CDF, GreenConnect
In partnership with the Community Dreams Foundation (CDF), GreenConnect is a mentorship-focused mobile app supporting individuals entering or transitioning into the green economy. As Design Team Lead and UX Designer, I led user research, defined the product vision, and designed an interactive prototype grounded in real user needs. The platform prioritizes structured, goal-driven mentorship to help users gain guidance, confidence, and clarity in building sustainable careers.
CLIENT
Community
Dreams
Foundation
PROJECT DURATION
2024 - 25
LOCATION
Sebring, FL
AUDIENCE
The product is designed for individuals exploring or transitioning into green careers who need guidance and real-world insights. These users value meaningful connections, shared values, and clear direction in their professional journeys.
SCOPE
The project covered foundational user research, experience design, and interactive prototyping. The focus was on defining core mentorship flows, discovery experiences, and connection pathways.
USER RESEARCH
Collaborating closely with Dion Richardson, the founder of the Community Dreams Foundation (CDF), we based our research on the actual needs of people who want to work in the green economy. Understanding what mentorship actually meant to these customers was the first step in our storytelling strategy.
KEY INSIGHTS
Mentor Discovery:
According to our interviews, users had trouble finding mentors that matched their beliefs and professional goals in addition to having sustainability experience.Structured Guidance:
Users frequently didn't know how to start or organize mentorship discussions. This realization inspired us to create tools that assist users in establishing specific objectives and better organizing their mentoring sessions.Turning Insights into Action:
Under Dion's direction, we highlighted the necessity of tools that assist users in converting mentorship into practical career moves. Users wanted a method to go with confidence, not just guidance.
DEFINING A PROBLEM
Research and early stakeholder discussions revealed that aspiring green economy professionals were facing a lack of organization rather than a lack of motivation. Although mentorship was available in bits and pieces, consumers lacked a clear method for locating the appropriate mentors, striking up deep discussions, or maintaining assistance over time.
Users were confused of how to purposefully traverse mentorship because existing networking systems stressed volume over relevancy. This meant that the Community Dreams Foundation's goal of increasing access to green occupations was constrained by resources that did not promote long-term development, clarity, or trust.
Creating a mentorship experience that felt led, purposeful, and in line with users' career aspirations in the green economy was a design challenge that went beyond conventional networking.
TARGET AUDIENCE
GreenConnect is intended for people who want to work in the green economy and want access to knowledgeable mentors and structured coaching. This includes career-changers looking for guidance in environmentally conscious sectors and early-career workers investigating sustainability careers.
These consumers seek clarification on how to make career decisions and desire genuine, values-aligned mentoring. By defining this audience, it was possible to make design choices that prioritized long-term professional development, relevance, and trust over general networking.
APP MAP
The app map was created to define the overall structure of GreenConnect, outlining how users move from mentor discovery to meaningful engagement while ensuring each feature supports a guided and intentional mentorship experience.
OUR COMPETITORS
When exploring the mentorship landscape, I looked at existing platforms like LinkedIn and Handshake. Both offer ways to find professional connections, but the process can be time-consuming and often relies on cold outreach that doesn’t always lead to meaningful interactions. Even when mentorships do form, they tend to lack structure and clear goals, leaving mentees unsure about what steps to take next or how to make the most of the relationship.
DEFINING THE APP'S TONE & STRUCTURE
The tone of GreenConnect was designed to feel supportive, clear, and goal-oriented, making mentorship approachable without losing structure. Simple navigation and thoughtful microcopy help users feel confident while emphasizing progress and intent throughout their career journey.
TONE & STYLE
Efficient: Helps users find mentors and schedule meetings quickly without unnecessary steps.
Organized: Keeps information structured and easy to follow so users always know where they are in the process.
Informative: Offers helpful guidance and context throughout the mentorship journey.
Personable: Feels friendly and encouraging, making users comfortable reaching out and building genuine connections.
PROTOTYPE INTERFACES
To quickly test mentor discovery, the prototype focused on browsing and connecting with mentors. Users could explore mentor cards with key details, refine results using filters, switch between views, and send personalized connection requests. The interactions were designed to feel fast, intuitive, and approachable, reflecting GreenConnect’s goal of structured yet human-centered mentorship.
TESTING, STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK & APPROVAL
We conducted rapid A/B testing to validate GreenConnect’s mentorship experience, prioritizing quick insights as emphasized by stakeholders. User feedback led to simplified language, clearer expertise definitions, more transparent mentor profiles, and a short onboarding guide to set mentorship expectations.
We presented these improvements to key stakeholders, including Dion and the CDF leadership team, who confirmed alignment with the mission and approved the project to move into development and engineering handoff.
TAKEAWAY