DNAngels
The public face of a genetic genealogy nonprofit
The main site for a nonprofit that uses DNA testing and genealogy research to help people find biological relatives.
The problem
DNAngels does painstaking, high-stakes work: volunteer researchers piece together DNA matches to identify a stranger's biological parent. The public site has to do two jobs that pull in opposite directions — explain a genuinely technical process to someone in emotional distress, and convince them this volunteer organisation is credible enough to hand their DNA results to.
The approach
The site has to hold two audiences in tension: someone in acute distress who needs reassurance, and a sceptic deciding whether to trust volunteers with a DNA profile. The content is sequenced so the emotional need is met first and the credibility case follows, rather than leading with process detail that reads as cold. Intake sets expectations before anyone commits, because the most damaging outcome for an organisation like this is a person who applies with the wrong idea of what is possible.
What we built
- A case intake flow that sets expectations before someone commits
- Plain-language explanations of what genetic genealogy can and cannot determine
- Donation and support paths for an organisation running on contributions
- A content structure that scales as the case archive grows
Built with
Where it stands
8,500+ cases solved. The site is the front door to all of them.
Visit DNAngelsRick provides excellent customer service and prompt communications. I am amazed every time I log in for work. Our company has went from using Google Sheets to track and monitor client cases to a fully integrated and encrypted Client Management System with backend reporting at the click of a button. Our website is now a fun and visually appealing platform for visitors checking out our services. We have so many future projects in the works with Fox and Hound. The anticipation is real!