Digital Opportunity Trust Research Project

The Future of DOT:
Bringing Concepts to Life
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Digital Opportunity Trust // argodesign

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Contents
Key Findings
Tools
Ideasource
DOT Bot
Residency
Fellowship Network
Future of DOT
Country Pages
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THE EVOLUTION OF DOT:
BRINGING CONCEPTS TO LIFE
Introduction
The Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) engaged argodesign in a
three-month design effort to build out a concept selected from
a previous six-week research program. The engagement was
expanded to created Ideasource in clickable, prototype detail,
as well as create simulations for three other concepts, DOT Bot,
the Residency, and the Fellowship Network. After two months
of building, argo tested all four concepts with young innovators
and business owners in Moshi, Tanzania; Amman, Jordan; and
Accra, Ghana over three weeks. Additionally, argo worked to
create materials to guide DOT in brand messaging and capacity
building efforts.
In all, the team tested 4 different ideas with over 65 young
innovators and business leaders in three different cities. We
interviewed additional youth in Ghana. The program would not
have been possible without the help of the teams of Eliguard
Dawson, Danah Dajani, and Kofi Yeboah. DOT additionally flew in
representatives from Kenya, Lebanon, and Rwanda to help round
out the scope of the research.
This book will detail our learnings from the month of testing and
outline the opportunities for DOT ahead.
Carried over from the first program, argo built upon two
key frameworks: the Engagement Lifecycle and the Design
Principles. The former was used to evaluate concept efficacy
for social entrepreneurs at any experience level, and the latter
informed how concepts were brought to life.
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Key Findings
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KEY FINDINGS
“Entrepreneurs are coordinators,
conductors, not creators; 90 percent
of my time is planning, feeding
fabrics together, getting feedback.”
“You need something that’s real. It’s
about testing. … Your optics change
on the ground. … I’d rather be wrong
today, than wrong tomorrow.”
“If it’s all in [Ideasource], this would
become one of my most used apps.”
Entrepreneurship and the social enterprise scene can
greatly benefit from these offerings.
The practice of social innovation is alive and well in each country
we visited, boasting a spectrum of entrepreneurs from novices to
experts. Well-connected communities of social entrepreneurship
as a craft are still nascent, and users found that the four concepts
tested all contributed to a powerful community-building that
would help social enterprise be self-sufficient, sustainable, and
locally relevant.
The preference is for digital innovation.
The vast amount of networking within social innovation
communities begins digitally, mainly through social media. Users
confirmed their interest in digital tools to increase potential
linkages, curate networks, connect to those interested in similar
causes, provide flexibility to undertake innovation projects out
of the office, and continue using and sharing online resources.
Digital’s opportunity is its omnipresence, which makes users feel
supported and uninhibited.
While digital spaces are all about opportunity, physical spaces
are primarily about legitimacy—having a known place to meet,
connect, share, and dream together helps people understand
what they are making is real, impactful, and tangible.
Entrepreneurialism is coordination and facilitation.
Most of a social entrepreneur’s successes come through wellplanned,
tested strategies and a willingness to tolerate a certain
amount of risk. Helping young innovators understand value,
balance risk, and calculate how to prioritize their time and
energy will enable them to connect the dots more capably as
they build their businesses.
Empower through shrinking.
By moving people towards actionable goals, DOT can help
social innovators get real versions of their ideas out faster. The
ideological challenge will be to help youth understand that
micro-versions of their dreams are even more valid than their
visions because they can actually exist in concrete form. There’s
a power in leanness and making something small, through
research, strategy, piloting, and pivoting.
The system needs to be holistic.
Users want a complete package of everything social
entrepreneurship. While some worried about the application
feeling heavy, the benefit of connecting every aspect of one’s
work is essential for greater success and greater impact. This is
ideal as long as DOT makes informed development choices about
when to use data and leverage existing APIs.
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THE FUTURE OF DOT:
BRINGING CONCEPTS TO LIFE
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KEY FINDINGS
“Career development. Change
of mindset. Exposure. Personal
development. Confidence and
courage. Daring.”
“The support from peer fellows in
times of difficulty in the journey. A
space to share your success and
amplify your impact.”
“Maybe we haven’t really found the
one tool that we’ve fallen in love
with. I know there are tools. I just
haven’t found the right one.”
“We began with just raw passion,
without a plan. In the second year,
we realized that we really needed
to think things through, to break it
down. Year 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. We look at it
step-by-step, year by year.”
The ecosystem is comprised of entrepreneurs
and contributors.
The success of DOT’s new offerings relies on integrating the
ecosystem of social innovation: that there are those who want
to create and run initiatives, and there are those who end
up contributing to existing projects. While users may move
in between these categories, honoring the different roles
throughout the engagement lifecycle will most accurately
reflect reality.
There is no perfect digital community for social
innovation, only workarounds.
People are searching for something like Ideasource. Currently
innovators use components of various companion applications
like Trello, WhatsApp, and Google Drive to collaborate and
solve their problems. Additionally, there is no portfolio platform
specifically for social entrepreneurs, only LinkedIn, which is
saturated by other types of work. Social innovators are looking
for their space to shine.
Ownership is innovation
While some entrepreneurs expressed caution about someone
stealing their ideas, almost all interviewees explained that
success was the ability to see tangible, positive change. A
company. A new program at a business. A community. DOT can
enable young entrepreneurs to better attain ownership in all its
forms as a way to grow along the engagement lifecycle.
Passion is plentiful; strategy is scarce.
DOT’s main skill-building opportunity is to help social
entrepreneurs structure and take action towards their greater
vision. The majority of the youth argo interviewed had powerful
ideas and dreams about what they wanted to create, but
very few of them were able to establish concrete goals and
milestones, distill them into tangible business tasks, and build
effective teams so that their ideas might reach fruition.
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THE FUTURE OF DOT:
BRINGING CONCEPTS TO LIFE
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Connective
WHAT IF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
WASN’T LONELY?
“It was really hard, really difficult to launch a business
while working. I failed. This was my mood when starting as
young person passionate about change—you are on your
own. Everyone was encouraging me to finish [my National
Service] and go find a job, support family. When I started [my
company], I felt on my own. I felt like was different than the
norm. But it’s my passion.”
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Tools
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TOOLS
Online Survey
Most participants for the four prototype tests completed a
survey prior to our visit. This survey provided context on an
individual’s interests and passions as well as her experience with
social entrepreneurship and business prior to being interviewed
more deeply in person. The survey can be found here: https://
dotteam.typeform.com/to/Kr2Z1m.
Story-based Clickable Prototype
We tested Ideasource as a story-based InVision prototype on
a Samsung Galaxy S5. The story walked users through the
main features and use cases, showcasing the functionality
and purpose of the app. The link for the original prototype
is accessible here: https://invis.io/788B6HZDB. Based on
the feedback we received in-field, we have created a revised
prototype that is more fully clickable, found here:
https://invis.io/Z78B6IMTP.
Prototype Script
To ensure repeatable research, we created a 19-page
facilitator’s script to reference during the Ideasource interviews.
This script included the story line as well as pointed questions
to uncover first reactions, perceptions, and interest levels.
Impact Cards
For Ideasource, Fellowship Network, and Residency, we created
Impact Cards for additional feedback. These were filled out by
youth to evaluate each concept after its simulation.
Value Slider
All features and concepts in this test were evaluated numerically
on a scale of one to seven, one being not at all valuable and
seven being absolutely valuable. A physical scale was provided to
interviewees to better visualize value. Value tells us how much a
user wants something.
Feature Sort
At the end of the Ideasource demo, users were asked to
determine their 3 Must Haves and 3 Leave Behinds of the 25 total
features. Sorting tells us how much a user needs something.
Engagement Lifecycle Cards
For Ideasource, Fellowship Network, and Residency, we created
Engagement Lifecycle Cards that captured where the user
aligned on the lifecycle spectrum, as well as how the concepts
might be valuable at each stage of her career.
DOT Bot Message Spreadsheet
We created a spreadsheet of different messages and time-blocks
for DOT Bot to send out via WhatsApp, which was connected to
our computer and the Samsung Galaxy S5. We created a realistic
profile and used copy-and-paste to simulate the instant replies of
a chatbot experience, communicating with users throughout the
week in each country. We asked for feedback on the experience
and service, posing as DOT Bot through WhatsApp.
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THE FUTURE OF DOT:
BRINGING CONCEPTS TO LIFE
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TOOLS
Goals & Steps Cards
For our youth interviews in Ghana, we created Goals & Steps
Cards which the interviewees used to organize their thoughts
and talk about how they planned to reach their goals through
specific tasks.
Photography, Video, & Audio
We used audiovisual technology to record and reflect on our
experiences, catalogue our interviewees, and tell a cohesive
story of what we learned.
Fellowship Network Agenda
In each region, we hosted a 3-hour Fellowship Network
evening where we gathered young leaders in various stages
of their careers. It was a chance for them to meet, network,
and collaborate in-person. To facilitate this, we planned
three main activities: an icebreaker, a design-your-own-
Fellowship-Network exercise, and a modular component that
reflected the interest of each country team. In Tanzania, we
piloted the ReachUp! curriculum; in Jordan, we piloted an
Entrepreneurial Spotlight; and in Ghana, we piloted a value
proposition learning module.
Complementary Content
Research works best with practice. We built supportive brand
messaging materials and facilitated an innovation workshop
for DOT’s internal leadership team so that key findings might
find a place in DOT’s future story and organizational capacity.
Residency Wrap
To facilitate our conversations with youth and business
owners about hands-on experience through placement within
organizations, we created a Wrap of the Residency concept,
simulating it as the newest DOT offering. By swiping through
this interactive description, interviewees were better able to
grasp the idea and comment on its application. The Wrap can be
found here: https://wrap.co/wraps/ed351291-b4e0-4dbc-b77cfdc79ba3dbac
Fellowship Network Facebook Pages
Each Fellowship Network event was documented and recorded
in a virtual artifact, a closed Facebook group to which only
attendees have access. These pages reflect what was created
in those sessions, including manifestos of potential Fellowship
Networks, photographs and videos of connection and
collaboration, and a digital echo of community.
DOT Moshi
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1056923787718026/
DOT Jordan
https://www.facebook.com/groups/262717460772428/
DOT Accra
https://www.facebook.com/groups/869970396479652/
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THE FUTURE OF DOT:
BRINGING CONCEPTS TO LIFE
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Cohesive
WHAT IF IMPACT ECHOED?
“Every region has its own culture and ideas and
when you are exposed to others’ then you expand
your own ideas.”
“We came together and realized that we have a
common interest.”
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Ideasource
We manifested Ideasource as a social network for social impact
that combines project management, learning resources, and
connection to a community that enables anyone to participate in
or run social impact initiatives.
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IDEASOURCE
Earlier in the program, we built a version of Ideasource that
felt too directed towards experienced social entrepreneurs.
We asked ourselves how we could make a system that could
engage youth earlier in their process and support all stages
of the Engagement Lifecycle while funneling users towards
collaboration and tangible impact, honoring the risk and rigor of
being a social entrepreneur.
6.76 / 7
Average Value (Total)
7/ 7
Average Value (Tanzania)
To test, we created a clickable, story-based prototype to help
users understand how they might use Ideasource, regardless
of how far along their own social impact work was. The story
followed Salma, a young writer who finds an active entrepreneur
named Kareem and contributes to his project by writing
curriculum for a water workshop.
6.75/ 7
Average Value (Jordan)
6.60/ 7
Average Value (Ghana)
Ideasource resonated with almost every user across each
stage in the entrepreneurial lifecycle. It was the highest valued
concept because of its wholeness and digitalism. Our research
informed us of Ideasource’s clear value as a composite system for
connection and social impact while showing us how to improve
existing features and functionalities.
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OVERVIEW
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IDEASOURCE
Surprises & Opportunities
We learned that facilitators of others’ initiatives—mentors
and coordinators—had a keen interest in Ideasource to
help oversee their mentees’ projects, leveraging the tool’s
robustness and ability to peer into progress at any time
during a project.
Some users expressed concern that the application was too
heavy—either for their data bundle or in terms of their phones’
processing speed. At the same time, very few wanted to
relinquish features in service of this. We believe that providing
instructional onboarding, WiFi-forward design, and smart
development can help to alleviate any issues with the
app’s robustness.
Project-forward
It became clear that Ideasource’s biggest contribution would
be to help social entrepreneurs clarify goals and break down
their visions into tangible next steps. The word initiatives, for
example, triggered big-picture thinking in our interviewees,
and took subjects further away from concrete actions. Small
projects would help entrepreneurs make their dreams real by
dispelling their vastness and vagueness and give interested
contributors clear objectives for contribution.
Ideasource is a “one-stop-shop” for social innovation. The
following pages show what we learned at each section of the
application through our research and feature the redesigned
screens with call-outs to specific revisions.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Intro and Onboarding
Intro and Onboarding
Users wanted to experience onboarding earlier in the
application, before creating an account, to prove Ideasource’s
value proposition. Some users were concerned with sharing
their locations and photos, but once they saw the rest of the
application and how this information was used, they said they
would be more inclined to share both.
Social login was helpful to some, and too close to
home for others.
Revision
We include onboarding earlier, adding some key screens
explaining the main purpose and features. We envision including
tooltips throughout a first-use experience, helping to guide a user
through the application. An example of this is on the
create new Project page.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Intro and Onboarding
Intro and Onboarding
We learned it would be important to educate first-time users
of Ideasource’s value proposition. We also gave new users the
ability to walk-through the app or skip directly to creating
an account.
Some users were nervous about uploading profile pictures and
location before understanding how and where they were
used in the app.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Intro and Onboarding
Intro and Onboarding
We focused the onboarding on Projects to better
communicate Ideasource’s mission of making actionable
change in local communities.
Users wanted more explanation of Projects in the
onboarding process.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Intro and Onboarding
Intro and Onboarding
Users wanted reinforcement of how Causes would shape
their Ideasource experience.
We consolidated the DOT Bot onboarding screen into the
Messages page to avoid confusion.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Intro and Onboarding
Intro and Onboarding
We eliminated the WhatsApp number here, based on feedback
about privacy. We imagine a user could input this type of
information in a settings panel once accustomed to the app.
Some users didn’t want to share location immediately, so we
modified the flow such that a user could still use Ideasource
without sharing location. She just wouldn’t be able to
search by proximity.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Sharing Your
Profession as Part of
your Network Profile
6.83 / 7 (3rd Highest Value)
Users enjoyed being able to identify themselves and
communicate their abilities and skills to a wider audience.
Most users wanted to select more than one role.
Revision
We redesigned the Share Your Profession menu and
supporting text so that it is clearer selecting more than one
role as well as possible to search through multiple options. A
user can also request a role that is not specified and, if there
are enough requests for a new profession, DOT’s internal
team can consider adding it to the list. We want to contain
taxonomy here to be effective and descriptive while flexible
towards various different professions.
Choosing Causes that
Interest You
6.17 / 7
Users believed a system that filtered content based on their
interests was key, but our research showed we could better
reinforce this aspect of Ideasource throughout the application.
About half the time users suggested new Causes, and several
wanted to choose more than five Causes, which we would
discourage when building out Ideasource due to over-saturating
content and the added ability to search any Causes outside of
those specified.
Revision
We redesigned the selection process of Causes and integrated
request and search features as done on the profession selection
page. Also, a user’s Causes are now more prominent in the
Discovery sections of the application.
“This will help you find people who
have the same interests as you. This
will make the process of networking
more easy. … You’re building a social
network, and all the things … are
about how to communicate with
each other.”
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Intro and Onboarding
Intro and Onboarding
We created Goals to help users advertise their main aspiration
on their profile while encouraging them to think smaller on
their specific Projects.
In the clickable prototype—as with the future app—one can also
skip this create account flow to move directly into
the application.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
“That’s my CV to the rest of
the world.”
Having a Searchable
Profile that Shares
Your Location &
Interests
6.73 / 7
Users thought that a searchable profile was absolutely necessary
to find other people, but also to be found themselves. Users
wanted to be sure their physical addresses, emails, and
WhatsApp numbers (sometimes) were not shared on Ideasource,
but said that showcasing their interests and professions allowed
them to become better connected with like-minded innovators.
Revision
We provided users an ability to include a Bio section to clarify
information that might be lacking from their profile as well as
a My Goal section to align Project work to a grander dream or
mission. Users now have an option to decline sharing location
and upload photos later.
Being Able to Collect
& Save Resources
6.13 / 7 (2nd Lowest Value)
Users thought the ability to collect Resources was important,
as many do not have time to read or consume Resources upon
finding them. Most users wanted Resources they saved to be
private but with an ability to be shared out if necessary. Similarly,
users thought about other entrepreneurs and Projects as
Resources, and wanted to save those to reach out to
or reference later.
Revision
We confirmed that Resources should be private and helped
create a visual language and onboarding information that helps a
user understand that distinction. We created share buttons and
a share menu that allows Resources, users, and Projects to be
linked to or saved, nodding to the element of collection from the
first instantiation of Ideasource.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Having Access to a
Discovery Portal with
Different Categories
of Content
6.60 / 7
Having Access to a
Discovery Portal with
Different Categories of
Content
6.60 / 7
“I’d like to look wide as opposed to
local. Sometimes, what I may be
thinking is a problem is not actually
a problem, so I prefer to look at
different angles and perspectives at
the same thing so I can know what
the connection is.”
Users enjoyed the ability to search through other innovation
Projects and potential peers through Discovery. They also
liked having resources within the same application and were
curious about user-generated content, or if they could post
their own articles in their native language. Users currently
have several workarounds for online resources, especially in
Jordan and Ghana.
Revision
We slimmed down the Discovery page based on feedback.
Users were confused about the difference between articles
and tools, and while they were relatively interested in local
events, they had other workarounds for that information.
Now, Discovery features other Projects, other innovators,
Resources, and a space where DOT can talk about its offerings
and opportunities, inclusive of local events where possible.
Users wanted to see more information about Projects, especially
their statuses, in the Discovery view.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Having Access to
Resources & Tools
6.50 / 7
Having Access to
Resources & Tools
6.50 / 7
“Knowledge is beyond where
you are.”
Users thought Resources and Tools made sense in the
Ideasource ecosystem, but it was not as important as the
other two functions of the platform: networking and project
management. Users wanted to make sure Resources did not
have time durations for usage and were curious how to find
Resources for which they might not know to look. Some
users wanted to publish user-driven content to overcome the
language barrier that might result with DOT-created
or -curated resources.
Users were curious about what a Resource page might look
like. We imagine for version one, DOT could source content in a
white-label experience like so.
Revision
We also envisioned what a learning resource might actually
look like and believe DOT could source content from places
like NovoEd.com to avoid having to create custom
content for version one.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Having Access to a
Network of Social
Innovators
Seeing Someone Else’s
Profile, Including His
Causes & Projects
6.93 / 7 (1st Highest Value & A Top Must Have)
6.60 / 7
“As an entrepreneur, your
connections are everything.”
“This is amazing. I’ve never seen
this. This is what I was talking about,
meeting people with whom you
already have a connection.”
“The network is what gives
Ideasource its power.”
Many users thought that the network was the most powerful
part of the application. While users currently utilize social
media to network with social entrepreneurs, having a platform
dedicated to the industry—filled with like-minded users with
similar interests—seemed worth the extra time commitment
due to increased opportunity.
Revision
We integrated Causes into Discovery’s search so that users
could easily toggle through their interests or click the
magnifying glass to find something specific.
Users enjoyed being able to see other leaders of change,
especially their undertaken Projects. Some users worried about
other users aggrandizing information, and so they wanted
verification in various capacities.
Projects evoke a realness and history that rounds out a user’s
digital profile. Interviewees wanted to click into the Projects to
better understand and connect. A user’s work—as proven by
past Projects—is what helps define her relationship to others in
Ideasource.
Revision
“The first thing I’d want to [learn
more about] would be his initiative
that was asking for volunteers—you
can see what he’s currently doing,
and that tells me whether or not you
can work together.”
We created a way for teammates to be reviewed when Projects
were finished, which can show up on a person’s profile should
she choose to include them for legitimacy. Additionally, we
gave users the ability to post a goal, and a link to their LinkedIn,
personal website, or initiative website for cross-checking. We
made Project statuses more robust to better attract the right
type of contributors.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Being Able to
Communicate
with Anyone in the
Ideasource Network
6.68 / 7
Being Able to
Communicate
with Anyone in the
Ideasource Network
6.68 / 7
“This is a 7 (on the value scale). If
I could go higher, I’d go with a 10.
Text messaging out of Ideasource
when you want to communicate
with someone, he or she has to
know you or explain to you without
the background info; it can become
difficult. But you’re already in
Ideasource. Being there means
you’re not just someone on the
outside, you want to do something.
It makes it easier to meet people.”
“To me, this is the prime reason that
I would use Ideasource. It is difficult
to find social entrepreneurs and
talk about initiatives—people like
to hide it.”
Users loved how easy it was to message someone and felt
that because Ideasource was filled with like-minded people, it
would be a very productive network in which to be immersed.
Some users—especially women in Amman—feared being
harassed and wanted an ability to block messages or even
privately list their profiles.
Trust was either questioned (“Is this person legitimate?”) or
assumed (“Everyone here is an entrepreneur like me.”). The
reality of an open message platform is that, with the incredible
opportunity of connection, we must make sure our users
feel protected.
Revision
We believe there needs to be a way to block users whose
messages are unwanted. The testimonials, past Project work,
link to websites, multimedia uploaded, as well as privacy
settings involving location and blocking can all serve to help
bridge the trust gap predominantly among the female
users with whom we spoke.
We adjusted how links in Messages were handled to show
parity in the Project Thread group message and messages with
individuals.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
About DOT
While users were relatively interested in local events, we found
it to make more sense to represent these in an About DOT
section of Discovery, where users could become closer to
DOT’s other offerings.
Being Able to
Communicate
with Anyone in the
Ideasource Network
6.68 / 7
We showed how Project Threads lived in Messages along
with everything else.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Being Communicated
to by DOT Bot In-App
6.40 / 7 (4th Lowest Value & 2nd Highest Must Have)
Having a Collaborative
Workspace for
Projects
“DOT Bot is working as a reminder, a
prompter, an instigator.”
“Sometimes you don’t know what you
need when you need it.”
“This is brilliant.”
Users liked DOT Bot, both in Ideasource and the WhatsApp
simulation. DOT Bot’s ability to understand a user’s needs and
intuit how she might benefit from the rest of the application was
most well regarded.
Users wanted DOT Bot in Ideasource to be more functional than
is possible, by giving them feedback on their Project work and
telling them how to improve their vision for social enterprise.
We’re curious if DOT Bot’s role is in Ideasource, or if DOT
should consider building a lighter weight version outside of the
application first. See the DOT Bot section for more detail.
6.60 / 7 (A Top Must Have)
Users appreciated having a page for their Projects, though the
word “Initiative” confused many. Tasks, messages, files, and
descriptions seemed to be the general components of anyone’s
current work. Projects are what define relationships in this
space, and current work is hard to manage and keep organized.
Existing apps offer some workarounds, but nothing offers holistic
project management for social impact work. Many users were
curious about what information was private vs. public on the
collaborative Project page.
“Not having a plan makes it hard for
me to understand what’s next. Plans
make life easier. You can’t always
connect the dots, but you can have
an idea.”
Revision
Revision
We finessed the way DOT Bot links to other parts of the
application so that it feels more natural but also non-invasive. We
also started thinking about simple ways DOT Bot could be more
present throughout Ideasource, such as when a user
uploads a new file.
We reworked the collaborative workspace so that it read less
like a static page, and more like a dynamic center to organize
files, messages, and tasks with your team. We changed the word
Initiative to Project.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Having a Collaborative
Workspace for
Projects
6.60 / 7 (A Top Must Have)
Having a Task
Management System
for Projects
6.37 / 7 (3rd Lowest Value & A Top Must Have)
Users would benefit from a more interactive Project page. We
created a clickable About section for users to reference or
modify details.
Users thought it was important to hold teammates accountable
using tasks as well as to visualize their Project’s progress. Almost
all users wanted to be able to dive deeper into tasks and get
more detailed information. Some worried about being assigned
tasks without having a conversation and being beholden to
something they didn’t want to do. Many users currently have
workarounds for to-do lists, both digitally and physically.
“This will help me manage my
activities throughout the journey of
my social entrepreneurship.”
Revision
We created a detail section of each task. While tasks seemed
important, we’re curious how APIs of popular to-do list apps
like Trello could be integrated into the system to provide
seamlessness without redundancy and extra development work.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Having a Task
Management System
for Projects
6.37 / 7 (3rd Lowest Value & A Top Must Have)
Having a Task
Management System
for Projects
6.37 / 7 (3rd Lowest Value & A Top Must Have)
While users had other systems for looking at tasks, there was
some interest in aggregating tasks across Projects and
individual work.
We found users would need to dive into individual tasks for more
detail to better guide their project work.
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IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Being Able to Upload
Documents to Your
Project
6.87 / 7 (2nd Highest Value)
Being Able to Upload
Documents to Your
Project
6.87 / 7 (2nd Highest Value)
Users loved the ability to upload documents as it enabled them to
collect all relevant materials in one dedicated place. Some users
wondered how they would be able to upload files that were on
their desktop. Some wanted the ability to word process directly
in Ideasource. Many users wanted to ability to comment on files
and upload other media, such as videos.
We added filenames and envisioned the file section with sorting
and searching options to better locate files.
Revision
We believe there should be a custom generated e-mail address,
similar to Tumblr and Amazon, whereby a user would be able
to send files to her Ideasource Project. While a companion
web app is possible at some point in Ideasource’s future, users
loved the mobility of the smartphone for version one and we
recommend building out in that form. We thought through how
file annotations might be easily done by clicking into a filename.
62
63

IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Being Able to Upload
Documents to Your
Project
6.87 / 7 (2nd Highest Value)
Users wanted the ability to comment on and mark up
specific files.
Having a Project
Thread of Activity
6.77 / 7 (4th Highest Value)
The name “Initiative Log” was distracting to users, and there was
a lack of clarity about where it belonged. Users did enjoy the
fact that all activity was recorded, providing a conversation on
tangible events and actions as opposed to talking just
through WhatsApp.
Revision
We renamed Initiative Log to Project Thread and improved the
interface design to illustrate how the Project Thread lives in
Messages, but is accessible as a link from a user’s Project page.
We revised how actions appear in other messages—such as
when DOT Bot links a user to Resources, or when another user
invites someone to a project—to have parity with the
Project Thread.
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65

IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Being Able to Start a
New Project
6.0 / 7 (1st Lowest Value)
Being Able to Start a
New Project
6.0 / 7 (1st Lowest Value)
Users had a preference to work on one Project at a time, and
while our story fast-forwarded through one project, they did not
feel ready to move on. Projects are sacred to this community, and
we learned some Projects may be ongoing or larger than others,
and starting new endeavors is not a daily activity.
Revision
Based on our research, users may need assistive text when
creating their first Projects to encourage them to keep them
small and actionable. We also created an ability to select a
Project type so that ongoing Projects—as well as fundraisers,
events, and everything in between—might be best
represented in the system.
We retitled Initiatives as Projects to help people timebox them as
necessary. We also created tooltips to guide a user through the
first steps of creating a Project, with suggestions for how to make
it more impactful.
66
67

IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Being Able to Publish
your Project
6.43 / 7
Being Able to Publish
your Project
6.43 / 7
“This will first tell me how far
have I achieved and how far have
I failed, but it also will be a good
step for myself, something that I
need to do, but also the ability to
received feedback and comments.”
“Maybe the next time around, you
say okay we did it this way. You
learn from your mistakes. I would
learn from other initiatives I ran. …
Something like this will push you.
It will always put you on track.
People are eager to see what
you’re making. … This is helpful
because I get to learn how to start
and go from there.”
Many users enjoyed the ability to publish an Impact Review upon
the conclusion of or at a crucial point in their Project. Only some
users would not want to publish a review given negative results.
Many users saw a need to evaluate two components: the team
(internal, private) and the project itself (external, public). Some
users commented that they’d prefer the reviews to be shorter and
feature more quantitative data.
Revision
We redeisgned the Impact Review flow to support the ability to
review teammates and have those testimonials—if desired—
show up on users’ Profiles. Project leaders also have the ability
to publish or delegate the Impact Report of the Project, which is
now better structured so it is easier to read quickly and includes
both short and long, quantitative and qualitative data. The Report
is now optional, though encouraged. We envision a user could
not see teammates’ reviews of herself until she reviewed them,
too, à la AirBNB.
Users wanted legitimacy as well as the ability to reflect on
their internal team for skillbuilding. We found this was just as
important to reviewing impact of the Project as a whole.
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69

IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Being Able to Publish
your Project
6.43 / 7
We included more drop-down menus into the Impact Review
so that it would read less like an essay. Users said this would
be more helpful to quickly read up on published Projects. We
believe the impact questions ask could improve as Ideasource
data mines its first months of Projects.
Having a Portfolio
of Completed Social
Change Initiatives
6.77 / 7 (4th Highest Value)
The ability to link out to multiple Projects over time and have a
portfolio of work is relatively unprecedented. The opportunity
for Ideasource to serve as the go-to source for this type of
work is very powerful for many social entrepreneurs across the
Engagement Lifecycle.
Most people do not want to run Projects simultaneously, but do
want to have a portfolio of completed Projects.
Revision
We revised how Projects get stored to the Profile through
better understanding the main user groups as contributors and
innovators. Salma’s own Projects show up under My Initiative
in her profile; projects she’s helped out with are listed as My
Contributions, enabling someone to thread together Projects as
greater initiatives.
70
71

Native
WHAT IF CONTENT WAS CROWDSOURCED,
NOT CORPORATE?
“I loved [Ideasource] because when you search the internet you
get facts from everywhere, every formation comes, but when you
get information from specific people or the person you can trust,
you can ask, you can read, you can feel secure, even if they send
you information, you can trust them.”
72
73

IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Feature Value Table
Sharing your
profession as
part of your
network profile
Choosing
Causes that
interest you
Having a
searchable
personal Profile
that shares your
location and
interests
Having access
to a Discovery
portal
Having access
to a network
of social
innovators
Seeing someone
else’s Profile,
including his
Causes and
Projects
Being able to
communicate
with anyone in
the Ideasource
network
Having a
collaborative
workspace for
Projects
Having a task
management
system for your
Projects
Being able
to upload
documents to
your Project
Having a
Project Thread
of activity
Being
communicated
to by DOT Bot in
Ideasource
Having access
to Resources
and tools
Being able to
collect and save
Resources
Being able to
publish your
Project
Having a
portfolio of
completed
social change
initiatives
Being able to
start a new
Project
I’m Learning:
7.00
7.00
6.67
7.00
7.00
6.33
7.00
6.50
6.67
7.00
7.00
7.00
6.00
7.00
7.00
7.00
7.00
I’m Getting Involved:
6.50
6.42
6.67
6.33
7.00
7.00
6.75
6.50
6.33
6.67
6.17
6.33
6.83
6.33
6.67
6.83
6.00
I’m Creating my Own Initiative:
7.00
6.67
6.67
6.00
7.00
6.00
7.00
6.00
5.50
7.00
6.67
7.00
7.00
7.00
4.50
4.50
4.50
I’m Running my Own Initiative:
6.67
6.00
6.67
6.67
7.00
6.67
6.67
7.00
6.33
6.67
7.00
5.67
6.67
5.33
7.00
7.00
7.00
74
FEATURE VALUE TABLE
FEATURE VALUE TABLE
75

Must Haves
IDEASOURCE
Individual values of features are important to understand what
users want. Must Haves enable us to see what users need,
imposing limits that our value system did not have. Each user
was allowed to select only 3 Must Haves from a list of 25 total
Ideasource features.
76
77

IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Having Access to a Network of Social Innovators
(5/16 People)
The Ability to Collaborate with a Team on a Project
(5/16 People)
The Ability to Search Projects that are Interesting to me
(4/16 People)
“When I first thought about
Ideasource, I thought it was about
connection, and that’s the thing I
think I really see it for as
really useful.”
Many desired finding and connecting with like-minded
individuals within a specific region and across the world. It’s
difficult to find these types of people, and Ideasource’s ability
to keep everybody in the same place is an enormous benefit.
This was also the highest valued feature at 6.93, showing
that a community of social entrepreneurs is both wanted
and necessary.
Users need help with taking tangible steps toward a goal
with the support of a team. Collaboration currently exists in a
network of disconnected forms—e-mail, Trello, WhatsApp—
and so the experience of a one-stop shop for project work is
incredibly enticing.
The Ability to Communicate with DOT Bot at Any Time
(4//16 People)
According to our research, a person’s project work is the
strongest way to create a relationship and get to know someone.
Many users expressed a strong desire to learn from other
people’s Projects to improve their own work.
This was not a feature we specifically evaluated on the value
scale, but it was mentioned repeatedly when we asked about
Discovery and users’ individual Profiles.
“I must have this one [searching
Projects], because it is essential to
my social entrepreneurship if I have a
platform where I can search and get
information on the initiatives. This is
the best—I will need this very much.”
“You’re keeping people responsible
for what they sign up for.”
“Working with a team will give me
more ideas.”
Having a Task Management System for Projects
(5/16 People)
There are few good tools for this, and not many are integrated
into a larger system. Users want to house ideas and Projects
somewhere that is relevant, helps them stay organized, and
keeps Projects actionable. Tasks can help teams stay in touch
over tangible steps and continue to move forward.
This was the the third lowest valued feature. On its own, tasks
are not that valuable to a user, but in combination with project
management, they become one of the top Must Haves. Users
also have many workarounds for tasks currently.
Users want a support system throughout their journey. Both in
the Ideasource interviews and the DOT Bot prototype, users
expressed a need for instant assurance in the form of feedback
and knowledge. This is where their networks break down—
when friends and peers are unavailable and the user feels stuck
or unsupported.
This was the fourth lowest valued feature. DOT Bot’s role
may make the most sense outside of Ideasource given the
application’s inherent structure. Were DOT Bot valued more
highly in the features section, we might think it more integral.
That being said, there is a clear need for something like DOT
Bot—it should probably first exist as a separate offering,
though. We will expand on this in the DOT Bot section.
78
MUST HAVES
MUST HAVES
79

Leave Behinds
IDEASOURCE
Research can help us cut the fat of an application, uniting
its story through the voice of users. Leave Behinds help us
understand what is not needed. Sometimes these suggest
eliminating features, but other times these might help partition
features into future releases or encourage workarounds as
opposed to intense development efforts.
In all, people had a difficult time cutting features, as they found
the system in its wholeness most useful. What tended to be
cut were tools for which they had obvious workarounds, like
WhatsApp, e-mail, and Trello.
80
81

IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
The Ability to Run Multiple Projects
(8/16 People)
Having a Task Management System for Projects
(3/16 People)
Sharing Projects on Social Media or through a Link
(3/16 People)
“I can get lost in between when I’m
running different initiatives. It might
require different kinds of resources or
a lot of energy.”
“It’s confusing if you have [all the
messages] in the same place. Just
“I finish it, so why have a record for
them?”
“This is like torture.”
Users want to focus on one thing at a time. The original word
Initiative also made some interviewees think in terms of
running multiple organizations as opposed to discrete projects
in their community. While users liked the idea of ultimately
having a social impact portfolio, most wanted to do away with
the ability to manage many things at once, especially when it
came to a grander vision or social enterprise.
Having a Record of All My Past and Current
Conversations on Ideasource through Messages
(6/16 People)
Users figured if they were done with a project, they wouldn’t
want to refer to old messages. They’d much prefer to save or
store key messages instead of sifting through their archive
when trying to find a more relevant message. This aligns nicely
with users’ desire to keep the application as lightweight as
possible and cut down anything unnecessary for bandwidth
and storage reasons.
When building out Messages, it will be important for most
recent messages to appear in order to simulate this naturally
with an ability to search through for specific threads.
The most polarizing feature of the application, this additionally
ranked third lowest in value as well as one of the top Must
Haves as voted by five users. This polarization results from
existing workarounds—those for whom Trello works, for
example, don’t need or want another task management system
in-application, yet they can also understand the inherent value
of task management in general within Ideasource.
We’re curious if APIs could help users with existing
workarounds. Integrating your existing to-do list into
Ideasource keeps everything in one place, eliminates
reinventing the wheel, and allows for the holistic functionality
in which users are most interested. On the other hand, it makes
DOT reliant on Trello’s to-do list servers and technology.
Having a Record of Team Communication in the Project
Thread (3/16 People)
Users saw a redundancy between this log and the message
thread they could find for the Project in Messages. There are
also workarounds through WhatsApp.
To fix this, we worked on the interaction design to better
showcase how the project thread button on a Project page
was a link to the message thread, making it more accessible
as opposed to redundant.
Some users were concerned about privacy or had existing
workarounds such as taking screenshots or publishing directly
to LinkedIn. We believe that using links enables Projects to
live outside of Ideasource and creates an essential currency
for the internal community.
In redesigning, we worked to show users what information
was private and what was public to better give them a
sense of control.
Reading Relevant Content about Social Impact
(3/16 People)
Users–especially more experienced entrepreneurs—talked
about how many resources they currently had to read, in their
inbox, on Facebook, on the Internet. Teams and networks of
social entrepreneurs are almost always posting and sharing
resources to each other, and, barring some content language
barriers, our interviewees felt informed.
Resources might first be a place to import content from
sources like NovoEd, or to consider implementing in later
versions of Ideasource.
“There are many collaborative
platforms that are being invented.”
“I use Trello. I use different platforms
for [task management].”
“This may disclose some
confidential information.”
82
LEAVE BEHINDS
LEAVE BEHINDS
83

IDEASOURCE
IDEASOURCE
Must Have/Leave Behind
Full List
Having a personal Profile that publicly displays your Causes and Projects
The ability to choose Causes that interest you
The ability to search other social innovators’ Profiles within the network
Having access to a Discovery portal that hosts all that Ideasource has to offer
The ability to message anyone within the Ideasource network
Having access to the Project page, a collaborative workspace for Projects
Having a task management system for Projects
Being able to upload files or documents to the Project page
Having record of all team communication on the Project Thread
The ability to communicate with DOT Bot at any time in Ideasource
The ability to publish an Project and reflect on its impact
The ability to run multiple Projects
Sharing Projects on social media or through a link
The ability to search Projects that are interesting to me
The ability to search Causes that are interesting to me
Connecting with other social entrepreneurs and innovators
Seeing a schedule of events in my region
Connection to a physical DOT chapter in my region
The ability to collaborate with a team on a specific Project
Reading relevant content about social impact
The ability to communicate how you can contribute to the network/what help you need
Having a record of all of my past and current conversations on Ideasource through Messages
The ability to have a portfolio of completed social change initiatives
Ability to open an initiative to potential volunteers and collaborators
The ability to save and collect tools and Resources
84
MUST HAVE/LEAVE BEHIND FULL LIST
MUST HAVE/LEAVE BEHIND FULL LIST
85

IDEASOURCE
Ideasource Perceived Value:
Engagement Lifecycle
“Please make it in the market soon!”
Ideasource is a powerful offer for anyone, but especially social innovators who are
further along in the Engagement Lifecycle. This is due to its ability to actively manage
and implement project work. DOT should consider this when branding and marketing
the offering and also look at how it can use other resources to spark awareness and
trust for innovators who might be new and learning.
I’m New
5.60 / 7
I’m Learning
6.01/ 7
I’m Getting Involved
6.43/ 7
I’m Creating my Own Initiative
6.64/ 7
I’m Running my Own Initiative
6.64/ 7
86
IDEASOURCE PERCEIVED VALUE
87

IDEASOURCE
Future of Ideasource
The first version of Ideasource is a robust platform for leaders
of change and community contributors to come together to
network, manage, and learn more about their impact projects.
This is an essential framework that opens up a new space
for social impact.
Moving from this, we see Ideasource as a crucial place for
localization, impact evaluation, and partner integration.
Additionally, we see micro-investing as another way to elevate
the Ideasource experience. In the future, incorporating another
user group, the Investor—who might be a venture capitalist
or another youth with some funds to spare—and enabling her
to support Projects or initiatives she feels are important will
change the conversation on micro-lending as DOT explores the
possibilities of micro-equity.
88
FUTURE OF IDEASOURCE
89

Localization
Impact Evaluation
Partner Integration
User-generated content and translation bots can support more
localized resources. For inspiration on where Ideasource can
head, we look to how Facebook modifies icons and Google
changes language based on geographic location. Using localinspired
patterns, similar to how Uber customizes its design
in each location, is a more attainable localization goal for
Ideasource’s immediate future.
Drawing together a community of social entrepreneurs is exciting
in terms of the possibilities for its users as well as for the industry
itself. We’re curious about how each Project’s Impact Report
might become more succinct and include more quantitative data
as DOT and Ideasource better learn how social innovators are
evaluating their project work. This type of conversation will help
move beyond the platform, into initiatives like the Social Genome
Project and thought leadership.
We see partners ultimately having a powerful role within
Ideasource by launching themed Campaigns inside of which
users might launch new Projects. The most successful Projects
within a Campaign could win fundraising or other resources that
would accelerate eager social entrepreneurs.
90
FUTURE OF IDEASOURCE
FUTURE OF IDEASOURCE
91

IDEASOURCE
Roadmap
The Opportunity of the Offer
Ideasource is a platform that will yield runaway impact—
meaning as more and more users adopt it, DOT’s influence will
expand and take on a life of its own. Through data mining an
MVP version of the product, DOT will be able to learn more
about the social entrepreneur and impact contributor so as to
evolve better versions of all its offerings. Ultimately, this can
provide DOT with enough information to help run something
like the proposed Social Genome Project. Currently, DOT
has done enough research to demonstrate that Ideasource is
compelling as DOT’s main digital offering, as well as to have
informed the user experience enough to support the large
following Ideasource will need.
Product Ownership
DOT needs to find a product owner for Ideasource. The design,
build, and maintenance cycles require ownership to ensure
Ideasource remains functional, user-centered, and reactive. This
product owner can be an internal product team within DOT, or a
partner technology group.
Developing Ideasource
As Ideasource moves from design to development, it will first
be important to hire a solutions architect or someone who
can conduct a technology requirements audit to structure
Ideasource’s back-end.
This book has provided research into the user experience value
of the features of Ideasource; DOT will next need to combine this
information with its own rankings in terms of business strategy
and a development team’s rankings for feasibility and difficulty.
This will set the groundwork for the MVP and beyond.
Ideasource’s holistic nature of combining social networking,
project management, and resources together around project
work is the main selling point of the application and should
remain such. Outlier features, like local events, or intensive
features, like DOT-generated resource content, can wait until
later versions.
MVP
For the MVP, DOT should consider integrating APIs—Facebook
Messenger for messages, Trello for tasks—and using spiders or
bots to pull out content for Resources from sources like NovoEd.
This will potentially allow Ideasource to get up-and-running
sooner with the ability to phase out APIs as versions advance.
In the future, user-generated content and bot-generated
translations can help Ideasource live on past extensive and
specific development efforts.
DOT would next engage in detailed design and development to
build out the MVP and then build subsequent versions based on
feature priorities, user feedback, development resources,
and funding.
92
ROADMAP
93

DOT Bot
In Ideasource, DOT Bot scored a 6.40 / 7 in value and
second highest as a Must Have feature. This allowed us to
understand how users might appreciate DOT Bot’s services
within a larger platform. And then we brought it to life.
94
95

DOT BOT
Overview
The DOT Bot simulation enabled us to understand the types of
conversations that people would want to have with DOT Bot,
should DOT consider building it.
5.89 / 7
Average Value (Total)
Those who ranked DOT Bot lower were confused by what it was
offering, even after several text messages. One user replied,
“Am still not getting what it is all about… but can give it 4 for not
giving up on me.”
Generally, users had limited experience interacting with
chatbots, and DOT Bot’s challenge will be in how it structures
conversations so that users can get actionable results.
Throughout the DOT Bot simulation in each country, we
experimented with sending inspirational quotes, commentary
on the Fellowship Network, resources, reminders, mentor
connections, feedback, and Twitter posts.
What was most successful—and what users seemed to want
more than other offers—were resources and reminders. Both of
these can be handled with little natural language capacity.
96
OVERVIEW
97

DOT BOT
DOT BOT
“You say that DOT Bot is very
resourceful, so for me if I don’t
have people who are online or can
communicate on time, then DOT Bot
has got me.”
“I want instant feedback. [DOT Bot]
is the only resource that I need to
give me instant feedback after I ask
it something.”
Feedback
Outside of resources and reminders, users most liked DOT Bot’s
ability to give 24-hour, reliable “feedback”.
The challenge will be providing the right type of feedback.
Users predominantly wanted feedback on their business
models, which something like DOT Bot would struggle to
accurately critique.
We believe a tangible solution to this is self-assessment. In
the simulation, we could use human processing to deduct
conclusions for content to send back to the user. DOT Bot,
on the other hand, could walk users through this deduction
process themselves, a decision tree that would ultimately lead
to settling on more generic issues to resolve, like learning about
a certain resource, or creating a tangible task.
Self-assessment
USER: “DOT Bot, I need your help.”
DOT BOT: “Great, how can I help?”
USER: “I want you to help me my business model, please.”
DOT BOT: “OK — what is your biggest challenge right now?”
USER: “I’ve got a lot of problems. I’m not sure if my meeting is
going to go well. I need more research.”
DOT BOT: “Research is easy, but important. Have you conducted
research before?”
USER: “No, I haven’t. I’m not sure if it’s right for me, or if I have the
time. But I don’t know how to do it.”
DOT BOT: “Here are three resources that might help…”
The above example outlines another challenge that DOT Bot
will need to address if it is to be created: the rambling of
conversation.
“Sometimes you don’t know what you
need when you need it.”
98
FEEDBACK / SELF-ASSESSMENT
FEEDBACK / SELF-ASSESSMENT
99

DOT BOT
DOT BOT
Conversation
LARK
Working with communities that are not used to talking with
chatbots, we found users to be overly conversational to openended
questions. Even the better chatbots of today would
struggle parsing through all the content, especially if there are
grammatical or linguistic errors. Here are some examples:
There are two solutions to this. On one hand, DOT Bot will need
to pick up on keywords and move forward in its decision tree
based on them. This is clear in the self-assessment example—
when overloaded, DOT Bot can be clear about the direction it is
choosing to take based on what it understands most.
Numbering
DOT BOT: “I can send you resources on your Causes of interest.
Text ‘1’ for resources on clean water, text ‘2’ for resources on
sanitation, or text ‘3’ for resources on education.”
DOT BOT: “I can send you resources on social entrepreneurship if
you’re interested. All you need to do is send me up to three causes
or topics that are most interesting to you so I can personalize your
content. Otherwise, just say SEND and I’ll send you
generic resources.”
USER: “Thanks a lot. Kindly send I know I will find them useful.”
DOT BOT: “Good morning! What’s the #1 thing you need help with
for your social enterprise project?”
USER: “Morning too.
USER: “More capacity building on social entrepreneurship. I feel
The other necessity is the structuring of conversations, the onus
of which is on DOT Bot due to an audience relatively new to
chatbots. Limiting open-ended conversations is essential for DOT
Bot to give and receive the information it needs.
We’re curious how DOT Bot can use numbers to help limit its
natural language capacity. The challenge here is DOT Bot would
feel more like a phone line than a chatbot, so this could also serve
as a backup solution if someone sends something that DOT Bot
doesn’t understand.
DOT BOT: “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand you. I’m just a robot!
Text ‘1’ for social enterprise hubs from around the world, or text
‘2’ for local resources in Accra.”
Inspiration
DOT can look to apps like Lark for insight on conversation. Lark
facilitates conversations in a more automated way, by forcing a
user to have certain responses. If a user types a custom response,
Lark replies with something generic yet personable.
there is a lot I am yet to learn.”
USER: “Hello, I have being passing through these articles and I
have come up with several additional points on my business plan
which is agribusiness now I can design it and become a social
enterprise by paying back to my community and this can be done
through empowering youth who have no job to work in my project
and earn some money as we make profit. Therefore I think to work
with these youth as product suppliers. What is your comment on
this business idea.?”
100
CONVERSATION
CONVERSATION
101

DOT BOT
Moving Forward
MVP
“How automated is DOT Bot? I would
want DOT Bot as personal
as possible.”
If DOT were to build DOT Bot, it could use a service like Telegram
which is relatively popular in these communities, but also
supports chatbots, unlike WhatsApp. The phone number of DOT
Bot may need to be local for some regions—Tanzania’s country
code was a red flag in Jordan as it was mistaken for spam—and
the bot should be clear about how it’s obtaining its information
and strike an almost human-like persona.
DOT Bot is a Facebook- or Telegram-based bot that can handle
simple natural language queries, understand commands for
reminders and finding articles, and employ a decision tree to walk
a user through simple self-assessments to help improve project
plans. The chatbot must create and communicate guidelines for
responses within its persona, provide actionable directions, and
give relevant and helpful resources whenever asked.
Having something like DOT Bot can enable DOT to carry out
customer relations management without needing an entire team.
DOT Bot could be one of the most powerful ways to scale the
one-to-one relationship in which the organization is so interested.
DOT Bot could also be the conduit for sending local events—
which may seem too heavy to include into Ideasource version
one. DOT Bot’s always-on conversations is an incredible offer for
entrepreneurs who feel lost.
Refined Description
DOT is a go-to resource for social enterprise work by
providing reminders, resources, and filling in the gaps through
conversations to help users self-assess and improve
their projects.
102
MOVING FORWARD / MVP
103

Social
WHAT IF WE COULD TALK ABOUT CHANGE?
“I received a text from DOT Bot and give it my causes and to
be provided with sites. I loved it because when you search the
internet you get facts from everywhere, every formation comes,
but when you get information from specific people or the person
you can trust, you can ask, you can read, you can feel secure,
even if they send you information, you can trust them.”
104
105

Residency
Residency
106
107

RESIDENCY
Overview
The Residency is an attractive offer for both youth and local
businesses. DOT’s ability to curate potential Residents and train
them in innovation are value adds for business owners. The
dual-mentor system, with one mentor at the organization and
one mentor at DOT, and prestigious positioning are value adds
for interested youth. Residencies might be a little riskier than
internships in order to ensure success in that they require DOT’s
intervention and oversight, but both interviewees agreed that it
would be worth the risk.
5.75 / 7
Average Value (Youth)
5.85 / 7
Average Value (Business Leader)
Current Internships
Current internships are often not engaging or helpful. Subjects
often didn’t have a whole lot of choice in the work they were
actually doing, and their work was often undervalued
or unimportant.
The skills gap, as found in the previous engagement, is real. Both
business owners and youth commented on how they felt youth
were unprepared for work, even just after graduating school.
108
OVERVIEW / CURRENT INTERNSHIPS
109

RESIDENCY
Opportunity for Pipeline
“I wasn’t setting any expectations
of what I wanted to learn. I had no
mentorship. I felt lost. I didn’t do
anything.” [Youth]
“There’s lack of a training in terms
of professional soft skills—general
communication with an employer,
how to interact with team members.
There’s a knowledge gap there.”
[Business leader]
“I’d love to give people the
opportunity, but I don’t have time
to train them in order to have
them help out or not be a burden.”
[Business leader]
“If I need to invest in someone, it has
to be someone who can work with
us.” [Business leader]
Businesses have a craving for talent, and current internship
models exhaust their searches. Besides, internships are
normally constrained to a couple months, meaning businesses
are investing in youth who will likely leave them after a summer.
The Residency is a perfect way to marry business desire
for talent with DOT’s powerful network. Additionally, local
businesses want new skills and innovation expertise, meaning
that any education DOT is doing is seen as a clear value add.
While businesses would save time sourcing talent from DOT,
they do want to conduct final interviews to choose amongst a
tight selection to ensure Residents are cultural fits.
Craving for Innovation
Residency’s differentiators from the traditional internship
model resonated with youth. Those interviewed expressed a
desire for the two-mentor system in order to learn a specific
business trade from an expert while also having someone at
DOT to speak with about the softer skills of innovation and
professionality. Many youth felt out-of-control in previous
internships, unsure with whom they should speak to better
shape their summers.
Almost every interviewee responded well to the Innovation
Project. For youth, it would be a way to have ownership
of portfolio piece which was worth more than a résumé.
For businesses, it was enticing to have new skills and
knowledge brought to their practice. Some businesses
would be interested in more experienced entrepreneurs
carrying out Innovation Projects while less experienced
youth could work a rotational program.
Some businesses were nervous about paying for innovation
before seeing results. Especially in Tanzania, there was a
sense that the Resident needed to prove herself and would
be compensated and supported afterwards accordingly.
This will need to be addressed by DOT serving as mediator
between business and Resident by structuring the
expectations of the program in advance.
“Having multiple mentors
is important for variety of
perspectives.” [Youth]
“The Innovation Project is the most
important thing. It sets you up to do
your own thing after.” [Youth]
Some youth were also interested in doing a rotational program
to better understand how an entire business worked in order
to inform their own performance and career path. Often, youth
had a particular career type they wanted to pursue—like PR, or
running a company—but the industry did not matter as much.
In this same vein, most youth believed they could be innovative
even at non-social enterprises.
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OPPORTUNITY FOR PIPLINE /
CRAVING FOR INNOVATION
111

RESIDENCY
Structure through DOT
“I stayed on two months after
my intended time was up. It was
great. I learned not nearly enough
in one year.” [Youth]
“‘Resident’ feels better than ‘intern.’
Resident feels more like home.”
[Youth]
There has been worry about DOT becoming a job placement
organization. While the pipeline aspect of the Residency
might mirror that, the opportunity for real work and innovation
experience for Residents and powerful talent for businesses is
a different game. This differentiation will require DOT to define
the Residency programs in-field: to businesses, DOT must ensure
they are enabling Residents to concoct Innovation Projects,
giving weekly time for training at DOT offices, and supporting
Residents with the resources they need. To youth, DOT must
ensure they are of expert quality to undertake Innovation
Projects, able to match with a good business fit—social
enterprise or otherwise—and confident enough to make the
most of the Residency program.
If DOT believes it has local resources to undertake this
coordination, successful Residencies will be possible.
For timing, a year, or even longer, was preferred in Tanzania and
Ghana, mainly because the Residency’s structure felt more like
training as opposed to the liminal experience of an internship. In
Jordan, the Residency cannot last longer than three months—
after that, employers would be required to pay social security,
which would make the Residency just a full-time job, which is
not as desirable to them.
Youth wanted check-ins at regular intervals to ensure they were
progressing and to set goals.
Youth additionally expressed interests in doing international
Residencies to pick up additional skills that would be hard to
attain at home.
“I think at the beginning a year
seems so long, especially for a
young person, but I think it gives
you enough time to work and mold
from an employer’s perspective.”
[Business leader]
“3-4 days a week is considered a
full time employee. Legally. Social
security is a hassle, [so] I limit
myself with the interns I take.”
[Business leader]
Specifics
The term Residency felt prestigious and useful, though not
necessarily widely used in each region.
For payment, stipends might be enough. Most interviewees were
interested in being compensated for rent (if living alone), travel,
and incidentals, and were not expected to be paid a full salary,
unless there was more intensive work.
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STRUCTURE THROUGH DOT
113

RESIDENCY
MVP
DOT should consider piloting five Residencies in two
regions—potentially Accra, Ghana, and Amman, Jordan—
to explore the concept’s reality. Local staff would find five
businesses who would sign up and commit funds to threemonth
or year-long engagements and would then allow
businesses to choose from three top-tier youth. Each area
might experiment with social enterprises versus traditional
businesses, compensation amounts, and mentorship
scheduling. The biggest barrier to the MVP is having enough
content for the weekly innovation meetings.
Refined Description
The Residency is a full-time prestigious work position with
weekly innovation training from DOT for those interested
in gaining hands-on experience. Coming in two flavors, the
Residency can either be a rotational program for those earlier
in the entrepreneurial lifecycle, or an innovation intensive
for the more experienced. Both social enterprises and
more standard businesses may be involved in Residencies,
depending on Resident preference.
114
MVP / REFINED DESCRIPTION
115

RESIDENCY
Residency Perceived Value:
Engagement Lifecycle
I’m New
5.50 / 7
I’m Learning
6.00/ 7
I’m Getting Involved
5.50/ 7
I’m Creating my Own Initiative
5.00/ 7
I’m Running my Own Initiative
5.00/ 7
116
RESIDENCY PERCEIVED VALUE
117

Fellowship
Network
118
119

FELLOWSHIP NETWORK
Overview
In each country, we piloted a three-hour meeting of minds by
hosting the region’s first Fellowship Network event, in which we
asked entrepreneurs across all stages of the journey to design
their ideal experience and participate in a few activities.
6.30 / 7
Average Value (Total)
Each Fellowship Network featured a modular activity in addition
to an icebreaker and a design-your-own-Fellowship Network
challenge completed in small groups and then presented out.
In Tanzania, we had a DOT youth present some of the ReachUp!
curriculum. In Jordan, we had a local entrepreneur give an
inspiring talk—an idea developed in the Tanzanian Fellowship
Network meeting. In Ghana, we had a DOT youth lead the group
in a value proposition workshop.
Across Boundaries
6.60/ 7
Average Value (Tanzania)
6.20/ 7
Average Value (Jordan)
6.10/ 7
Average Value (Ghana)
DOT Interns from Dar es Salaam, as well as from within Kenya,
Rwanda, and Lebanon joined the Fellowship Network Meetings,
making these events internationally represented. Some groups
ignored this and assumed everyone would be from the same
area. Other groups embraced this internationality and created
Fellowship Networks specifically comprised of people with
similar interests across the world. Both options could be
beneficial for DOT—local groups are more easily tangible and
have a greater command over the regional scene, but some
innovators might benefit from an international, yet personal
perspective to broaden their views.
120
OVERVIEW / ACCROSS BOUNDARIES
121

FELLOWSHIP NETWORK
“I love the level of practicality. Not
just someone standing there and
speaking to us. We learn a lot.”
“I’m excited to join this community.
It’s a refresher and energizer as
well as inspiration towards utilizing
technology tools and face to
face meetings for positive impact
and thinking about new ways to
contribute for a better future.”
Localized Networks
Each instantiation of Fellowship Network and its inherent
need for modularity supported the different audiences
and cultures well. Knowing that the Fellowship Network is
something that can support newer social innovators to more
experience leaders of change is a powerful argument for the
concept coming to fruition.
There was also a distinct flavor to each region’s Fellowship
Network event. In Moshi, the meeting felt more like a
lecture, where attendees were waiting to be instructed,
due to relative newness to the Engagement Lifecycle and
the most connection with DOT’s instructional capacity. In
Amman, the meeting felt more about networking, given
its attendee’s experience but lack of community. In Accra,
the meeting felt more about group bonding, in which
attendees brought their energy and interest in collaborative
engagement, given its strong community but individual
independence within the space.
The most successful icebreaker was where attendees
matched up according to what they or their social enterprise
needed and what could be offered to others. In addition to
various concepts captured in the artifacts on the Facebook
pages (links in the Tools section), we found key themes
across the three events.
Digital & Physical Meetings
When entrepreneurs designed their ideal Fellowship Network,
almost every system relied most heavily on digital meetings.
Weekly check-ins over WhatsApp or monthly Skype calls were
proposed as easy ways to bridge international barriers and not
impede on busy lives. For more frequent communication, digital
works well because it is mobile and convenient.
Interest in physical meetings didn’t disappear, though. These
types of meetings were designed into the ideal Fellowship
Networks as large network events one to three times a year, in
the form of a youth forum or summit, or as a special experience,
such as a retreat away from the city. These served as a way to
legitimize the experience of Fellowship Network participation
and solidify a sense of community when necessary.
Potential Fellows were interested in various leadership structures
to provide a sense of ownership while also recognizing more
involved members. We believe these types of structures can be
created organically, which DOT can audit after some time to
suggest to new Fellowship Network groups.
122
LOCALIZED NETWORKS /
DIGITAL & PHYSICAL MEETINGS
123

FELLOWSHIP NETWORK
“I expect to broaden my network
and be exposed to people whom I
can both benefit and benefit from,
to both teach and be taught in a
community where it’s as easy to give
back as it is to receive.”
“It gave me goosebumps. I get
inspired by the people I work with.
We are building the future.”
Digital Artifact
Each Fellowship Network meeting was recorded in a unique
Facebook group. While these pages didn’t spark much
participation other than passive observation, they served as
memory artifacts and helped attendees connect to others
during and after the event. When other users repurposed
the content of these Facebook pages to their own, it sparked
engagement, increasing likes, comments, and conversations.
It became theirs.
DOT should be keen to help set the stage for Fellowship
Networks but then let them self-organize. We felt that
the biggest inhibitor to the digital artifacts was our own
involvement in them, or having an outsider create and record as
opposed to the active members themselves.
In terms of impact, attendees most wanted to look at the
number of social businesses launched and the number of
committed, youth leaders involved.
In the end, the key opportunity from mapping the space is being
supported. The same worries that made DOT Bot successful—
that someone wouldn’t be there to give feedback—can be
quelled by a supportive community that is lean enough to be
personal, engaged, and connected, but experienced enough to
offer strong opinions and direction.
Coming Together
Attendees were most interested in how Fellowship Network
could serve as a map of their network by bringing them
together into a supportive community. In some cases, this led
to concrete benefits—like investors or bartering agreements—
but mostly resulted in ways to meet new entrepreneurs and
grow social enterprise skills. By coming together digitally and
physically, social entrepreneurs believed they could increase
their opportunities.
124
DIGITAL ARTIFACT / COMING TOGETHER
125

Daring
WHAT IF NETWORKS ENCOURAGED SOMEONE
TO BE HERSELF?
“As a social innovator, networking is like a key to a closed door.”
“It’s great to find someone who can support my growth,
exposure, maturing, and give me free advice if I don’t know I
need it.”
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127

FELLOWSHIP NETWORK
MVP
DOT should play as host to set up three groups of fifteen
people—either internationally or local—on a WhatsApp group
or Facebook page with limited to no DOT facilitation. Every
three weeks, a DOT member should check-in to observe the
self-organization.
Refined Description
The Fellowship Network is a user-run community for
networking and learning. Mainly digital, members benefit
from a tight community of social entrepreneurs with bi-yearly
gatherings to meet face-to-face. Fellowship Networks tackle
the business problems social entrepreneurs face daily through
support, education, and opportunity.
128
MVP / REFINED DESCRIPTION
129

FELLOWSHIP NETWORK
Fellowship Network Perceived
Value: Engagement Lifecycle
I’m New
5.64 / 7
I’m Learning
5.73/ 7
I’m Getting Involved
5.95/ 7
I’m Creating my Own Initiative
5.88/ 7
I’m Running my Own Initiative
5.59/ 7
130
FELLOWSHIP NETWORK PERCEIVED VALUE
131

The Future of DOT
132
133

THE FUTURE OF DOT
DOT needs to pursue the detailed design and development of
Ideasource as its next offering, which will take time to build
out. In the meantime, DOT can continue its lean testing of
the hub-and-spoke model by piloting the MVPs of Residency
and Fellowship Network. DOT may consider evaluating the
cost of creating something like DOT Bot, partnering to help it
come to fruition, or conduct further surveying with youth to
test its value.
Piecing these powerful offers together, DOT becomes the
organization for social entrepreneurship and impact around
the world. With a robust set of digital and physical offerings,
all of which combine innovation in its various forms, DOT
serves as the catalyst that can convert, inform, and support
the next generation of leaders of change. Our research
informed us that each concept is valuable and users could
immediately see their use for various purposes.
A digital platform is paramount to DOT’s scale, which will
further cement the organization as a thought leader in
social enterprise. Its physical platforms will help it refine
its approach and perspective of enabling communities of
social impact. The data gathered from these platforms will
help DOT’s offers be both proven and informed, meaning it
will better be able to adapt to the changing landscape and
position itself for larger undertakings like the
Social Genome Project.
Originally, Ideasource and Residency were proposed as
platforms, DOT Bot as an add-on, and Fellowship Network as
a network. We still very much see that as the case. Ideasource
is DOT’s primary digital engagement, and Residency is a
physical offering in select regions. These are the highest-touch
offers for DOT, both in terms of coordination and in terms of
visibility to users. DOT Bot is something that can be created
and released, but it serves to augment the experience of social
entrepreneurship outside of a specific platform—it is agnostic,
in this way, though very much digital. Lastly, the Fellowship
Network must exist as ad hoc communities designed to support
specific needs of social enterprise, perhaps orchestrated by
DOT but then left for self-organization and evolution.
The power of research is to validate and improve concepts.
Each concept was rated as highly valuable, with Ideasource the
highest, followed by Fellowship Network, then Residency, then
DOT Bot, and each has been improved and iterated
to match the climate of innovation reflected in Moshi,
Amman, and Accra.
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THE FUTURE OF DOT
135

THE FUTURE OF DOT
Moshi, Tanzania
Overview
“[Fellowship Network] provided
a more structured guidance than
an abstract idea...It invokes a
community spirit that is efficient
and humbling.”
DOT’s connections in Moshi may not be as strong as in Dar es
Salaam, but there is a wealth of talented entrepreneurs at the
local universities as well as at impact hubs.
Need
If programming like the Fellowship Network is to work in Moshi,
there should be a shift from these experiences being listen-andlearn
to contribute-and-grow.
Resource
KiliHub and its incubator Anza are fantastic resources for the
growing social innovation scene in Moshi. KiliHub is frequented
by international social entrepreneurs, and its revolving-door
nature leads to varied programming and many connections.
Quick Win
Prototype the Fellowship Network in Moshi, the area that rated
the concept highest, and play around with different combinations
of social innovators with the intention of providing learning
resources and networking. Partner with KiliHub for an on-theground
presence, if necessary.
136
MOSHI, TANZANIA
137

THE FUTURE OF DOT
Amman, Jordan
Overview
“In Jordan, things [NGOs] don’t grow,
they just get funded.”
DOT’s network in Amman, Jordan is composed of more
experienced entrepreneurs who are time-constrained and deeply
interested in valuable offerings.
Need
Communities of entrepreneurs that can foster specific insights
on social innovation as opposed to being controlled by funding
organizations will continue to grow a powerful social enterprise
presence in the area.
Resource
“Social business is not very well
understood here [in Jordan]. It’s
always looked at as a voluntary
non-structured work, non-business
oriented, non profit. The criteria of
such companies isn’t clear. You need
to build awareness and culture and
understanding with organizations.
DOT can do this.”
Knowledge Stations are inert computer facilities that DOT could
revamp into social innovation centers.
Quick Win
Pilot a 3-month Residency program with weekly meetings
at Knowledge Stations using existing DOT curriculum and
additional curriculum lifted from the Capacity Building workshop.
Station Residents at education-based businesses and have their
Innovation Projects center on raising awareness with parents on
the value of Residencies and internships.
138
AMMAN, JORDAN
139

THE FUTURE OF DOT
Accra, Ghana
“There’s no ecosystem. [There’s] lots
of talk, but no action.”
“I’m a real optimist. I believe in a
better Africa because of the passion
of people I’ve seen of late. ... But I
feel we don’t yet have the supportive
ecosystem. I know a number of
friends who have decided to stop
because of the challenges involved,
[the] bureaucratic process. Had I not
been passionate… ugh. Registration
and trying to get a number of people
[involved was difficult].”
Overview
DOT’s network in Accra, Ghana is just forming, but the area
represents Ghana’s most active scene of social enterprise. Here,
there is “little support for social enterprise,” and the opportunity
for DOT’s presence through physical and digital offerings is huge.
Need
The term “social enterprise” is understood largely to mean nonprofit,
inhibiting those who might otherwise enter the space as
well as complicating registration practices.
Resource
All graduates give one year through the National Service at a
random placement, such as banks and transportation offices.
This mental model of giving a year to understand the working
world will set up offerings like the Residency or extended
learning programs for success.
Quick Win
There is no digital resource for understanding how to register
your business. DOT’s local Accra office or partnership could work
to put together a digital guide for how social enterprises can
better strategize their registration to provide legitimacy for their
organization, prepare for their own unique business challenges,
and create a stronger sense of community.
Potential Partnerships
National Service Association Golden Boabab
Growth Mosaic
mPedigree
Ghanaian universities
mFarmer
Impact Hub
Reach 4 Change
iHub
British Council
Ghana Think
Ashoka
Monringa Connect
Global Ghana Youth Network
Soronko Solutions
Votomobile
140
ACCRA, GHANA
141

THE EVOLUTION OF DOT:
BRINGING CONCEPTS TO LIFE
The argo team
David Schwartz
Emily Eisenhart
Spencer Huddleston
Marion Cimbala
is a designer, researcher, and strategist of
international development and
social impact.
is a designer with a background in cultural
anthropology and art. Her work bridges
the worlds of design and social innovation,
with a focus on human-centered research,
creative strategy and service design.
is a visual and user experience designer
with a passion for design language
systems, and understanding the intricacies
of such systems from concept
to execution.
is a veteran entrepreneur and community
builder known for her ability to bring together
people, organizations, causes, and resources to
affect positive change. Marion has designed,
developed, and built programs for organizations
in the technology, medical, fitness and social
service industries.
142
ABOUT
ABOUT
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