Objective
The primary goal of the user research for this project was to understand the behaviors, preferences, and needs of potential users to optimize the app's functionality, usability, and overall user satisfaction, therefore we conducted an initial quantitative UX research of volunteering experience in Hong Kong.
Challenges
VolHour is a 0→1 product — no existing users, no proven category in HK, so the design had to teach what the platform does in seconds.
The platform serves three sides at once (volunteers, NGOs, merchant partners), each with different needs and trust thresholds.
Solutions
Led with a clear value loop up front: volunteer → earn hours → redeem — visible in one scroll, no jargon.
Built discovery around cause and time commitment, not just listing volume, so users find opportunities that actually fit their life.
Takeaway
Reward systems are easy to design wrong — push too hard on points and meaningful behaviour starts to feel like a transaction. The real design problem on VolHour wasn't the points engine; it was the language and visual tone around it. Treating hours as recognition rather than currency is what kept the platform feeling human, and that single decision shaped every screen, copy line, and micro-animation downstream.