nodify
Strengthen relationships between distant family members
I started building a 'simple' prototype with no/low-code tools such as bubble.io .
However, it was WAY too early to build anything. We lacked the insights that only come from customer interaction. What we really needed was to increase insights per unit time in order to converge on the problem being solved, the pain being addressed and some hints as to what the product could be. The goal is to build tight feedback loops to validate or invalidate the hypothesis for the experiment.
This is where having a co-founder to bounce ideas off and get you out of your own headspace is so critical. @mikemacdonald123 set me straight with the concierge-style MVP where we simulate the user experience using a stack of SaaS products cobbled together (more details coming soon).
Without having to build anything, we've done several iterations of the user experience with family groups. The feedback has allowed us to confirm elements of the value proposition and provided insights into user behavior.
A key insight is that we'll likely need to give examples of the desired behavior. For example, we ask people questions - the value of the product is related to the quality of the responses. One word answers lead to a low-quality experience. We can increase our chances of high-quality user experience by setting expectations with example responses.
In the weeks ahead we'll be expanding testing groups to audiences outside of immediate family.
Does this sound familiar? I woke up at 35 and realized I barely know my own family.
The few interactions we each year during the holidays are chaotic and conversations tend to be superficial. I’d often leave feeling like there were discussions that needed to be had, support that could be offered - but there were seemingly no opportunities. I didn’t know what to ask, what to offer or how I could help. Our family relationships were not a point where we could get into deeper conversation and offer real support to each other.
Studies have consistently revealed that one of the most important factors in longevity and mental health is a strong sense of community. Having a close family that you can offer support to and be supported by.
Like many aspects of life, maintaining meaningful relationships benefits from deliberate practice. Developing a habit requires consistent practice over extended periods. Fitness, nutrition, mindfulness - there are whole professions dedicated to coaching people through the process.
However, for most of us - access to professional services can be time or financially constrained. Our lives are busy, our responsibilities increasing and the battle for our attention has never been greater.
We’re solving this challenge for ourselves. We’re working to provide a service that facilitates regular structured communication to strengthen relationships between distant families. Social media offers the illusion of connectedness, we can do so much better for ourselves and our families.
If you’d like to join us on this journey, sign up for early access.
Regards,
Sandy
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