“If design is about impact, ServeSmart taught me how to design for purpose — not just for users.”
Get In Touch
Loved the case study? Have feedback or a cool idea you'd like to jam on?
I'm always open to collaborations, freelance gigs, or just talking design, sneakers, or strategy.
📩 Drop me a line: pranavdessai2003@gmail.com
🔗 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/pranav-dessai
📍 Based in: Goa, India (open to remote work)
Designing with hype, heart, and hella precision.
Let’s create experiences that feel as good as they look.
© 2025 Pranav Dessai — Designed with Framer · Written with intention · Built for the culture.