Problem
The team goal of Happy Path was to create a product that could serve as a means for service project members to gather and report data easily. This problem stemmed from the pain point of having short-staffed programs in the non-profit sector tasked with having to gather, collect, and analyze data for their records in the field.
Process
Working within the time constraints of a hack-a-thon, the team worked quickly to identify roles and responsibilities. I worked with the product team to construct a research script that we carried out quickly for preliminary findings. Once we had enough to begin sketching, I shifted to work with the development team on feature ideas and journey mapping, while the product team continued to interview, develop business plans, and assess the need for the product. They reported user feedback to use throughout the course of the weekend, which prompted the design/development team to pivot and adjust as necessary.
Solution
The product was well received by the hackathon judges and audience. We were able to demonstrate the optimal flow within the prototype and the MVP of the engineered product. We placed 4th out of 10 teams, with our only shortcoming being the need to expound more on scalability of the product. The product team is moving forward with further research on need and scalability, and the hope is that Happy Path lives on in the future.
