Championing Design, Driving Digital Transformation

Joining Benefact Trust as maternity cover, I quickly saw the immense potential to not just fill a role, but to fundamentally evolve the organisation's approach to design and digital experience. My mission became advocating for design as a strategic imperative and consistently pushing the boundaries of what was possible within our small, in-house team. I've since moved to focus primarily on the art direction and technical side of the team, showcasing my ability to work across every facet of a design project.

Approach: Embedding Human-Centred Principles

Our journey began by introducing pioneering human-centred methods – a Trust first. This included:

• User Journey Workshops: I led collaborative sessions with diverse stakeholders, condensing design thinking into actionable exercises. We used personas (like 'Julia,' the non-expert user) to build empathy, mapped current end-to-end user journeys to expose pain points, and then used priority matrices and Crazy 8s ideation to collaboratively brainstorm solutions.
• UX Research & Implementation: I initiated UX calls and testing sessions, directly translating insights into improved site architecture, content design, and visual themes. Working closely with a UI consultant, my focus was on managing research insights to shape the overall look, feel, and functionality of the site.

Analysis: Unlocking Service Gaps & Strategic Direction

This comprehensive overview empowered us to not only evolve existing features and resources but also to refine our content strategy and redefine our overall strategic direction. To ensure our efforts were impactful and efficient, we then leveraged a prioritisation matrix exercise. This allowed the team to collectively identify and champion "easy wins" for immediate improvement, alongside making long-term strategic decisions to plan effectively for sustained growth and transformation.

Solutions: Filling Service Gaps

Following our analysis, my focus was on elevating content and optimising workflows for maximum impact:

• Strategic Content: We launched an animated series and a "how-to" podcast, providing high-quality resources for the awareness stage. These, along with webinars and partnerships programmes, filling gaps in our service offering.
• Optimised Journeys: A key improvement was moving the eligibility quiz directly onto the website, streamlining the initial user steps.
• Data-Driven Iteration: Robust query tracking and impact measurement enabled continuous feedback, allowing us to actively fill content and process gaps for a truly seamless digital experience.

Summary Impact: Tangible Results, Measurable Growth

My initiatives led directly to significant digital transformation and measurable success:

• Digital Transformation: We successfully launched a new CMS and web platform, alongside a comprehensive new grant management system.
• Record Engagement: Our YouTube channel experienced explosive growth: from under 100 views in 2023 to over 10,000 views in 2024, and already 27,000+ views and counting in 2025 – a 10x channel growth!
• Enhanced Reach: The website is now seeing its highest-ever organic traffic, with a significant rise in applicants who are finding us for the first time through Google searches for grant-related terms.

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