WE Day App | Red Thread Innovations Copy

At a glance

TELUS, in partnership with WE, envisioned a platform that would empower youth to make a difference– a social network dedicated to social good. Red Thread Innovations developed the product strategy and new mobile platform to activate and engage young people to get involved in causes that mattered, allowing them to track volunteer hours, participate in challenges, and collect points to earn tickets to WE Day– a coveted event held by TELUS, RBC, WE, and other marquis sponsors.
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Service: Product Growth & Evolution

Expertise

Product Strategy

UI & UX Design

UX Research

Native Mobile App Development

Platform

iOS

Android

Objective C

Java

Angular

Challenge

The existing app wasn’t addressing the needs, wants, and values of young people, resulting in low user engagement and adoption. TELUS sought to not only combat these issues but also create a platform that promotes safe and meaningful online interactions.

Solution

Through targeted focus groups and user research, the app was reimagined with a rewards system and gamification to increase usage and adoption. Users could align with meaningful causes, participate in challenges, and earn rewards for volunteer hours.

Result

Following the app's evolution and launch, there was a remarkable 150% increase in user engagement, and more than 150,000 young people were connected with volunteer opportunities through the platform.

User-Centric Discovery

Through detailed focus groups and one-on-one interviews, we uncovered the aspirations, motivations, and needs of young people passionate about social causes – including the barriers they faced to getting involved. Guided by these insights, our mission was clear: to deeply understand and authentically cater to our young users, ensuring an app experience that truly resonated.

Visual Evolution: A New Identity for Impact

In reimagining the app experience, we incorporated atomic design principles, focusing on consistency and scalability in the user interface. We navigated legacy technology challenges to execute a full brand refresh. This included an overhaul of both the user experience and graphic design to better resonate with users.

Celebrating Milestones via Gamification

Integrating a dynamic badge system, we gamified the user experience by displaying earned badges prominently on volunteer profiles. This feature celebrates users’ accomplishments, visibly rewarding their commitment and encouraging continued participation in volunteer activities. It's a powerful blend of fun and purpose, driving engagement by turning social good into a shared, visible journey.

Fostering Community

Drawing from research and firsthand insights, we understood the importance of offering young people a space to connect with like-minded peers. With this understanding, we built a platform where youth felt not just engaged, but also supported and motivated to champion social causes. One of the ways this was accomplished in the platform was through a personalised newsfeed. By emphasizing community, we broke down barriers and facilitated greater involvement.

Earning Their Way

By tracking volunteer hours and actively participating in community service through the app, young people could earn tickets to the highly converted WE Day. This feature tapped into the aspirational goals of the young audience, making the acts of service a currency for experiencing a unique celebration dedicated to their efforts and achievements.

Aligning with Personal Passion

We implemented the ability for youth to align with social causes that truly matter to them. By enabling users to choose where they wanted to volunteer and presenting challenges associated with specific causes, we ensured deeper, more meaningful interaction, allowing young people to actively participate and champion the causes they believed in. Through these challenges, the app became more than just a tool—it was a gateway to genuine involvement and positive change.