Good for Hü, solving volunteer isolation through a physical space designed for authentic connection.
MODEL
B2C
Role
BRAND DESIGNER, UX RESEARCH LEAD, PROJECT LEAD
Client
Good for Hü
Awards
Silver AAF 2023
Volunteers don't lack opportunities—they lack connection. Through 12 user interviews and ethnographic research, we discovered people felt isolated despite being at events with like-minded people. The original brief called for an app, but research pointed toward physical space.
Challenge: Design a community hub that fosters authentic connection and belonging.
We spoke to 12 volunteers across different backgrounds, causes, and experience levels. Through empathy mapping and journey mapping, patterns began to surface. What volunteers told us they wanted and what they actually needed turned out to be very different things.
Research gave us the what—volunteers needed connection, not more opportunities. The next challenge was defining the how. Three core themes shaped our design principles and led us to a guiding question that anchored everything that followed.
The brief called for an app, but research revealed volunteers needed physical connection, not another digital platform. We pivoted to a "hoteling" concept—a drop-in community hub. Once that direction was clear, the brand needed to embody the same promise: welcoming, friendly, distinctly human. "Good for Hü" emerged from 40+ naming concepts because it works on multiple levels—You, Human, Community.
From building entrances to volunteer badges to transit ads, the identity creates a consistent welcome. The vibrant blue palette and ü icon work as both branding and wayfinding—guiding people through physical space while building visual recognition. The photography shows authentic moments of connection and community.
Every detail designed to say: you belong here.
Good for Hü began with a simple challenge: find a problem worth solving that others had overlooked. Through research with volunteers, we discovered something unexpected—the real barrier wasn't finding opportunities, it was finding connection.
Twelve interviews revealed an isolation paradox: people volunteer to build community but often end up feeling more isolated. An app seemed like the standard solution, but we dug deeper. The research pointed toward something different: a physical "hoteling" space where volunteers could drop in and build authentic relationships around shared purpose.
The brand development translated this insight into a welcoming identity. After competitive positioning and naming workshops, "Good for Hü" emerged—working on multiple levels (You, Human, Community). The visual identity followed: vibrant blue palette, approachable typography, environmental graphics designed to make volunteers feel at home.
VISUAL IDENTITY, CREATIVE DIRECTION, Project Lead:
Fiona Swisher
USER RESEARCH, STRATEGY, NAMING:
IN COLLABORATION WITH TEAM
Team:
Fiona, Ana, Trevor, & FRancisco
Timeline:
12 Weeks
