HQ Fundraising

Executive Summary

The original fundraiser setup within HQ was fragmented, requiring users to navigate multiple backend tools and manual processes. This led to frequent errors, confusion around required inputs, and limited visibility into fundraiser progress.

To address these challenges, I led a redesign focused on simplicity, accuracy, and scalability. The new setup flow reduced the process to under five minutes, introduced smart defaults and real-time validation to minimize manual errors, and added clear post-launch tracking. The result is a streamlined, user-friendly experience built to support both current needs and future growth.

Overall Project Wins -

  • Streamlined the fundraiser creation flow, reducing setup time by an average of 2 minutes per fundraiser.

  • Minimized user errors through clearer inputs and guided steps, improving overall efficiency.

  • Enabled mobile access, allowing school administrators to view and manage fundraisers on the go from any device.

Role

Lead Product Designer

Company

PlayOn Sports

Company Size

500+

Modernizing the Fundraiser Experience

HQ is where Athletic Directors and coaches manage everything, but fundraising setup was a major pain point.

We found unclear labels, confusing steps, and slow manual input—especially since coaches often create 10–20 fundraisers at once. Mobile visibility was also poor during live events.

Our redesign simplified the flow, added clear guidance, and improved mobile access—delivering a faster, smarter fundraising tool built for real-world use.

Focus Areas:

  • Streamlined fundraising setup

  • Clearer instructions to reduce errors

  • More visually appealing fundraiser views

Listening Before Building

Before jumping into redesigning the fundraising flow, I needed to understand what really mattered to our users. To do this, I used Maze to run early research and gather data on the types of fundraisers customers were most interested in.

The results gave us more than just preferences they revealed patterns in behavior and motivation. For example, certain fundraiser types were consistently selected across schools, while others caused hesitation or confusion. These insights shaped my design decisions, from how we structured default options to how we prioritized templates in the interface.

Instead of guessing, we designed with clarity grounded in real user interest. The result? A setup experience that feels smarter, faster, and more aligned with what schools actually want to create.

From Scroll Fatigue to Smart Flow

One of the most impactful changes I made was reimagining the entire layout of the fundraiser setup experience. The original version was a long, linear form that felt overwhelming—and worse, one mistake could cause users to lose all their progress.

I replaced this with a workspace-style design that brought structure, clarity, and efficiency to the process.

Instead of a single scrollable form, inputs were moved to the right side of the screen, allowing users to focus on one task at a time. On the left, I added a real-time progress tracker that clearly showed which sections were complete, flagged any errors, and gave users a sense of momentum as they moved through the setup.

To further improve the experience, I introduced:

  • Inline validation to catch errors instantly

  • Autosave checkpoints to prevent loss of work

  • Clear sectioning with headers to make the process more approachable

What once felt tedious and error-prone became smooth, quick, and intuitive empowering users to set up fundraisers confidently in just a few minutes.

Scalable, Usable, Successful

The fundraising setup redesign didn’t just improve the experience—it delivered real results.

Since launch, it has supported over 1,000 successful fundraisers, showing the flow’s scalability and ease of use. Athletic Directors and coaches praise the simplified layout, clearer structure, and time-saving improvements.

What was once a frustrating process is now a trusted, streamlined tool that helps schools fundraise faster and more effectively.

Outcome Highlights:

  • Over 1,000 fundraisers supported

  • Reduced errors and setup time

  • Positive feedback on clarity and simplicity

  • Increased user trust and satisfaction

  • Schools raising funds faster and more efficiently