Designing communication systems that balance user control, trust, and platform safety
GoFundMe User-to-User Messaging
ROLE + COMPANY + YEAR
Lead Product Designer, 2026
DELIVERABLES
Empathy mapping, archetype development, flows + prototypes across multiple sprint timelines spanning varied specifications states.
SCOPE
Entry points, trust infrastructure, privacy, compliance, onboarding, messaging UX.
USER TYPES
4
Context
This project focused on scaling communication systems that allow users to stay informed and connected, while maintaining control over their experience and ensuring safe, compliant interactions across the platform.
Problem Space
Messaging was fragmented across notifications, email, and in-product experiences, creating gaps in user control, clarity, consistency, and trust. At the same time, the system needed to balance platform requirements for critical communication delivery, compliance constraints, and moderation and safety considerations
The challenge wasn’t just improving UX, it was designing a system that could balance user intent with platform responsibility.
Messaging System Evolution
Unlocking trusted, meaningful conversations between supporters, organizers, and nonprofits to enable transparency, connection, and action at every stage of giving.
◎ North Star
PRO SOCIAL REPLY MAU
The number of meaningful exchanges on the platform every month.
Measuring Impact
Designed to shift user behavior from passive giving to active connection by reducing friction and increasing trust, measured by Pro-Social Reply MAU.
48%
Target Reply Rate
↑ 15%
Increase in press attributed donation volume
↓ 50%
Time to first message reduction
Discovery
Pain Point
No way to express gratitude or emotional support directly to the people they gave to.
╃ Opportunity
Reply MAU is the north star. Every meaningful exchange is a reason to give again.
Pain Point
No trusted path to reach organizers. Organizers had no way to know if a press inquiry was legitimate.
╃ Opportunity
Speed and trust were being treated as trade offs. The design challenge was proving they're not.
Pain Point
No control over whether they could be reached at all, a fundamental consent gap.
╃ Opportunity
Informed consent before the ask and not after is what makes the opt-in feel safe.
Communication Archetypes & System Layer
Scaled a communication system for high stakes human moments by defining two core archetypes and a system layer that shapes messaging flows, controls, and system behavior while preserving trust, privacy and safety.
Empathy Supporters
Turn a single reply into a lifetime relationship with the platform.
#Beneficiaries #Supporters #Organizers
News Spreaders
Amplify every story worth telling.
#Reporters
System Communication
Platform constraints and safety.
#System-Layer
Design Decisions by Communication Archetypes & Systems Layer
Messaging behavior is shaped by user intent, but governed by system level constraints. Two primary communication archetypes define how users engage, while a system layer ensures messaging remains safe, compliant, and trustworthy at scale.
Empathy Supporters
Frictionless, high-trust communication designed for moments of gratitude and emotional support. Creates space for meaningful connection, turning a single interaction into lasting engagement with the platform.
Team Messaging
Enables supporters to choose who to contact when multiple organizers are involved.
Recipient selector surfaces the full campaign team with role labels and availability states
Messaging defaults protect beneficiaries by limiting direct contact unless enabled
Clarifies intent and routing to reduce friction and uncertainty
Beneficiary Consent Flow
Gives beneficiaries control over whether and when they receive messages.
Two step opt-in establishes explicit, informed consent
Prioritizes user control before enabling communication
Reinforces trust by making system behavior transparent and intentional
News Spreaders
Designed for high-trust, broadcast driven communication.
Enables reporters to discover, verify, and reach organizers with speed, credibility, and context at scale.
Discover + Outreach
Reduces time to first message while preserving trust and intent.
Designed inbox based discovery flow for high value story outreach
Reduced friction between browsing and outreach across mobile and desktop
Introduced pre-composed templates to enable one step outreach from discovery
Verification Flow
Establishes credibility through streamlined reporter verification.
Automatically detects press credentials during onboarding (happy path)
Provides fast track verification to unlock trusted communication
Designed fallback paths to handle edge cases and verification gaps
Self-declaration
Unlocks reporter access through a benefits first onboarding experience.
Designed seamless self-declaration flow for unverified reporters
Surfaces value before input to increase completion and engagement
Enables access to reporter tools and preferences
Receiver Experience
Reinforces trust across all communication surfaces.
Introduced verified press badge across inbox, profiles, and contact points
Provides clear signal of credibility at the moment of interaction
Improves confidence in incoming outreach
System Communication
Defines the invisible layer of privacy, compliance, and moderation that governs how messaging operates. Balances user experience with platform responsibility, ensuring communication remains safe, compliant, and trustworthy by design.
Privacy, DSR, and Moderation States
Establishes clear system behavior across privacy, deletion, and moderation scenarios.
Mapped distinctions between privacy deletions, DSR requests, and moderation states
Designed inbox and chat views reflecting system state for all participants
Ensured consistent behavior across edge cases while preserving user clarity
GDPR Compliant Email Consent Flow
Ensures compliant communication for users in regulated regions without degrading experience.
Designed connected consent flows for first time message notifications in GDPR regions
Used checkbox patterns aligned with established consent standards
Reinforced clear, explicit user agreement at the point of interaction
System Impact
Increased clarity and trust in messaging interactions
Reduced confusion around notification and subscription states
Created a scalable foundation for communication systems across the platform
Balanced user control with platform integrity and compliance needs
