Sprinting to Prototype 2.0… and Calling Willing Testers

by Marcia Sharp,LearnPhilanthropy team leader

The LearnPhilanthropy team is well underway with a “sprint” to roughly the end of September,when the next version of the LearnPhilanthropy prototype * will be widely available to targeted users and “friends of” LearnPhilanthropy

This next version will feature significant expansion and improvement of features.   To guide its development,we are placing top priority on careful hands-on testing of the prototype with target users – with a focus on grantmakers – staff of all kinds in foundations,and donors and trustees with interests in learning to support their grantmaking.  This round of testing gets underway the last week of August,and will involve  a much more deliberate and strategic interaction with the users than we have done so far with our various demonstrations

By the conclusion of this sprint, and guided by user response, we will have embedded a first-cut taxonomy (a map of the content categories,developed in concert with our content partners), in the catalogue and across the site.  We will have tagged existing resources in relation to that taxonomy,and also filled in other significant search fields. Graphics and navigation will get an upgrade,and there will be supporting copy on the site to help users understand how to use and get the most from the site,and also  offer  them  some basic guidance on learning and professional development,in a philanthropy context.

Additionally,we will have developed the recruitment strategy for adding significantly more content partners,and  also developed and tested a “self serve” feature that will let partners enter their own content.  We will scale up with a new round of content partners and resources starting in October.

So by October 1,  we will have a substantially upgraded version of LearnPhilanthropy,informed by user testing,and ready to start scaling.  But it will still be a prototype,moving forward in such a way that it really is built by the field and for the field.

We Invite You to Join Us: 

Help us build prototype 2.0.  Our approach all along has been iterative,and dependent on guidance from users.  So,grantmakers,donors,trustees —If you can give us 30 minutes or so over the next four weeks to participate in a test session with someone from the LP staff,let us know by clicking (here)and completing a short survey to give us your information.  

Bring LearnPhilanthropy to your Conference– During the sprint,and for the next few months,we are in building an active presence  through participation at sector conferences,including the Council on Foundations,  Association of Small Foundations, Philanthropy Northwest,Conference of Southwest Foundations, and other regional association conferences.  If you would like to explore bringing LearnPhilanthropy to your conference,introducing the resource to your attendees,and  giving them the chance to test the prototype and give us feedback,  let us know – contact us at  info@LearnPhilanthropy.net.