Facts Commando

Volunteering Project - Web App

Year

2023

Sector

Volunteer

Skills

Product Design, UXR, Lead, PM

The Facts Commando is a volunteering web app project born in response to the October 7th war in Israel.

It aims to disseminate accurate information in areas heavily impacted by fake news across the web, enhancing the understanding of the war. integrates gamification to create an engaging user experience.

0

K+

Money Raised

0

+

Daily Active Users (DAU)

0

M+

Our Content Exposure

7th October Massacre

On October 7th at 06:30 in the morning, Hamas invaded Israel and kidnapped, tortured, murdered about 1400 Israelis, including women, children, adults and boys.

 Following this incident, the Palestinians' propaganda worked overtime to not receive an embargo and condemnation from the world, and by pushing their propaganda hard all over the world - the support for Israel slowly began to fade.

 At the same time in Israel's homeland the situation was no better, the Minister of Information resigned due to the fact that she realized she had failed in her role, Israeli politics received shock after shock that continued the snowball created due to the legal reform conflict.

 And on the other hand, many private initiatives of amazing people emerged, whether in the information industry or in another industry, that showed the side of the beautiful Israeli that was so needed these days.

In My Personal Front

At the same time, I have a reserve exemption due to hearing problems caused by my military service. Therefore, I could not contribute my share in the reserve system.

 Due to my frustration with the situation, along with the feeling that the entire Israeli nation was involved in the war effort except for me - I decided to contribute my part in my line of work - UX Design.
 At the same time I was doing another volunteering task for a game platform for the children of Israel, and I was looking for the next thing where I would contribute my part, but I was looking for something long-term that I could really influence and make a bigger impact.

 Then, I met the founder of Facts Commando

Explaination Minister has resigned + Hamas starts the 7.10 massacre

When I Joined..

I joined the project approximately one month after its initial launch, following the retirement of the previous designer.
Given the rapid momentum of the project's launch, there was a noticeable oversight in terms of user experience, and I identified several areas that required attention.
To address these issues, my first step was conducting thorough research to gain insights into our user demographics.
Upon my initial assessment of the product, I encountered significant usability and design issues, which were a direct consequence of the rushed design process. for example: buttons with a "disabled" color pallette, overdesign, elements too small, and buttons poor positioning.
Following the initial round of revisions, I immersed myself in research, aiming to establish an initial database that would serve as the foundation for informed design decisions in the further development of the product.

Some of the screens designed from when I joined the projects

Where did I started?

First, I developed a comprehensive research strategy encompassing both short-term and long-term objectives:
In the short term, this strategy involves conducting an in-depth initial research phase comprising 20 key questions. This approach allows us to gain an up-to-date understanding of our user base and assess the current state of the product from a user experience perspective.
For the long term, our strategy entails deploying regular NPS questionnaires on a monthly or quarterly basis. These surveys will help us evaluate our progress in meeting the goals and KPIs we've established. Additionally, we plan to administer satisfaction questionnaires to users who choose to discontinue using our product, providing valuable insights into areas requiring improvement.

The Research

In our initial survey, I collaborated with Rei, our additional UX designer, to create a comprehensive survey.
 
This survey encompassed inquiries spanning various domains, including product experience, Whatsapp group experience, encountered challenges, and demographic information.
 
 The collection of demographic data was particularly aimed at constructing a primary persona, serving as a foundational reference point for our subsequent design decisions.

After the initial formulation, we received requirements and feedback from the other departments of the project to bring relevant data to their sector as well.
After incorporating input and questions from other departments, we deployed the survey across various project groups.
 
The response was overwhelmingly positive, with 579 participants providing detailed and comprehensive answers.
 
This wealth of feedback significantly enhanced our understanding of our user base and their unique requirements, enabling Rei and me to make more informed design decisions.

Number of responders to our survey

The Main Problem

The primary issue highlighted by the survey results is the lack of user awareness regarding the project's effectiveness and their individual impact.
This has become our primary objective—to enhance user understanding and perception of their influence till the next survey.

"On a scale of 1-5, how effective is the project in your opinion?"

"On a scale of 1-5, Are you clear to what extent your activity contributes to the success of the project?"

Jobs To Be Done

Users require the platform to keep them engaged and incentivized to frequently return and contribute more content, ensuring their efforts have a measurable impact in reaching the right audiences.

How Might We?

How might we leverage our database of relevant social media groups to ensure users' content reaches the right audiences?

How Might We?

How Might We?

How might we make our users want to stay longer in the product and be consistently active over time?

Definition of Done

The percentage of returning users increases by 5% in a period of 3 months

Definition of Done

User feedback indicates that they find the platform valuable enough to warrant frequent use

Definition of Done

User feedback indicates that the impact visualization increases their motivation to share more content

UX Delieveries

"Don't Hate The Player, Hate The Game"

The initial need arose from the fact that we saw that there was a "bleeding" of users that at any given period there are more and more people who leave, especially in the 7.10 projects that slowly faded over time.
From this, we realized that the users lacked something that would keep them in the product for the long term, so our goal was to prevent our product from becoming a "do and go" product, because then we would risk a massive decline of users, and actually provide value that would lead the users to be more emotionally invested and perform the actions of the product without a reminder from us.
In order to implement a gamification that is on the one hand efficient and effective and on the other hand adapted to the spirit of the times - I chose to take references from two different apps:

Duolingo

An application for learning languages in which the value of gamification is central and present.

Pazam

Originally a service duration tracker app, evolved into a one-stop-shop app for soldiers.

"Yes Sarge!"

As part of implementing gamification in the product, I dived into the essence of the product and broke it down into elements.

I distilled from the process the main thing - which is Israel, and from that I split it into other values ​​such as Judaism, history, army, attachment to the country, brotherhood, and more.

From these values, I decided to focus on a few and distill them into features or visual elements.

Finally, I distilled the raw basis from the army, Judaism and attachment to the state, and from that I decided to build a set of ranks to strengthen these elements alongside the desire to produce gamification features

References that helped me to design the ranking system

Design Process

First, I took references from the Israeli security forces such as the IDF, the Israel Police and the Prison Service, and I took additional references from foreign security forces and armies.

I distilled from them the recurring motifs in terms of symbols, hierarchy, elements and quantity, and more.

Below is the design:
Arm stripes - for curved stripes, which symbolize sound waves or internet waves for ranks 1-4.

For ranks 5-13 I combined chevrons, which remind both IDF officers and US Army NCOs, to enhance the military essence of the ranks.

In the higher levels (ranks 14-21), I incorporated iconic Israeli symbols such as the menorah and the Star of David, and replaced traditional motifs found on IDF uniforms. These were designed as stars, matching the insignia of US military officers. The upper ranks feature a leaf pattern similar to senior IDF officers. "L, whose peak is a distinct yellow color to the highest rank, which distinguishes it from the others.

The hebrew names of the ranks & their hirarchy

The ranks components that include all the variants

Berrets design for improving customization

A screen mockup thats includes the ranks

"Rules. Without them, we'd live with the animals"

Although not as dramatic as this scene from John Wick, the impact of our growing pains was significant.

As our design and development teams expanded, the necessity for a design system became clear due to repeated errors that were consuming precious time—especially critical as our project was driven by volunteers.

My goal was to reduce both the time and cost associated with developing new features by optimizing our design process. This would free up our designers to concentrate on creating intricate UX solutions instead of getting bogged down with routine UI tasks, all while fostering a uniform design language throughout the team.

Atomic Design Principle

First, I mapped out the basics for designing a design system by writing down the guidelines in terms of Principles, Foundations, Main Components & Patterns. My goal here was clear - to create a lean design system as quickly as possible, to implement and learn it as quickly as possible and to save time in future design and development.
 
Following the principles of atomic design, I saw how the product was built so far and broke down each part of it into atoms, molecules, organisms, templates and pages - and then established clear naming conventions.

The first mapping of the design system foundation

An example of a screen disassembled and arranged according to the atomic design method

Tokens page from the design system

Button page from the design system

Show Me Some Final Screens

I know, I know.

i've been yapping enough and it's time to show you what you came for.

In the end it is not complete without the story that preceded it and I specifically felt here that I need to show you the whole process we went through so that you understand the picture as we do, and you get everything you need to get to know the product properly.

So without further due -

Before & After redesigning the statistics dashboard

Few screens from the comments bank feature

Few screen from the gamification features

A sneak peak from my figma file that presents the golden flow

How Do We Test The Design?

To test our designs we used Clarity by Microsoft in order to find segments, view and analyse our data, and find where we should improve and where we did the exact thing we should

By leveraging Clarity's features, we were able to conduct A/B tests, heatmaps, and session recordings to evaluate the effectiveness of different design elements and user interactions. This data-driven approach allowed us to identify areas of improvement and optimize our designs for maximum impact.

A sneak peak from our Clarity dashboard

+210% (X3.1)

+292% (X3.93)

+7.76%

What Did I Learned?

As a Design Lead

Leading this project highlighted the crucial role of effective leadership in managing complex design processes. My role as both Lead Designer and Team Lead taught me the importance of assertive decision-making and strategic direction-setting. By taking charge of the design process and fostering teamwork across different disciplines, I successfully guided our project to its goals, reinforcing that strong leadership is key to overcoming tough design challenges.

.

As a Product Designer

One of the most critical lessons I learned was the value of adaptability and flexibility amid changing project demands. As a Product Designer, staying agile and responsive to new information—whether from user feedback or shifting priorities—was essential. This ability to adapt not only contributed to the project’s success but also proved my capability to excel in dynamic settings.

What's Next?

Moving forward, I’m committed to sharpening my leadership skills and strategic vision as a Product Designer and Lead. I recognize the need for ongoing development in our fast-paced field and am excited to tackle new challenges and innovations.

Looking ahead, I see a project that continues to grow and excel, driven by user-centered design, teamwork, and creativity. The systems and standards we've set up will help future teams maintain consistency and build on our successes.

As my design journey evolves, the lessons and experiences from this project will shape my professional identity. I’m grateful for the chance to contribute to something larger than myself and am enthusiastic about the future possibilities in design.

A Pleasure To Work With

Founder & Lead Developer: Boaz Deri
Business Coordinator: Arie Duvdevani
Product Manager: Larry Shnirman
Product Manager: Batel Lugassi

UX Designer: Rei Ayal
UI Designer: Aviv Wildikan
UX/UI Designer: Hannah Ilievsky

Development Team Leader: Yair Orchen
Full-Stack Developer: Stav Hasidim
Full-Stack Developer: Ronen Boxer
Back-End Developer: Dima Drapkin
Infrastructure Developer: Noam Anisfeld
Infrastructure Developer: Nehoray Ilani
QA: Nadav Kassif

Content Manager: Orly Finkelman
Copywriter & UX Writer: Roy Fimiamov

Money Raised

0

K+

Daily Active Users (DAU)

0

+

0

M+

Our Content Exposure

Yarden Zafrir

Product Designer

© 2024 by

Made with alot of energy drinks & coffee

Yarden Zafrir

Product Designer

© 2024 by

Made with alot of energy drinks & coffee

Facts Commando

Volunteering Project - Web App

Year

2023

Sector

Volunteer

Skills

Product Design, UXR, Lead, PM

The Facts Commando is a volunteering web app project born in response to the October 7th war in Israel.

It aims to disseminate accurate information in areas heavily impacted by fake news across the web, enhancing the understanding of the war. integrates gamification to create an engaging user experience.

0

K+

Money Raised

0

+

Daily Active Users (DAU)

0

M+

Our Content Exposure

7th October Massacre

On October 7th at 06:30 in the morning, Hamas invaded Israel and kidnapped, tortured, murdered about 1400 Israelis, including women, children, adults and boys.

 Following this incident, the Palestinians' propaganda worked overtime to not receive an embargo and condemnation from the world, and by pushing their propaganda hard all over the world - the support for Israel slowly began to fade.

 At the same time in Israel's homeland the situation was no better, the Minister of Information resigned due to the fact that she realized she had failed in her role, Israeli politics received shock after shock that continued the snowball created due to the legal reform conflict.

 And on the other hand, many private initiatives of amazing people emerged, whether in the information industry or in another industry, that showed the side of the beautiful Israeli that was so needed these days.

In My Personal Front

At the same time, I have a reserve exemption due to hearing problems caused by my military service. Therefore, I could not contribute my share in the reserve system.

 Due to my frustration with the situation, along with the feeling that the entire Israeli nation was involved in the war effort except for me - I decided to contribute my part in my line of work - UX Design.
 At the same time I was doing another volunteering task for a game platform for the children of Israel, and I was looking for the next thing where I would contribute my part, but I was looking for something long-term that I could really influence and make a bigger impact.

 Then, I met the founder of Facts Commando

Explaination Minister has resigned + Hamas starts the 7.10 massacre

When I Joined..

I joined the project approximately one month after its initial launch, following the retirement of the previous designer.
Given the rapid momentum of the project's launch, there was a noticeable oversight in terms of user experience, and I identified several areas that required attention.
To address these issues, my first step was conducting thorough research to gain insights into our user demographics.
Upon my initial assessment of the product, I encountered significant usability and design issues, which were a direct consequence of the rushed design process. for example: buttons with a "disabled" color pallette, overdesign, elements too small, and buttons poor positioning.
Following the initial round of revisions, I immersed myself in research, aiming to establish an initial database that would serve as the foundation for informed design decisions in the further development of the product.

Some of the screens designed from when I joined the projects

Where did I started?

First, I developed a comprehensive research strategy encompassing both short-term and long-term objectives:
In the short term, this strategy involves conducting an in-depth initial research phase comprising 20 key questions. This approach allows us to gain an up-to-date understanding of our user base and assess the current state of the product from a user experience perspective.
For the long term, our strategy entails deploying regular NPS questionnaires on a monthly or quarterly basis. These surveys will help us evaluate our progress in meeting the goals and KPIs we've established. Additionally, we plan to administer satisfaction questionnaires to users who choose to discontinue using our product, providing valuable insights into areas requiring improvement.

The Research

In our initial survey, I collaborated with Rei, our additional UX designer, to create a comprehensive survey.
 
This survey encompassed inquiries spanning various domains, including product experience, Whatsapp group experience, encountered challenges, and demographic information.
 
 The collection of demographic data was particularly aimed at constructing a primary persona, serving as a foundational reference point for our subsequent design decisions.

After the initial formulation, we received requirements and feedback from the other departments of the project to bring relevant data to their sector as well.
After incorporating input and questions from other departments, we deployed the survey across various project groups.
 
The response was overwhelmingly positive, with 579 participants providing detailed and comprehensive answers.
 
This wealth of feedback significantly enhanced our understanding of our user base and their unique requirements, enabling Rei and me to make more informed design decisions.

Number of responders to our survey

The Main Problem

The primary issue highlighted by the survey results is the lack of user awareness regarding the project's effectiveness and their individual impact.
This has become our primary objective—to enhance user understanding and perception of their influence till the next survey.

"On a scale of 1-5, how effective is the project in your opinion?"

"On a scale of 1-5, Are you clear to what extent your activity contributes to the success of the project?"

Jobs To Be Done

Users require the platform to keep them engaged and incentivized to frequently return and contribute more content, ensuring their efforts have a measurable impact in reaching the right audiences.

How Might We?

How might we leverage our database of relevant social media groups to ensure users' content reaches the right audiences?

How Might We?

How might we make our users want to stay longer in the product and be consistently active over time?

Definition of Done

The percentage of returning users increases by 5% in a period of 3 months

Definition of Done

User feedback indicates that they find the platform valuable enough to warrant frequent use

Definition of Done

User feedback indicates that the impact visualization increases their motivation to share more content

UX Delieveries

"Don't Hate The Player, Hate The Game"

The initial need arose from the fact that we saw that there was a "bleeding" of users that at any given period there are more and more people who leave, especially in the 7.10 projects that slowly faded over time.
From this, we realized that the users lacked something that would keep them in the product for the long term, so our goal was to prevent our product from becoming a "do and go" product, because then we would risk a massive decline of users, and actually provide value that would lead the users to be more emotionally invested and perform the actions of the product without a reminder from us.
In order to implement a gamification that is on the one hand efficient and effective and on the other hand adapted to the spirit of the times - I chose to take references from two different apps:

Duolingo

An application for learning languages in which the value of gamification is central and present.

Pazam

Originally a service duration tracker app, evolved into a one-stop-shop app for soldiers.

"Yes Sarge!"

As part of implementing gamification in the product, I dived into the essence of the product and broke it down into elements.

I distilled from the process the main thing - which is Israel, and from that I split it into other values ​​such as Judaism, history, army, attachment to the country, brotherhood, and more.

From these values, I decided to focus on a few and distill them into features or visual elements.

Finally, I distilled the raw basis from the army, Judaism and attachment to the state, and from that I decided to build a set of ranks to strengthen these elements alongside the desire to produce gamification features

References that helped me to design the ranking system

Design Process

First, I took references from the Israeli security forces such as the IDF, the Israel Police and the Prison Service, and I took additional references from foreign security forces and armies.

I distilled from them the recurring motifs in terms of symbols, hierarchy, elements and quantity, and more.

Below is the design:
Arm stripes - for curved stripes, which symbolize sound waves or internet waves for ranks 1-4.

For ranks 5-13 I combined chevrons, which remind both IDF officers and US Army NCOs, to enhance the military essence of the ranks.

In the higher levels (ranks 14-21), I incorporated iconic Israeli symbols such as the menorah and the Star of David, and replaced traditional motifs found on IDF uniforms. These were designed as stars, matching the insignia of US military officers. The upper ranks feature a leaf pattern similar to senior IDF officers. "L, whose peak is a distinct yellow color to the highest rank, which distinguishes it from the others.

The hebrew names of the ranks & their hirarchy

The ranks components that include all the variants

Berrets design for improving customization

A screen mockup thats includes the ranks

"Rules. Without them, we'd live with the animals"

Although not as dramatic as this scene from John Wick, the impact of our growing pains was significant.

As our design and development teams expanded, the necessity for a design system became clear due to repeated errors that were consuming precious time—especially critical as our project was driven by volunteers.

My goal was to reduce both the time and cost associated with developing new features by optimizing our design process. This would free up our designers to concentrate on creating intricate UX solutions instead of getting bogged down with routine UI tasks, all while fostering a uniform design language throughout the team.

Atomic Design Principle

First, I mapped out the basics for designing a design system by writing down the guidelines in terms of Principles, Foundations, Main Components & Patterns. My goal here was clear - to create a lean design system as quickly as possible, to implement and learn it as quickly as possible and to save time in future design and development.
 
Following the principles of atomic design, I saw how the product was built so far and broke down each part of it into atoms, molecules, organisms, templates and pages - and then established clear naming conventions.

The first mapping of the design system foundation

An example of a screen disassembled and arranged according to the atomic design method

Tokens page from the design system

Button page from the design system

Show Me Some Final Screens

I know, I know.

i've been yapping enough and it's time to show you what you came for.

In the end it is not complete without the story that preceded it and I specifically felt here that I need to show you the whole process we went through so that you understand the picture as we do, and you get everything you need to get to know the product properly.

So without further due -

Before & After redesigning the statistics dashboard

Few screens from the comments bank feature

Few screen from the gamification features

A sneak peak from my figma file that presents the golden flow

How Do We Test The Design?

To test our designs we used Clarity by Microsoft in order to find segments, view and analyse our data, and find where we should improve and where we did the exact thing we should

By leveraging Clarity's features, we were able to conduct A/B tests, heatmaps, and session recordings to evaluate the effectiveness of different design elements and user interactions. This data-driven approach allowed us to identify areas of improvement and optimize our designs for maximum impact.

A sneak peak from our Clarity dashboard

+210% (X3.1)

+292% (X3.93)

+7.76%

What Did I Learned?

As a Design Lead

Leading this project highlighted the crucial role of effective leadership in managing complex design processes. My role as both Lead Designer and Team Lead taught me the importance of assertive decision-making and strategic direction-setting. By taking charge of the design process and fostering teamwork across different disciplines, I successfully guided our project to its goals, reinforcing that strong leadership is key to overcoming tough design challenges.

.

As a Product Designer

One of the most critical lessons I learned was the value of adaptability and flexibility amid changing project demands. As a Product Designer, staying agile and responsive to new information—whether from user feedback or shifting priorities—was essential. This ability to adapt not only contributed to the project’s success but also proved my capability to excel in dynamic settings.

What's Next?

Moving forward, I’m committed to sharpening my leadership skills and strategic vision as a Product Designer and Lead. I recognize the need for ongoing development in our fast-paced field and am excited to tackle new challenges and innovations.

Looking ahead, I see a project that continues to grow and excel, driven by user-centered design, teamwork, and creativity. The systems and standards we've set up will help future teams maintain consistency and build on our successes.

As my design journey evolves, the lessons and experiences from this project will shape my professional identity. I’m grateful for the chance to contribute to something larger than myself and am enthusiastic about the future possibilities in design.

A Pleasure To Work With

Founder & Lead Developer: Boaz Deri
Business Coordinator: Arie Duvdevani
Product Manager: Larry Shnirman
Product Manager: Batel Lugassi

UX Designer: Rei Ayal
UI Designer: Aviv Wildikan
UX/UI Designer: Hannah Ilievsky

Development Team Leader: Yair Orchen
Full-Stack Developer: Stav Hasidim
Full-Stack Developer: Ronen Boxer
Back-End Developer: Dima Drapkin
Infrastructure Developer: Noam Anisfeld
Infrastructure Developer: Nehoray Ilani
QA: Nadav Kassif

Content Manager: Orly Finkelman
Copywriter & UX Writer: Roy Fimiamov

Money Raised

0

K+

Daily Active Users (DAU)

0

+

0

M+

Our Content Exposure

Yarden Zafrir

Product Designer

© 2024 by

Made with alot of energy drinks & coffee

Yarden Zafrir

Product Designer

© 2024 by

Made with alot of energy drinks & coffee