From Zero to Expert: How I Designed Peachjar’s User Guides and Help Center

When I joined Peachjar, I was tasked with a crucial mission: creating a user-friendly guide for parents using the Peachjar Parent App. It wasn’t just about writing a document; it was about making sure that every parent could easily navigate the app, find relevant community resources, and stay informed about their child’s school events.

Designing the Peachjar Parent App User Guide

My goal was to create a guide that was comprehensive yet easy to follow for families. I structured the content to cover everything a parent would need to know, from setting up an account to managing notifications and filtering flyers by category.

Key Features of the Guide:

• Step-by-step instructions: Each section includes clear directions for tasks such as signing up, adjusting notification settings, and exploring school and community flyers.
• Visuals for clarity: Since my boss prefers clean and simple visuals, I avoided cluttered annotations and focused on screenshots that highlighted key areas.
• Engaging and accessible language: The tone had to be friendly and instructional, ensuring that parents of all technical levels could understand and navigate the app.

Navigating the Dashboard

One of the most essential parts of the guide was explaining how parents could quickly access school and community flyers. I broke it down like this:

• School Flyers Tab: Displays events, programs, and announcements specific to a child’s school.
• Community Flyers Tab: Shows local events, after-school programs, and other resources that parents can filter by category.
• Filters: Allows users to refine their flyer searches by type and age group, ensuring they see only the most relevant opportunities for their children.

Building the Peachjar Help Center from Scratch

As the company prepared to launch a new app, I was also responsible for creating a Help Center on HubSpot. The challenge? I had never used HubSpot before. Rather than perceiving this as a challenge, I viewed it as a chance to acquire knowledge and construct something significant from the beginning.

Image created with AI, made by Jordi

How I Learned HubSpot on the Go

1. Diving into Documentation: I read through HubSpot’s knowledge base to understand how to create modules and structure the site.
2. Hands-on Experimentation: I tested different templates, customized layouts, and built interactive sections to ensure an intuitive user experience.
3. Iterative Improvements: I gathered feedback and refined the Help Center to ensure it aligned with Peachjar’s branding and user needs.

What I Built:

• A structured knowledge base: Parents and community members could easily browse articles categorized by common user needs (e.g., signing up, managing preferences, troubleshooting issues).
• Custom HubSpot modules: I created interactive sections, like a search bar, to guide users through the app’s features.
• A seamless, accessible design: Keeping in mind best practices for UX, I ensured the Help Center was simple to navigate and visually appealing.
• Buttons: I programmed a button so the parents could change between English and Spanish. I also translated all the information so the app will have both languages.

Lessons Learned & Takeaways

This experience reinforced my ability to create user-centered documentation and quickly adapt to new tools. Whether designing user guides or building a Help Center from scratch, I thrive on making information accessible and engaging.

Now, as I expand my portfolio, I’m excited to tackle new challenges and continue crafting experiences that empower users.

Want to see my work in action? Check out the Peachjar Help Center I designed and built from the ground up.