Ari Nation
Empowering Menstrual Health Management Organizations in Kenya with Data-Driven Insights to Ensure Effective, Equitable Pad Distribution
Interactive Data Dashboard and Service Strategy (Client)
Group | 6 Weeks
Case Study
Ari, the Pad ATM, provides hardware for self-service pad dispensers to women and girls in Kenya, along with the necessary technical and educational support for implementation in public washrooms and schools.
They were looking to build an interactive dashboard to offer their menstrual health management (MHM) partners data-driven insights, enabling program improvements and better resource allocation.
This was a group project, my colleagues being Teaghan Phillips and Whitney Cover. I was involved in all stages of the process, but played a particularly prominent role in facilitation, business analysis, software analysis, competitor and contextual research, strategy and product definition, interactive map development, and high-fidelity prototyping.
Brief
Business Analysis
Business REDPrint
To ensure we fully understood the overall business model and relationships between different the partners in the ecosystem, I facilitated a business analysis workshop.
In addition to analyzing the brief for key things to note, I had the team watch an informational video about the business as well as dissect a funding pitch they had submitted to MIT, which I found online, to extract key USPs and KPIs.
Breaking Down the Deliverables
In support of gaining funding to develop their new partner data platform Ari, the Pad ATM sought three key deliverables from our team during a three week sprint (which was ultimately extended to six weeks):
Comprehensive research and insights into what sort of data and metrics their partners would find useful for maintaining and improving their pad distribution and menstrual health education programs
A medium-to-high fidelity prototype and style guide demonstrating an outline of an MVP solution and overall visual direction
A product roadmap
Business Structure
B2B model - government organizations and non-profits (“givers”) rent pad ATMs from them for a certain period and place them in schools, public washrooms, or other community sites and provide MHM education to users
Girls are given a card with pre-loaded credit, allowing them to discreetly go to the bathroom and dispense a pad when necessary without disrupting class or missing school altogether due to lack of supplies
Givers are responsible for supplying their beneficiary sites with pads, and tend to partner with pad manufacturers (“sellers”) to buy them in bulk
Ari is responsible for ATM installation, maintenance, and technical support, as well as carrying out a baseline survey of students during program rollout
Current Data Gathered
User uptake
Student and teacher (used when a student card is lost/not working) card activity
Sanitary pad dispensation
Manual pad dispersement (when an ATM is not working)
Behavioral/qualitative information
Impact and Goals
Current Impact
Serve 700+ girls
20+ ATMs
10,000+ sanitary pads dispensed
Impact Goals
Eradicate period poverty
Increase access to menstrual health education
Gender equality
Data Mapping
Service Blueprint
FLOWCharts
In preparation for our initial client intake session, I facilitated a service blueprint sprint to help frame our initial understanding of the organizational structure and flow of data.
Initial Service Blueprint Draft
*click to enlarge*
We started by trying to build a traditional service design blueprint with the girls and women at the center and layer the givers and sellers on top.
However, we found that the organizational structure was too complex for this, so abandoned it and explored different ways to capture and visualize our thinking.
Concentric Data Flow Map
*click to enlarge*
We ultimately settled on more of a concentric diagram, allowing us to focus more on data flow and levels of accountability rather than more micro-level user journeys.
We presented an initial version of this to the client during our initial intake session, which I also facilitated, and worked alongside them to edit and co-design the final product.
User Interviews
Affinity Mapping
Figjam
Dovetail
Google Meet
Zoom
Periodically Speaking
To kickstart the research process, we conducted 7 remote, moderated research sessions on Zoom and Google Meet with users referred to us by the client. We all attended each interview, rotating between interviewing, scribing, and timekeeping roles.
The users were a mixture of ‘givers’ and ‘sellers,’ including representatives from pad manufacturing companies, NGOs, and local government.
We subsequently used the key insights from these interviews to model the average user through a persona.
Participant 1
Director of Community Based Organization for Girls
Giver
Participant 2
Community Sanitation Organization Employee
Giver
Participant 3
Founder of Sustainable Pad Manufacturing Company
Seller
Participant 4
MHM Coordinator in County Government
Giver
Participant 5
Employee of Sustainable Pad Manufacturing Company
Seller
Participant 6
Employee of Government
Sanitation Program
Giver
Participant 7
Employee of Nonprofit
Organization for Girls and
Ari Partner
Giver
Key Topics
Data Needs
Constraints
Organizational Structure
Structure and function of their own organization
Relationship with Ari
Data they currently and would like to collect
Data collection, visualization and reporting methods and associated pain points
Accountability to other stakeholders
Any technical or legal constraints
Challenges and Surprises
We were initially under the impression that we were interviewing existing partners of Ari, the Pad ATM. We, however, found that the first 6 out of 7 participants, while all active members of the Kenyan MHM community, were not yet working with Ari. Some actively wanted to, while others were only loosely aware of what the organization did.
Nevertheless, we still gained rich data about the MHM ecosystem as a whole and the needs that they would have if they partnered with Ari. The existing partner was also able to give us great insight into what they liked and disliked about the service.
We were also not readily prepared for the challenges of cross-cultural research. At the time we were conducting these interviews, Kenya was experiencing a lot of flooding which led to severe wi-fi and electricity issues. This resulted in many interviews being rescheduled or heavily affected by connectivity problems.
A key takeaway from one of the participants is that Google Meet is typically more reliable than Zoom in such contexts, which we took on board moving forward. We also considered that preparing a backup survey to be completed asynchronously would be a good idea.
User Interviews
Persona
The Wellness Warrior
Meet Zawadi, Program Director for an NGO focused on MHM in Kenya…
“I find it difficult to measure whether girls are actually using the pads provided to them, and in the correct, hygienic way as there is no measurement tool for this.”
Pain Points
Are girls using the pads they get?
Cultural taboos, shame, and other cultural factors
Socioeconomic factors play into period poverty
Driven by the belief that period poverty can be combatted by…
Affordable + equitable access to menstrual products
Education around use, sanitation, and disposal
Financial independence
Tailored services
Wants
An efficient way to submit reports digitally to minimize administrative work and paper usage
National Key Indicators
A centralized data information system
A way to reduce and prevent service overlap and over-saturation of particular areas
Collaboration with other organizations doing similar work
Needs
A way to ensure quality and consistency of data
To see where distribution of pads is happening
Visibility into any technical issues with the Ari machine
To protect the privacy of women and girls
Accurate data in order to prove a need for intervention by organizations and funders
What data is important to Zawadi?
Number of pads purchased, distributed, and used
Qualitative feedback on comfort, absorbency, product preference, and ease of disposal
Demographics of populations receiving intervention
Whether feedback is actionable and statistically significant
Geographically-specific impact data
Social context and challenges of receiving intervention
Trends, marketability, and scope of distribution
Who has received education
Problem Statement
Flowing Issues
A combination of synthesis and prioritization led to the following problem statement:
Zawadi needs real-time insight into menstrual hygiene services across the MHM ecosystem so they can optimize their pad distribution and education programs.
Competitor Analysis
Healthy Competition
To identify potential areas for opportunity, I led a round of competitor analysis, investigating a mixture of relevant organizations in the UK and some global organizations mentioned during our user interviews.
Hey Girls
(Found)
BRIAN
(Found)
SuSanA
(User Suggestion)
MyPeriod
(Found)
Aunt Flow
(Found)
Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA):
Offers a database of repositories, forums, and research
Videos to explain the discussion forum and website
Themed forum categories for knowledge sharing
BRIAN - the brain tumour app:
Ability to choose what you’d like to track and customize the data and metrics you want
Aunt Flow:
Pad subscription service - way for givers to seamlessly share their beneficiaries’ needs with sellers
Case studies - way to share success stories and best practices
MyPeriod/HeyGirls:
‘Period health’ quiz - a potential way to test schools or sites to gauge if they are ready for an ATM
Interactive map - could we use markers with traffic light colors to indicate site need or ATM issues?
Heuristic Evaluation
Accessibility Audit
WebAIM
Flowing with Function
During the interview process, we found out from the one existing partner that Ari actually does have a data platform. They had inadvertently not shared it with us initially, and the partner said they were highly satisfied with it, so we requested access.
In addition to receiving access to the partner platform, we received a sample of an existing baseline survey that the client carries out before implementing programs in schools and quarterly reports sent out to each partner.
We therefore decided to carry out a full audit of each of these components, in addition to Ari’s public-facing website, to see what we could extract, improve, and reuse.
Partner Data Platform
The existing data platform featured various filterable graphs, both bar charts and line graphs, covering metrics such as dispensation over time and dispensed pads vs. students
We felt that more useful metrics, such as the average number of pads used per month, could be added
While clean and clear, we found the visual design to be a little lackluster
The platform also featured the ability to report manually dispensed pads in the event that an ATM had stopped working or gone offline
Baseline Survey
Before setting up ATMs at a particular site (primarily schools), Ari conducts a survey to understand where the prospective users and site currently stand regarding:
menstrual health and hygiene literacy
water and sanitation quality
pain management techniques
Recommendations and a roadmap for menstrual health education are provided to the partner organization managing the ATMs
The questions asked and data collected are great, but they are delivered in a separate static PDF that could also be more visually interesting
Quarterly Reports
Ari sends out quarterly impact reports to their partners, covering data such as:
Pad dispensation metrics
Manual pad distribution/teacher’s master card activity
User (student) uptake and activity
Behavioral report
Quality of service report
The data included is great, but is static and cannot be filtered or customized
The visual design is bold and exciting, though accessibility could be improved in some areas
Public-Facing Website
The public-facing website has great information on it including:
Powerful statistics emphasizing the importance of the business “In this day and age we have more women having better access to internet than they do to sanitary pads”
Clearly outlined goals, USPs and impact numbers with language tailored to the local culture
Various ways to get involved
Helpful FAQs
Like the reports, the visual design is bold and exciting, but there are some accessibility, hierarchy, and general layout issues
Technical Analysis
Syncing Ideas With Output
With my background in coding and working closely with developers, I took the lead in technical research and analysis.
Before moving into ideation, I requested a meeting with the developer who would be building the dashboard in order to ascertain their desired tech stack, any integrations they intended to use, and other general items to note. The client ultimately asked to just go ahead and design freely as contractual discussions with the developer were still taking place.
I therefore took the initiative to carry out some research and weighed up the pros and cons of designing with Glide, the software used to build the existing dashboard, in mind versus designing as if the solution would be built from scratch or using a flexible HTML/CSS-based software such as BootstrapMade, like Ari’s public-facing website.
Glide (Current - Dashboard)
Pros
Optimized for data visualization
No code
Already used, client-approved
Cons
Limited flexibility regarding:
functionality
embedding external data components
visual design
BootstrapMade/From Scratch (Current - Website)
Pros
Highly flexible regarding visual design and integrating external data components
Strategically, housing the solution within the current website allows for greater public visibility
Cons
Current clients and data would have to move over
May need continuous developer maintenance depending on CMS setup
Final Decision
After weighing up the pros and cons of each software option, I made the executive decision to recommend creating the new solution from scratch to maximize scalability and functionality.
Data Synthesis
Period of Discovery
Below is an overview of the underlying problem statement and business goals compared with the unlocked potential found in Ari’s existing materials.
Ari’s Current Offerings
Current dashboard metrics could be optimized
Current data is internally-facing, but would benefit the broader MHM ecosystem
Accessibility improvements can be made
Dynamic website and report branding that could be applied to dashboard
Detailed PDF reports which could be made interactive and customizable
Excellent data is already being collected and presented well
Where Ari is Headed
Thought leadership and community building
Open source aid data to ensure equitable distribution
Collaboration and knowledge sharing
MHM standard setting
Optimized distribution and education
Personalized data for partners
Paper Sketching
Wireframes
Balsamiq
Ideation
How Might We
Thought Cycle 1: Knowledge-Sharing and Collaboration
Moving into ideation, we did three rounds of ‘Crazy 8s’ considering three themes and associated sets of ‘How Might We’ statements. Our prioritized ideas ultimately led to our product proposal and initial set of wireframes for testing. Deprioritized ideas were delivered to the client in a product roadmap.
Due to time constraints resulting from cancelled, scheduled, and delayed interviews, our wireframes were made rapidly using Balsamiq and focused more on the flow and key features rather than detailed content for testing purposes, which we brought in later when we created Figma prototypes for the second iteration.
The first theme was ‘Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration’ and the associated ‘How Might We’ statements were:
How might we enable Zawadi and partners to coordinate efforts and confidently track and share resources effectively?
How might we enable Zawadi to see realtime ecosystem-wide gaps in menstrual product supply and relevant baseline education?
Crazy 8s Sketches
Proposed Feature 1: Ecosystem-Wide Dashboard
Pulling the already well written company overview, goals, and impact data on the existing public-facing website, but with reduced text and highlighted facts and figures
Invites partners to sign into their dashboard directly, or sign up to join, thereby streamlining the various platforms
Links out to open-source map showing where partners are currently working and offers open-source resources and FAQs, enticing potential partners while also contributing knowledge to the community in the meantime
Proposed Feature 2: Ecosystem-Wide Map
An open-source interactive map utilizing a traffic light system to show varying levels of need, helping to combat overlap in aid and encourage potential givers and sellers to join the cause
Users can see:
Which sites are being served, and which are not, with sites being able to go in and request aid and partners being able to sign up to serve a site
Where different Ari partners and other associated MHM organizations are working, with the ability to get in touch and begin a networking relationship
Proposed Feature 3: Open-Source Resource Library
An open-source resource library, to be scaled over time by Ari and various contributing partners
Suggested resources include:
Video Courses
Partner and Community Directory
Regional and Contextual Guidelines
MHM Case Studies
MHM Education Resources
How Might We
Ideation
Paper Sketching
Wireframes
Balsamiq
Thought Cycle 2: Partner Organization System Management
The associated ‘How Might We’ statements were:
How might we enable Zawadi to monitor if the menstrual products they have distributed are being used safely and hygienically?
How might we make the data a tool for empowerment?
Crazy 8s Sketches
Proposed Feature 1: Partner Dashboard
A personalized partner-only dashboard, allowing partners to monitor their various ATMs and quickly catch any issues
Resources include:
Blackout/malfunctioning ATM alerts
Technical issue reporting and manual dispersement logging
Impact and usage stats displayed as graphs and callouts
MHM educational material storage to share with colleagues
Links to reports and personalized maps
Proposed Feature 2: Broad Partner and Site-Specific ATM Maps
Partners can see a broad traffic light map of all of their sites to quickly identify which sites need attention
They can then click into specific ATM maps to see any specific issues such as ATMs being offline or site-wide blackouts
Proposed Feature 3: Digital Reports
A section to access similar content to that in the existing PDF reports, but in a digital format, combined with the live data dashboard and ecosystem
Also links out to baseline survey results
Graph display would be customizable
Paper Sketching
Ideation
How Might We
Thought Cycle 3: Education and Empowerment
These proposals were largely looking to the future and ways in which the core MVP could scale. The associated ‘How Might We’ statements were:
How might we help girls and women share their needs with organizations who want to help?
How might we enable Zawadi to tailor their program(s) according to the specific cultural and socioeconomic needs of the area(s) they are serving?
Crazy 8s Sketches
Proposal 1: Educational Resources and Video Courses
Many of our interviewees mentioned that MHM is not a priority for the Kenyan Government and so there is very little standardization and guidance on best practices
To empower Ari’s partners to improve their programs, we recommended some combination of the following in the future:
Case studies explaining MHM program success stories
Video courses on best practices for program rollout
Standardized curriculum outlines
Proposal 2: Cultural Context Map Filters and Resources
Our interviews revealed that MHM education ought to be tailored by region to address contextual challenges as some regions have higher rates of issues like teen pregnancy and alcoholism
We therefore proposed a future addition of contextual filters to highlight regions on the map where these issues are most prominent, as well as resources on how to approach these topics sensitively
Proposal 3: A Platform for the Girls
While this project was centered around improving data accessibility for givers and sellers, the girls are at the center and should be able to co-design their experience
Sellers were also particularly interested in assessing the quality of their products
As a key next step we, therefore, proposed integrating a platform for the ATM users themselves to track their periods, access online menstrual education courses, ask taboo questions anonymously, and report issues or reasons for reduced ATM usage
Usability Testing
User Interviews
Comfort Check
To validate our basic product proposal, we conducted remote, moderated sessions consisting of usability tests and brief interviews focusing on the following key flow:
Ecosystem Dashboard and Map > Login > Partner Dashboard and Maps > Partner Reports
We had planned to conduct a higher number of tests but due to cancellations, rescheduling, and time constraints, we were only able to conduct 2, so we conducted our planned client review as a third test.
Participant 1*
Founder and CEO of
Ari, The Pad ATM
*Client
Participant 2
MHM Initiative Coordinator
at Community Organization
and Ari Partner
Giver
Participant 3
Head of University
MHM Research Lab
MHM Researcher
Balancing Client and User Needs
Before our standard usability tests, we met with our client and conducted a combined testing and feedback session.
The testing portion went fairly well, with only minor spots of confusion and suggesting layout changes, but the general response to the overall product proposal was very lukewarm, with the client having major concerns about the open-source data sharing component and insisting that partners and sites would want anonymity.
While we accepted that individual schools and partners may not want to be named and explicitly identified on a map, the desire for shared resources and a broad open-source view of need and aid was so unanimous that we collectively agreed we were not willing to rush to eradicate that part of our proposal.
We therefore sought to re-validate this need with our testing participants, explicitly asking them if they would be comfortable with sharing data, resources, and insights.
Not only did both participants express the same needs, but the existing partner explicitly said they wanted their logo to be front and center, and the researcher made the following, very powerful statement:
“It would be UNETHICAL to keep data to ourselves.”
We knew that we would need to present this quote at the next client meeting, alongside a better structured presentation of the insights from the other users, to defend our proposal, but we also gathered feedback on micro usability issues that needed to be addressed.
What was working…
Data Sharing
Users were very excited to share quantitative data, qualitative insights, and research across the ecosystem
The data and metrics we selected were useful
Data Visualization
The bold callouts, graphs and charts made the data easier to consume
The general flow was also intuitive to navigate
What needed to be fixed…
Balancing Privacy and Visibility
While partners want visibility within the ecosystem, it is important to be mindful of privacy regarding the names and locations of school for safekeeping
Minor Hierarchy and Layout Issues
There were some suggestions regarding prioritization and hierarchy on the page, such as moving the alerts and quick action buttons further up
The client suggested combining technical and card support as requests would go to the same place
Style Guide
Moodboard
Figma
Design System
Glow and Flow
As the client was keen to receive some high-level visual direction, we spent some time exploring colors, patterns, and typography to apply to the next iteration of our MVP design.
Moodboard
Moodboard, created by Whitney Cover
Inspired by client-supplied keywords such as ‘afro-pop,’ ‘afro-futurism,’ ‘maximalist,’ and ‘ankara,’ my colleague, Whitney, put together some moodboards, which heavily inspired the color palette and general feel of the high-fidelity prototype.
Additionally, I extracted some of the patterns and shapes used in the PDF reports to use for callouts and background graphics.
Color Palette
Taking inspiration from the maximalism-oriented moodboard as well as the existing website and PDF reports, our final color palette incorporated a range of bright tones paired with a neutral beige and greyscale.
Typography
We decided to retain the typefaces in use on the existing website as they are accessible, easy to read, clean, and web safe, while still having a degree of personality:
Montserrat (Display)
Open Sans (Body)
High-Fidelity
Figma
Mapbox
WebAIM
Fem-tastic Fidelity
Moving into the second iteration, we collaboratively translated the design to Figma, drastically increasing the fidelity with a focus on the three core sections, plugging in updated content, and addressing the testing feedback.
I also spearheaded the development of the various maps in Mapbox and oversaw accessibility.
Ecosystem Dashboard
Suggested video introducing Ari Nation
Cards explaining why one should join Ari Nation and different ways to get involved with varying levels of commitment, pulling from existing website copy, with CTA buttons to sign up
Anonymized interactive ecosystem map allowing the user to see need and aid across the ecosystem
Map filters include Ari partners, national MHM organizations, counties, and contextual issues, with the ability to toggle a heatmap showing need levels on and off
Limited resources, with the incentive to sign up to receive full access to the open-source library
Partner Dashboard
Map showing beneficiary schools with the ability to click into a zoomed in ATM map
Snapshots of the ATM statuses and the ability to directly report problems
Charts showing pad stock, with low stock alerts
Customizable graph showing active vs. inactive users so partners can catch dips and spikes and quickly address any issues
Top tips for increasing usage, encouraging users to explore other resources with in the platform
Partner Reports
Ability to filter by school or by ATM
Ability to customize graph displays (options include line graph, bar graph, pie chart, and table views)
Snapshot of lifetime and monthly impact
Option to download as PDF to share with funders or other stakeholders, with the ability to select what is included
Snapshot of baseline survey results, with the ability to click into the full report
High-Fidelity
Figma
Mapbox
In Full Bloom
Dashboard Walkthrough
Interactive Map Stills
(click to expand)
Open-Source Map
Open-Source Heatmap
Partner Map (Schools)
Partner Map (ATMs)
Roadmap
The Next Few Cycles
In addition to a research summary, the Figma prototype and a developer package including the Mapbox asset, we provided the client with a comprehensive roadmap and strategy document. below are some of the highlights.
Our (High Priority) Intervention
Ecosystem dashboard and interactive map
Partner dashboard and interactive map
Detailed, customizable reports
Cards for FAQs page
Dashboard for baseline survey results
Access to the government educational curriculum
Next Steps (Medium Priority)
Educational videos and guidance
‘Create your own metric’ tool
Account or app for the ATM users themselves to track their periods, access online menstrual education courses, ask taboo questions anonymously, and report issues or reasons for reduced ATM usage
Further Ahead (Low Priority)
Menstrual health management meetings and events page
Partner directory
International expansion
Client Testimonial
Healthy Feedback
from Munira Twahir, Founder and CEO
Addressing the Brief
Prior to working with Shani and her colleagues, I had never had the opportunity to work with a design team before. Therefore for this project, I deliberately left the brief vague as I was not sure what direction the design project would take.
Despite a very scanty brief the team delivered everything I had envisioned but was unable to articulate. Working with Shani and the team has been a truly exceptional experience. Their dedication to the work went above and beyond my expectations.
Research
The research was a game-changer. It challenged some of our assumptions, validated others, and gave us a much deeper understanding of our users and how they interact with the problem we wanted to solve. Shani and the team’s rigorous approach ensured that the final product was grounded in real user experiences and needs.
It also allowed us to clearly articulate user stories and refine exactly what we wanted to solve and for whom, which was something we struggled with before our interaction. I especially enjoyed the incorporation of our culture and language into the user personas, which made it that much more relatable and authentic.
Visual Design
The visual design is absolutely fantastic—clean, intuitive, and user-friendly especially with the short sprint time we had. It makes navigating the platform a breeze and intuitive as it has considered all our user needs.
I appreciate the visual elements that made interacting with our platform easier and central to the user experience. I particularly liked that the spirit of our existing design work was retained and our maximalist style was incorporated while still keeping it clean.
Strategy
The business and marketing strategy developed was equally impressive. The roadmap, positioning, and vision for the product provided us with an angle we had not thought about.
I was particularly impressed with how it picked up on key elements and themes in our conversations that I was not cognizant of and provided us with a clear path forward, ensuring that we can continue to grow and scale our impact.
Reflection
Fertile Ground for Success
The most impactful outcomes from this project are:
Optimizing the existing product by streamlining the client’s existing offerings into a single, accessible platform, with enhanced tracking and added customization
Uniting the ecosystem by sharing data, resources, and research between organizations allows key MHM players to optimize their programs and reduce disparities, as well as serving as a marketing tool for Ari
Clarifying the value proposition of the business by presenting Ari as a thought leader and data hub not only challenged our client’s assumptions and inspired them to change their strategy, but also has wider implications, with the client now using our research as part of a report to justify the need for publicly accessible menstrual health data to potential funders and government bodies
Reflection
Crimson Insights
Double checking role and relationship of recommended users for research to the business
Considering the contextual differences of users in different cultures, not just regarding the design itself, but also the actually research process:
Google Meet is more optimal for non-western settings
Providing an alternative option to remote interviews, such as a survey, is useful when working with participants who may encounter severe wi-fi or electricity issues
Testing client assumptions against user insights
We asked questions to directly confirm or deny our client’s assumptions in our second round of interviews and validated our initial insights, which ultimately inspired the client to consider a strategy change