Blackbaud | CSRConnect
Blackbaud's CSRconnect platform aligns design, engineering, and compliance teams to cut campaign setup from weeks to 30 minutes and increase employee engagement by 35% using modular templates, compliance guardrails, and AI guidance. I facilitated cross-functional workshops, set the product vision, and drove resolution on key workflow and compliance challenges to keep teams aligned on a unified direction.
Role
Role
Lead Product Designer & System Architect
Lead Product Designer & System Architect
Year
Year
2025
2025
Type
Type
Product Design
Product Design
Techstack
Techstack
Figma, Claude, Vercel, ChadeCN
Figma, Claude, Vercel, ChadeCN
↓65%
Support calls
↓55%
Workflow breakdowns
+40%
Giving & volunteering
↓65%
Support calls
↓55%
Workflow breakdowns
+40%
Giving & volunteering
↓65%
Support calls
↓55%
Workflow breakdowns
+40%
Giving & volunteering
Background
Why are we here?
CSRconnect is Blackbaud’s platform for employee giving, matching gifts, and volunteering. Legacy workflows delayed compliant campaign launches, especially for crisis and relief efforts requiring strict compliance. As demand for rapid response grew, the platform fell short of expectations.
Lesson: When legacy systems can’t keep pace, organizations risk eroding trust and enthusiasm among employees eager to make a difference. Early investment in scalable, flexible workflows is critical to sustaining engagement and organizational impact.
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Background
Why are we here?
CSRconnect is Blackbaud’s platform for employee giving, matching gifts, and volunteering. Legacy workflows delayed compliant campaign launches, especially for crisis and relief efforts requiring strict compliance. As demand for rapid response grew, the platform fell short of expectations.
Lesson: When legacy systems can’t keep pace, organizations risk eroding trust and enthusiasm among employees eager to make a difference. Early investment in scalable, flexible workflows is critical to sustaining engagement and organizational impact.
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Background
Why are we here?
CSRconnect is Blackbaud’s platform for employee giving, matching gifts, and volunteering. Legacy workflows delayed compliant campaign launches, especially for crisis and relief efforts requiring strict compliance. As demand for rapid response grew, the platform fell short of expectations.
Lesson: When legacy systems can’t keep pace, organizations risk eroding trust and enthusiasm among employees eager to make a difference. Early investment in scalable, flexible workflows is critical to sustaining engagement and organizational impact.
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Challenge
What are we trying to solve?
Key bottlenecks included: Heavy IT Dependency: Launching a campaign required custom configuration from internal IT or Blackbaud support teams, causing a multi-week backlog.
Compliance vs. Speed Friction: Admin users lacked self-serve controls to configure complex matching rules or employee segmentations safely without breaking organizational policies.
Fragile Campaign Architecture: Adjusting a single variable often forced admins to rebuild entire pages.
Multi-week campaign creation: Cycles hindered CSR managers because of complex compliance, rigid forms, and IT dependency, delaying corporate giving and disaster relief.
Lesson: Administrative delays reduced employee momentum and donation conversion.
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Challenge
What are we trying to solve?
Key bottlenecks included: Heavy IT Dependency: Launching a campaign required custom configuration from internal IT or Blackbaud support teams, causing a multi-week backlog.
Compliance vs. Speed Friction: Admin users lacked self-serve controls to configure complex matching rules or employee segmentations safely without breaking organizational policies.
Fragile Campaign Architecture: Adjusting a single variable often forced admins to rebuild entire pages.
Multi-week campaign creation: Cycles hindered CSR managers because of complex compliance, rigid forms, and IT dependency, delaying corporate giving and disaster relief.
Lesson: Administrative delays reduced employee momentum and donation conversion.
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Challenge
What are we trying to solve?
Key bottlenecks included: Heavy IT Dependency: Launching a campaign required custom configuration from internal IT or Blackbaud support teams, causing a multi-week backlog.
Compliance vs. Speed Friction: Admin users lacked self-serve controls to configure complex matching rules or employee segmentations safely without breaking organizational policies.
Fragile Campaign Architecture: Adjusting a single variable often forced admins to rebuild entire pages.
Multi-week campaign creation: Cycles hindered CSR managers because of complex compliance, rigid forms, and IT dependency, delaying corporate giving and disaster relief.
Lesson: Administrative delays reduced employee momentum and donation conversion.
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Research
How do we know it’s a problem?
18 enterprise CSR and HR admins were interviewed to map the journey from concept to launch.
Workflow audits found the average setup took 12–18 days due to handoffs and approvals.
45% of tier-2 support tickets stemmed from admins struggling with rigid forms.
Artifacts: Lifecycle map, friction heatmap, compliance matrix.
Lesson: Testing revealed admins wanted fast, compliant deployment rather than blank-canvas freedom. We pivoted to guided, object-oriented workflows with policy guardrails and templates.
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Research
How do we know it’s a problem?
18 enterprise CSR and HR admins were interviewed to map the journey from concept to launch.
Workflow audits found the average setup took 12–18 days due to handoffs and approvals.
45% of tier-2 support tickets stemmed from admins struggling with rigid forms.
Artifacts: Lifecycle map, friction heatmap, compliance matrix.
Lesson: Testing revealed admins wanted fast, compliant deployment rather than blank-canvas freedom. We pivoted to guided, object-oriented workflows with policy guardrails and templates.
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Research
How do we know it’s a problem?
18 enterprise CSR and HR admins were interviewed to map the journey from concept to launch.
Workflow audits found the average setup took 12–18 days due to handoffs and approvals.
45% of tier-2 support tickets stemmed from admins struggling with rigid forms.
Artifacts: Lifecycle map, friction heatmap, compliance matrix.
Lesson: Testing revealed admins wanted fast, compliant deployment rather than blank-canvas freedom. We pivoted to guided, object-oriented workflows with policy guardrails and templates.
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Pivot
Should we make a U Turn?
Usability tests on early prototypes revealed admins didn’t want blank-canvas control—they wanted to deploy compliant, high-converting campaigns fast. The project pivoted from a drag-and-drop layout builder to a guided, object-oriented workflow engine with built-in guardrails and templates.
Lesson: True product-market fit comes from adapting to user realities, not assumptions.
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Pivot
Should we make a U Turn?
Usability tests on early prototypes revealed admins didn’t want blank-canvas control—they wanted to deploy compliant, high-converting campaigns fast. The project pivoted from a drag-and-drop layout builder to a guided, object-oriented workflow engine with built-in guardrails and templates.
Lesson: True product-market fit comes from adapting to user realities, not assumptions.
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Pivot
Should we make a U Turn?
Usability tests on early prototypes revealed admins didn’t want blank-canvas control—they wanted to deploy compliant, high-converting campaigns fast. The project pivoted from a drag-and-drop layout builder to a guided, object-oriented workflow engine with built-in guardrails and templates.
Lesson: True product-market fit comes from adapting to user realities, not assumptions.
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Solution
Did method fix the madness?
Designed a new campaign orchestration engine with:
Modular templates for rapid campaign setup
Smart compliance guardrails (real-time rule validation)
Flexible logic & segmentation (custom rules, messaging—no code)
Live component preview (dual desktop/mobile editor)
Redesigned workflows with modular templates, flexible guardrails, and streamlined logic for rapid, compliant campaign launch. I established regular syncs with engineering, compliance, and business stakeholders, leading co-design sessions and iterative feedback loops to surface issues early and find consensus. Through structured workshops and hands-on working sessions, we ensured technical feasibility, stakeholder alignment, and buy-in throughout.
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Solution
Did method fix the madness?
Designed a new campaign orchestration engine with:
Modular templates for rapid campaign setup
Smart compliance guardrails (real-time rule validation)
Flexible logic & segmentation (custom rules, messaging—no code)
Live component preview (dual desktop/mobile editor)
Redesigned workflows with modular templates, flexible guardrails, and streamlined logic for rapid, compliant campaign launch. I established regular syncs with engineering, compliance, and business stakeholders, leading co-design sessions and iterative feedback loops to surface issues early and find consensus. Through structured workshops and hands-on working sessions, we ensured technical feasibility, stakeholder alignment, and buy-in throughout.
Enter image caption
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Solution
Did method fix the madness?
Designed a new campaign orchestration engine with:
Modular templates for rapid campaign setup
Smart compliance guardrails (real-time rule validation)
Flexible logic & segmentation (custom rules, messaging—no code)
Live component preview (dual desktop/mobile editor)
Redesigned workflows with modular templates, flexible guardrails, and streamlined logic for rapid, compliant campaign launch. I established regular syncs with engineering, compliance, and business stakeholders, leading co-design sessions and iterative feedback loops to surface issues early and find consensus. Through structured workshops and hands-on working sessions, we ensured technical feasibility, stakeholder alignment, and buy-in throughout.
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Principles
What was our guiding light?
Remove Friction Between Intent & Compliance: Enterprise rules shouldn't slow down human generosity; the design must integrate compliance checks seamlessly.
Object-Oriented Workflows (OOUX): Structure campaigns around core domain entities (e.g., Match Rules, Non-Profit Rosters, Employee Segments) so admins can reuse configurations across campaigns instead of recreating them.
Default to Velocity: Design every administrative interaction to minimize clicks, eliminate manual data re-entry, and prioritize launching campaigns immediately.
AI-Driven Progressive Enhancement: AI interprets user goals, suggests optimal templates/layouts, and guides users through a progressively enhanced campaign-building process. Always maintains a choice between automated recommendations and granular manual customization—meeting 2026 standards for efficiency and flexibility.
Lesson: Strong, actionable principles provide a north star for consistent, scalable, and user-centered innovation.
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Principles
What was our guiding light?
Remove Friction Between Intent & Compliance: Enterprise rules shouldn't slow down human generosity; the design must integrate compliance checks seamlessly.
Object-Oriented Workflows (OOUX): Structure campaigns around core domain entities (e.g., Match Rules, Non-Profit Rosters, Employee Segments) so admins can reuse configurations across campaigns instead of recreating them.
Default to Velocity: Design every administrative interaction to minimize clicks, eliminate manual data re-entry, and prioritize launching campaigns immediately.
AI-Driven Progressive Enhancement: AI interprets user goals, suggests optimal templates/layouts, and guides users through a progressively enhanced campaign-building process. Always maintains a choice between automated recommendations and granular manual customization—meeting 2026 standards for efficiency and flexibility.
Lesson: Strong, actionable principles provide a north star for consistent, scalable, and user-centered innovation.
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Principles
What was our guiding light?
Remove Friction Between Intent & Compliance: Enterprise rules shouldn't slow down human generosity; the design must integrate compliance checks seamlessly.
Object-Oriented Workflows (OOUX): Structure campaigns around core domain entities (e.g., Match Rules, Non-Profit Rosters, Employee Segments) so admins can reuse configurations across campaigns instead of recreating them.
Default to Velocity: Design every administrative interaction to minimize clicks, eliminate manual data re-entry, and prioritize launching campaigns immediately.
AI-Driven Progressive Enhancement: AI interprets user goals, suggests optimal templates/layouts, and guides users through a progressively enhanced campaign-building process. Always maintains a choice between automated recommendations and granular manual customization—meeting 2026 standards for efficiency and flexibility.
Lesson: Strong, actionable principles provide a north star for consistent, scalable, and user-centered innovation.
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Impact
Did we hit the mark?
Drastic Reduction in Setup Time: Cut campaign setup from weeks to 30 minutes for self-serve admins.
Decreased Support Overhead: Cut campaign support tickets by about 50%, reducing support costs and freeing technical resources for innovation.
Increased Giving Volume: Enabled instant corporate response to emergencies, increasing donor participation by 35% in pilot accounts.
Enterprise Adoption: Rolled out the solution enterprise-wide, establishing it as the standard for campaign management in CSRconnect.
Impact: Reduced setup time from weeks to 30 minutes. Employee engagement increased by 35%, measured by pre- and post-launch participation rates in campaign activities and employee feedback surveys. These results were validated by tracking increases in campaign creation, participation metrics, and survey responses directly tied to the redesigned workflow.
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Impact
Did we hit the mark?
Drastic Reduction in Setup Time: Cut campaign setup from weeks to 30 minutes for self-serve admins.
Decreased Support Overhead: Cut campaign support tickets by about 50%, reducing support costs and freeing technical resources for innovation.
Increased Giving Volume: Enabled instant corporate response to emergencies, increasing donor participation by 35% in pilot accounts.
Enterprise Adoption: Rolled out the solution enterprise-wide, establishing it as the standard for campaign management in CSRconnect.
Impact: Reduced setup time from weeks to 30 minutes. Employee engagement increased by 35%, measured by pre- and post-launch participation rates in campaign activities and employee feedback surveys. These results were validated by tracking increases in campaign creation, participation metrics, and survey responses directly tied to the redesigned workflow.
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Impact
Did we hit the mark?
Drastic Reduction in Setup Time: Cut campaign setup from weeks to 30 minutes for self-serve admins.
Decreased Support Overhead: Cut campaign support tickets by about 50%, reducing support costs and freeing technical resources for innovation.
Increased Giving Volume: Enabled instant corporate response to emergencies, increasing donor participation by 35% in pilot accounts.
Enterprise Adoption: Rolled out the solution enterprise-wide, establishing it as the standard for campaign management in CSRconnect.
Impact: Reduced setup time from weeks to 30 minutes. Employee engagement increased by 35%, measured by pre- and post-launch participation rates in campaign activities and employee feedback surveys. These results were validated by tracking increases in campaign creation, participation metrics, and survey responses directly tied to the redesigned workflow.
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Reflection
What would I do differently?
Outcomes over Features: Nonprofits focus on raising money, not buying “AI features.”
Current Mindset: AI is already replacing search for many, saving time and surfacing solutions.
Low Familiarity, High Expectation: Demonstrated AI solutions increase perceived value.
Human-in-the-Loop: Trust, control, and gradual adoption are essential. Early users value oversight and transparency.
Discoverability: Guided experimentation drives adoption and trust.
Object-oriented architecture: enabled modular, reusable components for greater flexibility and faster iteration.
Scenario planning: used generative tools for edge cases. Designed and validated a modern AI-integrated experience for 2026 enterprises.
Address real nonprofit workflow challenges, grounded at the intersection of user needs, service, and the organization’s mission.
Lesson: Add predictive analytics and AI-driven campaign tools, involving legal and compliance earlier.
AI Use Transparency
AI acted as a context-aware assistant, suggesting content and layouts based on user goals and analytics.
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Reflection
What would I do differently?
Outcomes over Features: Nonprofits focus on raising money, not buying “AI features.”
Current Mindset: AI is already replacing search for many, saving time and surfacing solutions.
Low Familiarity, High Expectation: Demonstrated AI solutions increase perceived value.
Human-in-the-Loop: Trust, control, and gradual adoption are essential. Early users value oversight and transparency.
Discoverability: Guided experimentation drives adoption and trust.
Object-oriented architecture: enabled modular, reusable components for greater flexibility and faster iteration.
Scenario planning: used generative tools for edge cases. Designed and validated a modern AI-integrated experience for 2026 enterprises.
Address real nonprofit workflow challenges, grounded at the intersection of user needs, service, and the organization’s mission.
Lesson: Add predictive analytics and AI-driven campaign tools, involving legal and compliance earlier.
AI Use Transparency
AI acted as a context-aware assistant, suggesting content and layouts based on user goals and analytics.
Enter image caption
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Reflection
What would I do differently?
Outcomes over Features: Nonprofits focus on raising money, not buying “AI features.”
Current Mindset: AI is already replacing search for many, saving time and surfacing solutions.
Low Familiarity, High Expectation: Demonstrated AI solutions increase perceived value.
Human-in-the-Loop: Trust, control, and gradual adoption are essential. Early users value oversight and transparency.
Discoverability: Guided experimentation drives adoption and trust.
Object-oriented architecture: enabled modular, reusable components for greater flexibility and faster iteration.
Scenario planning: used generative tools for edge cases. Designed and validated a modern AI-integrated experience for 2026 enterprises.
Address real nonprofit workflow challenges, grounded at the intersection of user needs, service, and the organization’s mission.
Lesson: Add predictive analytics and AI-driven campaign tools, involving legal and compliance earlier.
AI Use Transparency
AI acted as a context-aware assistant, suggesting content and layouts based on user goals and analytics.
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