Balancing Simplicity, Safety, and Diversity
UNAA NSW needed a platform that could serve three very different user groups — donors, volunteers, and people experiencing food insecurity — within a single, cohesive experience. Each group came with different needs, motivations, and levels of digital confidence, from tech-savvy volunteers to older donors and people in vulnerable circumstances who may be accessing the platform for the first time.
On top of this, food safety couldn't be an afterthought. Every interaction involving food — from a donor listing an item to a volunteer arranging pickup — needed built-in safeguards, without adding friction that would discourage people from using the platform when they needed it most.
Human error added another layer of complexity. With so many people entering information — food details, quantities, pickup times — the design needed to minimise room for mistakes. Rather than offering more options and flexibility, the solution often meant offering less: fewer choices, clearer defaults, and simpler paths, so users couldn't easily get it wrong.
The core design problem: how do you create a platform simple enough to prevent errors, while still making food safety and dignity non-negotiable at every step?
