Interview Goal
More deeply understand the very active "Volunteer Coordinator" for insights into their use of technology, their responsibilities toward their organization and how they got started.
Preparation
I googled for local non-profits and looked at their websites to identify ones with primarily 70+ year olds. I reached out to Assistance League and was able to setup an interview with someone on the board who met my criteria. It took me one week from initial outreach to scheduling the interview.
Questions
- Can you tell me a bit about yourself and the work you do here?
- Show me what you do here. (Take PHOTO)
- Tell me about what motivated you to join the Board of Directors.
- How much time you dedicate to volunteering?
- Tell me about your last really great moment, where you felt you accomplished something meaningful.
- Can you show me the phone and computer you use. (Take PHOTO)
- How would you describe your relationship with technology?
- Can you show me 2-3 apps or websites you’ve used in the last few days? (Take PHOTO)
- Tell me about a challenge you recently faced, when leveraging technology in your work?
- How were you able to overcome this challenge?
- (Take PHOTO of interviewee)
Click to See full script
Introduction
Volunteering Background
Transition to Technology
So you’ve told me about your work here. Now I’d like to talk about your use of technology. (1:40)
How would you like me to make my $25 donation?
- Set phone to AIRPLANE and NO WIFI
- I’m a design researcher focused on making technology that’s user friendly and delightful. I’m taking a course on Insights for Innovations to improve my skills.
- I’d like to talk to you today about your volunteer work and your connection with technology.
- I won’t be taking notes during our interview, so that I can focus on your story. May I record our conversation, so that I can do that later?
- START RECORDING, don't lock phone
- I would also like to take some photos - to remember where we are and who you are.
Volunteering Background
- Can you tell me a bit about yourself and the work you do here?
- PHOTO - Show me what you do here. (1:35)
- Tell me about what motivated you to join the Board of Directors?
- How much time you dedicate to volunteering?
- Tell me about your last really great moment, where you felt you accomplished something meaningful.
Transition to Technology
So you’ve told me about your work here. Now I’d like to talk about your use of technology. (1:40)
- PHOTO - Can you show me the phone and computer you use.
- How would you describe your relationship with technology?
- PHOTO - Can you show me 2-3 apps or websites you’ve used in the last few days? (1:50)
- Tell me about a challenge you recently faced, when leveraging technology in your work?
- How were you able to overcome this challenge?
- PHOTO - of Nancy
How would you like me to make my $25 donation?
Interview Highlights
- It's like a job - she's volunteering 65-80 hours a month!
- She greatly values the human connection with her fellow volunteers
- Her confidence and aptitude with technology surprised me
- Touring their two computer labs, each lab had two elderly women paired at a computer
- Data entry is necessary for the non-profit to function
- She misses her volunteer work if she's away from it for too long
Phone & Technology Confidence
She uses her phone many times a day. All of her volunteer coordinating is done through email - which she does on her phone because it's "faster" than her mac laptop.
"I use [Runtastic] alot, because I like to walk and exercise. It tracks my distance and I'm competitive with myself, so I try to beat my time."
She claimed to not use a lot of apps, but kept finding more examples of ones she regularly uses. One for her medical prescriptions, one for prayer, "What's App", Runtastic app, Pandora, and email.
Overcoming Challenges
When she needs help, it's not on her phone but on her computer. This is where she edits the marketing documents. Her mac laptop wasn't with her, but she was quite frustrated at its recent slowness and locking up.
There are a few "gals" who can help her if she gets stuck, but she really tries herself first. |
"I am one of those that if I'm doing something and I know it's gotta to work - I'll keep going at it. I know it, I know it's gotta work. I just gotta find a way!"
She uses the Pages app on her mac laptop. She's able to utilize old versions of brochure documents to swap out photos and update text. She then exports to pdf to take to the print shop.
Active Computer Labs
Both of their computer labs had two women sitting at one computer. One pair worked on revenue tracking in Excel. The other pair was entering donation items and their value, into a database form. "We're just in here crunching numbers."
Similar to my library observations, these computers are older. They were also all different models.
Similar to my library observations, these computers are older. They were also all different models.
Valuing Human Connection
She found so much joy in the work she does, and loves the "ladies" she works with. Her last favorite moment at work was coordinating a party for donors and volunteers. She gets bored and antsy if she's away for an extended period.
"In the last 4 months I have had 65-80 volunteer hours each month"
One pain point is if she's away for an extended period (ie 4 months in Arizona), gets bored and antsy. She doesn't know what she'd do without these ladies.
Reflecting on Interview
This interview cleared up several assumptions I had and gave me surprise moments. It gave me a face and a real story to put to my identified extremes. I got to know her and felt what it's like for her to do this volunteer work.
She is an active smartphone users with many apps she uses daily. She didn't need much help using her phone. She also had a lot of perseverance to keep trying to figure things out, but knows who to reach out to for more support.
She mentioned how it becomes hard when she's away, not doing the volunteer work. Also, she mentioned some volunteers aren't physically able to be there and help. Finding ways for people to continue connecting with their fellow volunteers and their activities, even when they can't be physically present, could be helpful.
There was a lot of data-entry. People were doing it together, which made it social. But could we make using these old computers for data-entry more enjoyable or user friendly? Each donated item needed to be googled to figure out how to price it, then enter it into the computer. The font was small, especially for two people at one machine.
She is an active smartphone users with many apps she uses daily. She didn't need much help using her phone. She also had a lot of perseverance to keep trying to figure things out, but knows who to reach out to for more support.
She mentioned how it becomes hard when she's away, not doing the volunteer work. Also, she mentioned some volunteers aren't physically able to be there and help. Finding ways for people to continue connecting with their fellow volunteers and their activities, even when they can't be physically present, could be helpful.
There was a lot of data-entry. People were doing it together, which made it social. But could we make using these old computers for data-entry more enjoyable or user friendly? Each donated item needed to be googled to figure out how to price it, then enter it into the computer. The font was small, especially for two people at one machine.