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Creates a meeting structure for each general meeting
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Gather needed resources for each general meetings
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Keeps designers' updates on projects and send reports on each group statuses
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Creates a meeting structure for each general meeting
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Gather needed resources for each general meetings
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Keeps designers' updates on projects and send reports on each group statuses
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Creates a meeting structure for each general meeting
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Gather needed resources for each general meetings
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Keeps designers' updates on projects and send reports on each group statuses
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Helps reach out to potential mentors and external stakeholders
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Plans leadership meetings and agenda
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Keeps track of studio project progress and helps provide resources when needed
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Writes end of semester report on DFA for mentors and Center for Integrative Design
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Plans studio member recruitment
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Helps reach out to potential mentors and external stakeholders
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Plans leadership meetings and agenda
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Keeps track of studio project progress and helps provide resources when needed
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Writes end of semester report on DFA for mentors and Center for Integrative Design
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Plans studio member recruitment
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YMCA Lifeguard Retention
How can we improve lifeguard retention rates at the YMCA?
The YMCA is currently facing a problem with high turnover rates for lifeguard jobs. While these jobs provide steady pay and a regular work schedule, young people feel as though lifeguard positions do not provide the necessary job skills and credentials needed to further their career or education goals. For many high school and college students, working as a lifeguard is a part-time temporary job that serves as a way to make money or gain job experience. To increase retention rates, the team came up with the idea of a scholarship program for lifeguards based on the amount of time they worked. A portion of a person's paycheck would be set aside, and when they started higher education the money would be double and would be given back to the person as a scholarship.
Design Process for DFA National
Context
YMCA
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With rising wages, nonprofits like the YMCA struggle to compete for lifeguard labor, despite providing a quality work environment.
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To fix this problem, the YMCA is looking to improve the recruitment and retention of lifeguards.
Immersion
Research
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Through user interviews, the team learned more about people's experiences as a lifeguard and conducted desirability testing on their potential prototype
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Through calls with YMCA Austin, the team was given feedback on their ideas and potential prototypes
Topics discussed during user interviews
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Background
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Experiences
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Frustrations
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Socialization
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Motivations
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Pay, monetary and intangibles
Lifeguard Jobs
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Pros: regular schedules, money, management, accidents, and ability to make an impact
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Cons: boredom, cleaning puke, management, accident, and not feeling in control of the situation
Ideation
Ideas to increase retention
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Outside world-oriented workshops
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Monthly social events
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Incentivization to recruit friends
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Pitch as social skills training
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Motivational badge system
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Scholarship system based on length of employment
Implementation
Invest in Me, Invest in You
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Lifeguards set aside a percentage of their paycheck in a YMCA fund towards a scholarship for themselves.
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When the lifeguard starts higher education, their set aside money is doubled.
Next Steps
Implementation
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Explore the potential of the scholarship program and figure out the logistics for it
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Learn how many lifeguards would qualify for the incentivized program
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Learn more about how the scholarship program can increase retention rates and reduce the costs of training new lifeguards