Some expert advice to help us improve our services.
Last year due to Covid-19, churches around the world found themselves in the middle of a miraculous scenario that most businesses can only dream of – the immediate and wide adoption of their newest product or service. Churches transitioned online, and the entire body of Christ adapted instantly. Such a feat probably has not been seen before.
Unfortunately, the initial enthusiasm for online church has dimmed for some people. At least some congregations are left wanting more. As a designer, I want more people to realize how design methodologies can help the church navigate this new frontier.
Design is the bridge between a service and its users. Think of all the services that have transitioned online in recent years, from movies to shopping and beyond. The church is also facing this transition right now. It can learn from the experience of successful companies just how vital design is for success.
Researching user experience
The first step in design is to understand the subject. Designers will gather as much information as possible to gain a good understanding. The church can start by understanding how people attend an online service. This can be done by conducting interviews.
Ideally, an in-person interview is recommended, however a video call is still far superior to an online survey. During a live call, facial expressions can be seen and the moderator can ask follow up questions.
The church does not need to interview many individuals, however choosing the right participant is critical. Ask a few members that are representative of the congregation for feedback and perform the interview one by one.
Possible questions:
- At what time do you attend service?
- How do you attend the service?
- Describe a typical Sunday for you.
- What do you miss the most from a pre-pandemic service?
Design empathy
Using the knowledge from the first stage, designers will try to put themselves in the user’s shoes in the next phase. This is called empathy. Often, the designer is not the end user. By employing empathy, designers can role-play as the end user and understand what may be happening physically and emotionally. More importantly, empathy can generate solutions that resonate with the user.
Church staff should attend their own online service. Sit down just like all other families and attend the service. Take note of any feelings, challenges or behaviours that surface and investigate the reason for them. By doing so, we find the root cause of the issue. Here are some examples of how this might go.
Observation: It is uncomfortable to sing with the worship leader. Reason: The congregation feels shy to sing out loud due to thin walls. They don’t feel comfortable hearing their own voice. The way worship is filmed does not encourage participation.
Observation: It is very difficult to pay attention during the service. Reason: pop up messages, phone, children, wandering thoughts.
Observation: No motivation to attend service. Reason: The online service has no sense of community. Congregation cannot find their friends online.
Brainstorming solutions
Once enough information has been gathered, the designer will brainstorm as many ideas as possible. The first step in a brainstorming session is about quantity, not quality. Then in the second step, validate these concepts. The designer tests these ideas against the research done. Discard the failed concepts and improve the ones that are successful.
Observation: It is uncomfortable to sing with the worship leader. Reason: The congregation feels shy to sing out loud due to thin walls. They don’t feel comfortable hearing their own voice. The way worship is filmed does not encourage participation.
- Solution 1: Choose songs that are easy to sing in an intimate setting. Worship leaders need to remember that they are only leading at most a handful of people into God’s presence. Songs that are easy to sing and arrangements that are approachable will encourage participation.
- Solution 2: During worship instead of showing footage of the band, show only lyrics or other non-facial imageries. Worship is a very intimate experience. It feels intrusive watching someone closely having a worship moment. By making sure that worship isn’t shot like a concert will encourage participation.
- Solution 3: Incorporate spiritual exercises such as lectio divina or taizé prayer into worship. Many spiritual exercises require the participant to be calm and reflective which may be more suitable for homes. Leading one of these exercises in worship could be engaging and can make the service more dynamic as well.
Observation: It is very difficult to pay attention during the service. Reason: pop up messages, phone, children, wandering thoughts.
- Solution 1: Ask the congregation to turn off devices and notifications. Just like in-person services where phones are asked to be put on flight mode, the same can be advised. Close email clients and turn off all notifications on the computer.
- Solution 2: Spread worship throughout the service to create dynamics. People pay more attention when things are not stagnant. Instead of grouping worship all in the beginning, spread it out.
Observation: No motivation to attend service. Reason: The online service has no sense of community. Congregation cannot find their friends online.
- Solution: Zoom hangout that emulates post service coffee. Create multiple breakout rooms that allow the congregation to mingle. Pastors should encourage the congregation to interact with one another. Meet someone new. Avoid large group activities or activities that do not promote active interaction with one another.
Introducing changes
Finally, as the church begins to roll out updates, consider spreading them throughout a few Sundays. This is especially important if the changes may be unfamiliar for the congregation. With each update, pay attention to the responses and make adjustments as necessary.
A digital Sunday is not the same as an in-person Sunday. As the church makes the transition online, consider using these design methodologies to innovate the overall experience.
Andrew Zo is an award winning packaging designer from Vancouver (AndrewZo.com). He has worked with bioLytical, MEC and other brands. He also serves on the arts team at his church. Opening photo by Edho Pratama from Unsplash.