Understanding the Gaps
A UX Research Project Uncovering User Needs and Stakeholders for Somos 21
Context
Somos 21 had a clear mission, connecting Australians and Latin Americans, but by 2020 its platform was losing the people it was built for. I led a fully remote, volunteer-based research initiative to find out why, and what to do about it.
Somos 21 is a non-profit organisation dedicated to fostering meaningful relationships between Australians and Latin Americans. In 2016, it launched a digital platform as a central hub for community engagement: news, events, networking, and job postings. Users had to sign up and log in to access the content.
By 2020, engagement had dropped. Users were struggling to discover relevant content and connect with like-minded people. To address this and make sure the platform actually served its community, we launched a UX research initiative to identify usability pain points, understand user needs, and inform strategic design improvements.
The problem
Despite a clear mission, Somos 21 was losing engagement. The platform attracted initial interest, but by 2020 the numbers told a different story: 50% of registered users had logged in only once, and 20% of interested users couldn't even complete registration due to usability issues. Feedback pointed to challenges navigating the platform, finding relevant content, and building meaningful connections.
Challenges
Time, budget, resources. As a volunteer-led project, we had limited time, budget, and tools. The approach had to be flexible and low cost.
Internal alignment. Lack of clear roles, structure, and stakeholder ownership led to fragmented decision-making and slow progress.
Understanding the audience. There was no shared view of who the platform served, leading to inconsistent design decisions and unclear user value.
How might we clearly demonstrate the value of Somos 21's online community to increase user engagement and support revenue generation?
Goals
Business goals: Increase user acquisition and improve retention. Optimise the user experience to make relevant information easier to find.
Platform goals: Understand the core value Somos 21 aims to provide to its main stakeholders. Identify what current members and volunteers value most from the platform.
Approach
Current state and data analysis
Before choosing research methods, we analysed existing data to understand behaviour, engagement patterns, and pain points.
Competitive landscape. We assessed over 23 organisations, including 3 international platforms (Alabac, Latin America Society of South Australia, Hola Networking, ALPFA), to see where Somos 21 stood in the market and where it could differentiate.
Quantitative data.
- 1,593 users were interested in the platform but couldn't finish onboarding due to registration issues (20% of total)
- Of 1,282 registered members: 67% Latino, 25% Australian, 8% other
- 649 of 1,281 had logged in only once (50%)
- The top reasons people joined, per the Hivebrite survey: professional networking, community belonging, and giving or receiving support
Initial findings. Somos 21 lacked a clear understanding of its primary audience, which was limiting engagement. Most users were on student visas (38.4%) or permanent residents (39.1%). Key integration barriers were language, cultural differences, and limited working rights.
UX research
Stakeholder mapping. We identified the most influential groups within the network: Latam volunteers, Latam workers and students, Aussie volunteers, Aussie travellers, and educational institutions. Educational institutions were flagged as important but weren't developed into a proto-persona due to limited interview access.
Interviews. We conducted 18 in-depth remote interviews. Initial outreach failed, so we shifted to personalised messages and peer-led recruitment, which significantly improved response rates. Participants included 3 platform members, 6 Latin and Aussie volunteers, 4 board directors, 3 Latin community members, and 2 Aussie externals.
Survey. We received 17 responses. 71% of users struggled to integrate into Australia, citing language, cultural differences, and limited work rights. Many relied on networking events, expat communities, and mentorship for support, despite engagement on Somos 21 itself remaining low, with users preferring external communities like Facebook groups.
Design solution
Five key themes from synthesis
01. Engagement and community building. Users want belonging but struggle to stay engaged. Many have volunteered in Latin America or Australia but lack structured involvement opportunities. Opportunity: strengthen volunteer programs and peer-led networking.
02. Barriers to integration. Language, cultural differences, and visa restrictions hinder participation. Limited English proficiency and work rights make networking and employment harder. Opportunity: language support, legal resources, and cultural exchange.
03. User motivations. Users join Somos 21 for career growth, networking, and community support. Many seek mentorship and a sense of belonging. Opportunity: a mentorship program and career-focused events.
04. Platform usability. Users struggle with registration, content discovery, and unclear navigation. Opportunity: improve onboarding, simplify navigation, and personalise content recommendations.
05. Networking and career. Users want stronger professional connections. Many lack Australian work experience. Opportunity: job boards, internship programs, and partnerships with Australian companies.
Outcome
Conclusion
The research uncovered valuable insights into the experiences, needs, and barriers faced by the Somos 21 community. The platform has a strong mission and a passionate volunteer network, but several gaps were limiting its potential to engage and support members.
We delivered a comprehensive UX research process: platform data analysis to surface behavioural patterns and usability issues, stakeholder mapping, proto-personas, and competitive analysis to frame the problem space, in-depth interviews to explore motivations and expectations, and surveys for quantitative validation.
Three priorities emerged:
- Enhance the volunteer experience to leverage their engagement and influence
- Reassess platform strategy: either simplify and focus on the website, or improve onboarding, navigation, and performance
- Update the brand to clearly reflect Somos 21's mission of connecting Latin Americans and Australians
Addressing the original goals
Business, acquisition and retention. Research showed volunteers are the most engaged users. Focusing on their experience can drive organic growth. Low retention (50% one-time logins) highlights the need for better onboarding and clearer value upfront.
Business, improve user experience. Users struggled to find relevant content and connect. We recommended improving navigation, simplifying the interface, and prioritising useful content.
Platform, clarify value. Stakeholder mapping and interviews revealed the core value lies in connecting Latin Americans and Australians through community, networking, and career support.
Learnings
The gap wasn't awareness, it was confidence in value. Users had interacted with the platform but weren't fully confident in what it offered, often relying more on Somos 21's social media than the platform itself for updates. That reframed the problem from "get more sign-ups" to "prove the platform is worth returning to."
Volunteer-led research needs its own scope discipline. Limited time, budget, and tools meant every research method had to earn its place. Mixing quick quantitative analysis with focused qualitative interviews got us further than a longer, more ambitious study would have on the same resources.
Alignment has to happen before synthesis, not after. The lack of clear roles and stakeholder ownership early on made it harder to act on findings later. Getting explicit agreement on what "success" meant, before research started, would have sped up everything downstream.
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