Constituent Data Management
Background
I worked with a CRM that introduced a new IA, navigation, homepage and workflows to its users. There was an opportunity for innovation as we buildt this new experience. With the variety of users and overlapping tasks related to constituents there was a question about how users are getting things done.
Research Goals
Learn expected workflow for specific tasks related to constituent information.
Learn how users would expect to use a constituent area when compared to the other options in the RE NXT left nav IA.
Determine intent of a new constituents area by defining user expectations
Interview set up
Audience: 11 current customers
Content: Users were asked where they would go to complete 19 possible tasks related to the following categories:
Edit and maintain constituent data
Monitor data health and accuracy
Engage with donors
Schedule and execute donor engagement plans
Plan strategic approaches to fundraising, constituent relationships, or communications.
Monitor donor potential
Users by role
Insights
Task completion often depended on the role of the users.
Data focused roles leaned towards creating their own list or query to identify constituents they needed to report on or work with. This meant going straight to analysis rather than checking the constituents area for records that might need attention based on incomplete or inaccurate data.
Users focused on prospecting and research would also look to analysis to narrow their search for qualifying prospects however, it was the constituent record they used to make a decision.
Fundraisers expected that a constituents area would be a reflection of their portfolio.
Majority of users interpreted the term “constituents” as a means to search for a specific person.
To complete many of the tasks, ranging from fundraising and prospecting to data management, the first step was to find the correct constituent record. Participants would go to constituents in the navigation expecting to find a search bar prominently on the page. When users realized there was a search in the omnibar, they typically said they would go there instead of the constituent nav item.
When looking for a specific constituent, participants also stated the importance of quick access to frequently visited or recently accessed records to have an efficient way to view details of a record they had already interacted with.
Users looked to analysis to find groups of constituents that need attention based on specific criteria.
Participants showed an interest in viewing constituents by attributes and status, particularly when identifying groups that might need attention such as lapsed donors. The current workflow is to build a list or query to get the correct constituents. This means that users might incur a behavioral change if we were to build out an action hub in the constituent area focused on qualifying data points that might require an action.
There is more than one thought process when addressing data inaccuracies.
Accurate information is a top priority for our customers. Data health flags centered around constituent data, including incomplete emails or missing addresses, had inconclusive results between different studies. Past studies told us that noncustomer participants would look under constituents for data health. In this study, current customers looked under analysis for that same information.
Overall, the varying workflows related to constituents and their data did not show any clear expectations for the constituents functional area, but rather a wide range of possibilities. However, the study did shed light on functionality that is essential to our customers when it comes to maintaining their constituent data and relationships.
Pivoting priorities:
Improve user satisfaction by modernizing the constituent record
This research study shows that improvements could be made to the constituent record page to increase user satisfaction through more in-depth information and modern organization.
The constituent record is a versatile tool used for various purposes. Mixpanel data shows that it is the most frequently visited page in the software. It contains multiple tiles for different tasks, including actions, giving history, timeline, contact information, and relationships. These elements support goals related to development, fundraising, advancement, and cultivation.
Enhance search capabilities to meet user expectations
It is clear that a wide range of tasks start with a search for a specific person. Putting resources toward developing search would be of more value to users than a new overview page under constituents.
A robust and easily accessible search function is crucial for finding constituent records efficiently. The search bar at the top of the page is highly valued and frequently used. Users expect to have access to search from any page within the system, primarily using constituent ID or name, but also with the flexibility to search by gift ID, contact information, or attributes.