Learning from Building an MVP in 4 weeks while working full-time
I Built an MVP web app (https://ticklepanda.com/) that allows you to send and recieve unique messages with QR code sticker. Printed out 50 of those QR code stickers and passed them out to friends, family, and co-workers.
I wanted to experiment with building and putting a product out there for people to use and gather real feedback. Here's what I have learned:
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Users found Stickers to be obtrusive in general, most users mentioned cards would be a good alternative for sending messages
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Stickers are too big to carry around which limits the use case
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Some users weren't aware that the stickers carry a unique QR code link
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Most users thought it was a cool idea but as we all know that doesn't always translate into conversion
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Users found the Messaging feature to be is "quick, fun, and easy"
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Users liked the visual design and branding of the product
Building this product was fast and cheap and I learned a ton along the way. Pivoting right now doesn't make sense for me at this point as I have other projects I want to explore and I have a full-time job. I am looking to slash this project in the near future but wanted to share my journey before that. Please let me know if you any feedback or questions.
P.S. Yes this is a no-code app built with Bubble. I am a designer who isn't very good at coding.
If you relegate the QR to just one feature and allow non-sepcific markings to carry the message for you, or add an addressing feature, allowing only the intended addressee to read the QR, you will have created a secure, if slow, messaging service.
Otherwise, save images on your phone and encrypt them, then have the mark serve as a decryptor - that's where the fun stuff for questmakers, corporate spies and all sorts of privacy fanatics begins.
I do like the decryptor idea, thanks for sharing. I have also found that people reacted differently to the stickers, some people were curious to scan the mysterious sticker others were concerned as to what it does and questioned its intent (safety) before scanning it. If I were to pivot I would try out a few of these ideas including changing the design on the sticker to make it more inviting.
Aren't you a little bit too hung on stickers?
They are pieces of sticky colored paper that nobody can produce on a moment's notice, they have to be printed separately, and you cannot, without server-side, cross-polinate meanings of a code.
Now ofc if you do server side, you can use stickers for treasure hunts or very private messages, and maybe some tour guides, but barring that - you really don't have many users.
Oh, and yes, this is an intriguing vector of attack, but so far doesn't appear viable due to scanning software architecture.
Now there are a number of other quite intriguing things you can do with this, but all of them setm from advanced cryptography, on which I am not expert whatsoever.
However, what happens if you lose the stickers?
What if you use a pen and read specific symbols instead?
If it's about sending and receiving information using decryptable physical carrier, then you have your market there, but not among the private sector. I might try kids, because kids of a certain age can have some fun with encrypting messages that are supposedly untrace-able and illigible by adults.
So if ypou pivot, I'd suggest you drop the stickers themselves depending on the market, and choose any other possible information carrier.
MVP won't get built in a month without some effort, though.