SyndĂŠo
Process Book
John Lacey, Joshua Foley, Karen Ng, Poorvi Das DMGT 720 Winter 2017 Professor Christine Fish
Executive Summary Background Problem
Problem Statement
Purpose of Report
Modern married couples with children are incredibly busy. Between their full-time jobs and raising their children, they feel overwhelmed with to-dos and keeping up with schedules. Alone time with each other is all too often a casualty of their overloaded lives. And when they do find the time, they face additional challenges of making date plans and finding safe, trusted and convenient childcare. The prospects of spending quality time together diminish in the face of these obstacles.
How might we use design management techniques to create a product that will decrease the overwhelmed feeling married couples with children experience and enable them to spend quality time together?
This report describes the research, ideation, design process and final solution the design team has generated to solve the problem.
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Executive Summary Approach / Method
Important Results
Conclusion
A lack of commercially available solutions to the problem was identified. The design team subsequently utilized design management practices to create alternative offerings. Practices included: primary and secondary research, competitor analysis, product ideation, prototyping, testing, refinement, evaluation and business strategy.
Evaluation of the alternative solutions identified SyndĂŠo as the optimal solution to the problem. The SyndĂŠo platform consists of features that allow users to sync their calendars and intuitively find open dates for quality time, suggest date activities and connect with childcare providers.
An evaluation of the market and an evaluation by potential users suggests that SyndĂŠo will not only be a solution to the problem, but will also be a commercially viable product.
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Meet the Design Team
John Lacey John is passionate about creative problem solving. With experience as a marketing and communications advisor, John sets out to learn as much as he can about a client’s challenges with the goal of creating innovative, simple solutions.
Joshua Foley Josh is an agile and adaptable problem solver. He is passionate about his work as an Army leader and approaches problems and adversity with steadfast resiliency and creative solutions. Josh understands the importance of placing the needs of the client first and developing solutions with the user’s needs in mind
DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Karen Ng
Poorvi Das
Karen is a seasoned user experience designer
Poorvi is a designer with strong skills in research and innovation. She enjoys breaking boundaries and challenging herself, while applying design thinking to different contexts, products and services. With an inclination towards social design and innovation, she hopes to make the world a little bit better.
and leader with a passion for technology. She strives for exceptional user experiences to push technological boundaries without sacrificing usability. Her design methodology is driven by context. Who will be looking at it? How will they use it? What do we want them to come away with? Most creative solutions are often the result of answering these questions.
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Contents 1. Network Analysis
2. Network Design Development
3. Defining Network Users
Introduction
Identifying Opportunities and Concepts
Introduction
Couples, the Internet, and Social Media
Concepts Overview
User Groups
Exploring Current Offerings
Concept 1: Relationship Fitbit
SWOT Analysis
Concept 2: Career Oriented Couples with Young Children
Segment Matrix 2 x 2 Matrix Good / Different Research Findings, Influencing Factors & Trends Opportunities
8
Survey Interviews
Concept 3: Healthy Lifestyle
Empathy Map
Selected Concept: Creative Brief, Value Proposition, Statements, 5W’s & 1H, Users, SWOT Analysis, Competitors
Personas
30
Affinitizing Insights Research Conclusion Marketing Strategies
49
Contents 4. Competitor Research & Analysis 5. Business Model Generation Introduction: The Gottman Institute & Cozi Business Model Canvas: The Gottman Institute SWOT Analysis Business Model Canvas: Cozi SWOT Analysis Similarities & Differences Weakest Business Model Improving the Gottman Model Key Takeaways
89
6. Defining the Users’ Needs
Introduction
Value Proposition
17-Step Process
The Process
ABC...Q Approach
Empathy Maps
Why, How, What Approach
Ideation: Dream Scenario
Business Model Canvas
Ideation: Good/Different Matrix
Value Web
Ideation: Creative Matrix & 5E’s
SWOT Analysis
Ideation: Value Proposition Canvas
Similarities & Differences
Summary of Findings
Performance & Delight
Key Features
Strategies
120
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Contents 7. Prototyping & Brand Development The Brand The Role of Aesthetics How the Business Model Strengthens the Brand Site Map Mock Ups
139
8. Network Sales Pitch Validation
Project Management
Gantt Chart
Final Pitch
References
Storyboard
Appendix
157
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Part 1
Network Analysis
Introduction An Overview of Social Networking A social networking service is an online platform that is used by people to build social networks or social relations with other people who share similar personal or career interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections (Obar, Jonathan A.; Wildman, Steve, 2015). It represents relationships and flows between people or groups. Efforts to support social networks via computer-mediated communication were made early on in the1970s, through services such as Usenet, and LISTSERVE. The concept has only evolved since then, growing with the advances in technology and the way users use the platform. With the launch of Friendster in 2002, social networking hit its stride, followed by the introduction of LinkedIn and MySpace a year later. Facebook superseded MySpace to become the leading global social networking platform and currently boasts of more than 1.3 billion active users.
*Image source: Digitaltrends.com, The History of Social Networking (only used for academic purpose)
Introduction An Overview of Social Networking Recent years have seen the introduction and success of a variety of social network platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, which are based on the concept of people connecting, but have diversified into the way they connect, for example, shared interests, or photography. Infact, the niche social network, which offers a specialized space, designed to appeal to a very specific market with a clearly defined set of needs, has steadily grown in popularity due to better levels of user interaction and engagement and growing levels of boredom from existing networks that serve the masses. The use of smartphones and tablets have also changed the way we interact and communicate, replacing what once sat on a desk with something that fits in our palm, allowing us to connect instantly. Given this rise in mobile computing, most social media platforms hinge on the capabilities of smartphones. People now exist on multiple platforms, and use various services in conjunction with other platforms to build a comprehensive, digital identity.
*Image source and copyright: Mark Smiciklas (only used for academic purpose)
Introduction Our Focus We decided to focus our project on a niche network, that serves a specific group of people. After brainstorming topics based on current trends and possibilities, we decided to consider married couples who are looking to rekindle the romance in their lives as our area of focus. It is no secret that marriage has been in decline in America, and is crumbling fast. In 1960, 72% of all adults over 18 were married. By 2010, the number fell to 51%, with the marriage rate hitting its lowest mark at 6.8 per thousand people and the divorce trend on the rise. A study by the National Marriage Project, (University of Virginia) revealed that married couples who devote time together at least once a week, not only have lower divorce rates, but also increase the perceived quality of the marriage. We decided to explore the subject of ‘couples enhancing the romance in their relationship’, and based our contextual research and analysis on existing offerings (traditional, non-traditional and digital).
Couples, the Internet, and Social Media Summary of Findings Statistics pulled from: Pew Research Center (2014). Couples, the Internet, and Social Media. Retrieved January 9, 2017, from http://www. pewinternet.org/2014/02/11/couples-the-internet-and-social-media/ • 71% of couples (married or in another committed relationship) use • 74% of adult internet users surveyed reported that the internet social networking sites. had a positive impact on their marriage or partnership. 20% said it was mostly negative. • 93% of couples (described above) have a cell phone. • 88% of couples use the internet.
• 25% of married or partnered adults who texted their partner when they both home together.
• 27% of Internet users in couples share an email account with their • 21% of cell phone owners or internet users in a committed partner. Older couples are more likely to share an email account. relationship have felt closer to their spouse or partner because of • Couples who share one type of digital tool or account tend to exchanges they had online or via text message. share others as well. • 9% have resolved an argument with their partner online or by text • 11% of couples who use social networking sites such as message that they were having difficulty resolving in person. Facebook or Twitter say that they share a social networking profile. Summary of Findings | DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Exploring Current Offerings
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SWOT Analysis
Direct Competitors
Competitor
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Meet Up (married couples)
Open to anyone
Open to anyone
To link up with new couples and meet new people
Awkwardness of meeting new couples
Church
Strong values Strong community
Closed-minded religious Select group of people
Develop meeting spaces for chuch-goers who want to rekindle their romance/dating life
Couples may feel threatened by the church environment
Babysitting services
Come to couples home Convenient
Can be expensive Availability of specific sitters not always consistent
Offer in grocery stores, restaurants, movie theatres, etc.
Parents feeling concerned about their kids during their date
Shopping malls / Department stores
Open to anyone Not structured
Open to anyone
Offer babysitting services for families who want to shop for longer periods of time To connect with your spouse in an unstructured environment
Could lead to over-spending on unnecessary products
Dating apps (Couple)
Intimate way to share life Stay in touch with each other Free Fun Private
No archive No throwbacks Difficult to search conversations
Provide archiving options Provide search feature Link to partner services to book restaurants and plan activities Book childcare services in app
Excessive use of app Other competitor apps
Marriage support website (foryourmarriage.org)
Open to anyone
Not structured Not related to everyone
Provide supports for different type of couples Content becomes repetitive and boring Provide resources to seek meetups locally
Customized designed dates Develop new ideas for your dating life
Can be expensive
To expand your dating life and do things you Could seem like an artificial romance wouldn't normally plan on your own
Family support website (babble.com)
Open to anyone
Not structured Not related to everyone
Provide supports for different type of families Content becomes repetitive and boring Provide resources to seek support groups locally
Dating idea website/ apps
Open to anyone New ideas for dates
Not offered in everywhere Content not as attractive
Expand services to more locations Increase content for each location
Customized date service (The Heart Bandits)
Content becomes repetitive and boring
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Competitor
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Theatrical entertainments
Escape from daily life See artists you like
Expensive Inconvenient Public / Not private Difficult for couples with young kids Unhealthy food options
Make setting more intimate Offer childcare services Offer better / healthier food options
Home entertainment, Netflix, Amazon
Restaurants
Convenient
Expensive Can be unhealthy Difficult for couples with young kids
Have set hours for couples only Offer specials for couples only
Growing movement for people to cook at home Take-out service
Bowling alley
Generally pretty cheap
Difficult for couples with young kids Unhealthy food options
Offer better / healthier food options
Other entertainment venues
Outdoor activities
Supports healthy lifestyle Close to home
Only doable when weather permitted Need suitable gears
Offer childcare services Guide to discover local outdoor activiities
Indoor activities and home entertainment
Community events
Close to home
Expensive Loud Public / Not Private
Offer childcare services
Libraries
Full service See new places Get out of your normal routine
Expensive Not all offer children services Have to take time off work Involves a lot of planning
Provide in-hotel events for couples to connect Offer childcare services Guide to discover local activities
Airbnb, VRBO, Couch-surfing Staying at home
In-town getaways
Able to use babysitting services back home Less costly
Run out of ideas or options Not as exciting
Guide to discover local activities Discount offier to locals
Out-of-town getaways
Home entertainment
Convenient Don’t have to go out Can stay in your sweatpants Inexpensive
Use of Netflix, Amazon, or other services requires paid account Limited to choices from paid account Quality limited by system at home
Offer in-screen food ordering service Offer in-screen childcare ordering service
Going out for entertainment Books
Classes
Catered for couples Learn something new together
No offerings locally Not interesting enough
A serie of classes or related classes Offer childcare services
Ignore interests/ hobbies
Therapy
Relax together
Can be expensive
A serie of classes or related classes Offer childcare services
Other entertainment options
May require planning ahead May not have same interests in sport
Offer childcare services Offer lessons to sharpen skills
Injuries Skill level differences
Entertainment Out-of-town getaways Outlets
Group sports or leagues Supports healthy lifestyle
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Segment Matrix Competitors / Entertainment Outlets
Competitor Name: The Heart Bandits Objectives What is their network’s value?
Members What categories do they fall into?
Lessons What can they teach us for our network?
• Offer customized designed dates • Develop new ideas for couple’s dating life • Offer advice on date ideas or proposal ideas
• Long term relationships • Serious committed relationships • People ready to propose
• Can offer customized dating ideas for married couples • Can offer tips for spicing up a marriage relationship romance
Approach How do they create value?
Homepage What is the entry point to their network?
Collaboration Opportunities Where or how do we overlap?
• They help people who aren’t able to come up with new dating ideas on their own • They plan romantic dates for people and take care of all the logistics • They help people come up with proposal ideas
• Website: http://www.theheartbandits.com/romance. html • Phone: (800) 520-5972 • Email: info@theheartbandits.com
• Both networks seeking to help people generate romance in their relationship
Segment Matrix | DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Segment Matrix Competitors / Entertainment Outlets
Competitor Name: For Your Marriage Objectives What is their network’s value?
Members What categories do they fall into?
Lessons What can they teach us for our network?
• Provides couples with marital guidance and help, particularly from a Catholic perspective • Imparts Christian values on marriage and dating
• Catholic church
• They provide the religious values and dating techniques for married people or those about to be married • They also have more than just dating techniques, they provide advice for strong marriages
Approach How do they create value?
Homepage What is the entry point to their network?
Collaboration Opportunities Where or how do we overlap?
• They teach the most common marriage issues and how to avoid them • They appeal to those seeking a marriage steeped in Catholic values
• Website: http://www.foryourmarriage.org/ • Rotating banners on website for different articles
• Both networks seek to improve upon established marriages
Segment Matrix | DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Segment Matrix Competitors / Entertainment Outlets
Competitor Name: Meetup Objectives What is their network’s value?
Members What categories do they fall into?
Lessons What can they teach us for our network?
• Getting people people together in a community who share common interests and hobbies • Meet with new people in your area
• Variety of “meetup” groups in the area • Social exposure • Various movements and activities for members to get involved with
• Different ideas for dating options for married couples • A chance for married couples to meet others in their community
Approach How do they create value?
Homepage What is the entry point to their network?
Collaboration Opportunities Where or how do we overlap?
• They bring people in a community together through a variety of activities, hobbies, or interests
• Website: https://www.meetup.com/ • Mobile app
• Both networks seek to get people out doing things in their communities
Segment Matrix | DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Segment Matrix Competitors / Entertainment Outlets
Competitor Name: Date Night Objectives What is their network’s value?
Members What categories do they fall into?
Lessons What can they teach us for our network?
• To provide couples with dating ideas • Provides weekday date ideas to keep things interesting throughout the work week
• People in relationships looking for dating ideas in the • To go after week day ideas versus just weekends area (seems to be limited to the Calgary, Alberta area) • To establish a list of restaurants, venues, and events in the area for date ideas
Approach How do they create value?
Homepage What is the entry point to their network?
Collaboration Opportunities Where or how do we overlap?
• By making date planning easy • Compiling a list of restaurants and events to do in the area all in one place
• Website: http://www.itsdatenight.com/
• Date Night and our network both are designed to help couples think of date ideas in the area
Segment Matrix | DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Segment Matrix Competitors / Entertainment Outlets
Competitor Name: Babble Objectives What is their network’s value?
Members What categories do they fall into?
Lessons What can they teach us for our network?
• Babble provides users with parenting, pregnancy, entertainment, and lifestyle hacks • Provides advice on living life with young kids and staying active
• Young adults with young children • Moms and Dads • Pregnant mothers • Expecting parents
• They can teach us how to get young parents to reinvigorate their dating life • They provide advice on entertainment particularly for people with kids
Approach How do they create value?
Homepage What is the entry point to their network?
Collaboration Opportunities Where or how do we overlap?
• They provide articles, stories, and advice for young parents
• Website: https://www.babble.com/ • Babble newsletter • Social media connection
• Both networks could appeal to young adults with children
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Segment Matrix Competitors / Entertainment Outlets
Competitor Name: Dateini Objectives What is their network’s value?
Members What categories do they fall into?
Lessons What can they teach us for our network?
• To provide couples with a date night out based on criteria you provide, including city, theme, budget, and food type • Users don’t have to plan anything themselves
• Couples looking for a great night out without having to plan it
• Their site shows us that it’s relatively easy to plan a night out based on some simple criteria
Approach How do they create value?
Homepage What is the entry point to their network?
Collaboration Opportunities Where or how do we overlap?
• They make it easy for couples to have a great night out without much effort • They also provide planning in a wider time range that the user is able to set
• Website: http://www.dateini.com/ • Social media connection
• Both networks seek to help couples set up a date or night out
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2x2 Matrix Findings The less planning couples would need to arrange, the more frequent they would use the products or services. Busy married couples, especially the ones with young children, find it time-consuming to plan things to do and arrange childcare. The less hassle the offerings require, the more likely they will use them more frequently.
Frequent � Babble.com
� Church
� Simple Marriage (App) � Foryourmarriage.org � � Movie theatres Restaurants � Home entertainments � Bowling alley Ad hoc � Dateini.com � itsdatenight.com � Shopping malls/ Department stores
� Meetup
� Community events � Concerts � Babysitting services � Sport leagues
� Hotels
� The Heart Bandits
� Couple classes � Travel
Infrequent DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Planning required
2x2 Matrices | 22
2x2 Matrix Findings Most inexpensive products or services are targeted to a specific group of users by location or interests. Its business offerings are not very scalable and may not be sustainable in the long run.
Inclusive
� Babble.com � Foryourmarriage.org � Dateini.com � Simple Marriage (App) � itsdatenight.com � Community events � � Shopping malls/ Meetup Department stores Inexpensive � Bowling alley
� Movie theatres � Concerts � Restaurants
� Hotels
� Travel
� The Heart Bandits � Home entertainments � Babysitting services � Sport leagues
Expensive
� Couple classes � Church Exclusive DMGT 720 Winter 2017
2x2 Matrices | 23
Good / Different Findings
• A zag strategy will need to be cost effective, but provide the high value that hotels and travel provide for couples.
Good but not Different �
�
Restaurants
Good
• Only two offerings made it into the Good and Different space. However, they are somewhat low on the Good scale.
Travel
Hotels
• Good offerings are also the most expensive offerings. The further up the Good scale, the higher the cost. • Different offerings are mostly coming from the digital space and are lower on the Good scale.
�
�
�
Church
Movie theatres
�
Good and Different �
�
Couple classes
Community events
�
Home entertainments
�
Simple Marriage (App) Foryourmarriage.org
Not Good and not � Bowling alley Different �
Babysitting services
�
Shopping malls/Department stores
�
Meetup
�
Different but not �Good
�
Dateini.com
Babble.com
�
�
itsdatenight.com
Sport leagues
�
The Heart Bandits
Concerts
Different Good / Different Matrix | DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Research Findings, Influencing Factors & Trends After analyzing behaviors, activities, and trends of married people in this day and age, a few key takeaways were found: • Social Media plays a huge role in people’s lives these days. It has gotten to the point where it’s an alternative reality for some people. They live 2 lives on a daily basis; the one where they exist in the physical world - where they talk and interact with people and objects; and the digital world, which exists on their smart phones, tablets, laptops, watches, and other mobile devices. For married people, this trend becomes a problem because couples tend to spend less quality time actually talking to one another and interacting, and more time on their social network sites/ apps. • Another trend identified in the good vs. different analysis was that the good entertainment outlets for married couples are often the most expensive, the most planning intensive, and take the most time. These include options such as travel or hotel getaways, which are great opportunities for couples to bond, but aren’t as accessible as going to a movie, for instance. The old adage, “you get what you pay for” is very true in this circumstance. • Another apparent trend is that married couples are often too busy, or perceive themselves too busy to go on dates together. Whether they’re two young hard-working professionals who don’t have the desire to go out after a hard day’s work, or parents of young Influencing Factors & Trends | DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Research Findings,Influencing Factors & Trends children who take up their time outside of work, married couples can’t seem to find the time to go on dates. This trend calls for the need to develop a solution that will be engaging for the couple and also fit in their schedules. • There are a number of faith based services and offerings which include holistic approaches and initiatives for a healthy married and family life. One also finds research oriented groups which focus on the subject like ‘The Gottman Institute’ and ‘The National Marriage Project’. The US Department of Health and Human Services has also been found to support these initiatives. • Some sites also offer couple focused getaways or Marriage makeovers, that include stay, talks, therapy sessions and workshops.
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Opportunities Websites • Websites could provide resources to seek support locally • Websites could provide content to different areas/ be location specific • Based on faith based websites, offerings could cater to a different culture/ faith • As there are many websites that are sharing content, an opportunity to provide unique ways of promoting an initiative as well as creating a network for content writers • Dating Specific Websites could include things that couples don’t normally do
Good / Different Matrix | DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Opportunities Apps • An app that adds in the availability of babysitters in the area • Instead of the usual venues/ activities, an app that surprises you based on tastes and preferences • Apps that help resolve a conflict • Gamification app. For married couples
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Opportunities Podcast • Well compiled content • Ability to download and hear desired content at will/ on the go • eBooks related to the subject
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Part 2
Network Design Development
Identifying Opportunities and Concepts As we explored design apps for a new social network offering, we were inspired by these key insights from our initial research:
1 Married couples who devote time together at least once a week, not only have lower divorce rates, but also increase the perceived quality of the marriage
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3
There are a number of
Good entertainment outlets for married
Married couples are often
couples are often the
too busy, or perceive
most expensive, the most
themselves too busy to go
planning intensive, and
on dates together
take the most time.
4 faith and research based services and offerings which include holistic approaches and initiatives for a healthy married and family life.
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Identifying Opportunities and Concepts In addition to the above insights, some encouraging trends in context to the use of digital devices and relationships that was used as reference were: 71% of couples (married or in another committed relationship) use social networking sites. 74% of adult internet users surveyed reported that the internet had a positive impact on their marriage or partnership 93% of couples (described above) have a cell phone. 21% of cell phone owners or internet users in a committed relationship have felt closer to their spouse or partner because of exchanges they had online or via text message.
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Concepts Overview CONCEPT 1
CONCEPT 2
CONCEPT 3
RELATIONSHIP FITBIT
CAREER ORIENTED COUPLES WITH CHILDREN
HEALTHY LIFESTYLE: FOOD AND EXERCISE
1 4
1 2 3
1 2
Focusses on helping couples enhance their
Focuses on career oriented couples with
Focusses on how a healthy lifestyle,
relationship by creating a platform where
childrent and explores the idea of helping
including food and exercise would impact a
couples can seek advice and support.
couples manage their schedules better.
relationship positively.
INSIGHTS KEY
1
Married couples who devote time together at least once a week, not only have
2
Good entertainment outlets for married couples are often the most expensive, the
lower divorce rates, but also increase the
most planning intensive, and take the most
perceived quality of the marriage
time.
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Married couples are often too busy, or perceive themselves too busy to go on dates together
4
There are a number of faith and research based services and offerings which include holistic approaches and initiatives for a healthy married and family life.
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Concept 1
Relationship FitBit Relationship Fitbit focusses on helping couples enhance their relationship by creating a platform where couples can seek advice and support from friends, families, other couples, professional sources like a counselor, church staff, or even books, websites, apps and workshops.
For married couples who are seeking to build a stronger bond, but lack the knowledge to do so, Our application will improve communication between spouses and provide relationship target goals and advice, along with reminders and catalogs of important events in the life of a couple.
Based on the following research insights from earlier: • Couples who devote time together at least once a week have lower divorce rates, an increased perceived quality of the marriage. • Many faith and research based services and offerings include holistic approaches and initiatives for a healthy married and family life. Additional Insights: • Relationship advice is a robust and lucrative
We do this by combining goal setting and communication tracking features (like a FitBit for communication) with quick relationship advice developed by professional counselors. Unlike the current offerings, our product does not require extensive reading or practice and allows users to set simple step by step goals that will enhance a couple’s relationship.
business. • It covers a wide range of offerings from couple oriented game apps to relationship focused books.
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Relationship FitBit Users COUPLES
DEMOGRAPHICS
THERAPIST / COACH
CONTENT CREATORS
BUSINESS OWNERS
Couples, looking at enhancing
Relationship therapists or Life Coaches
People who are proficient at creating
People who can be a good resource
their relationship through better
who are certified and have experience.
and curating content relevant to
for couples
communication and other holistic
relationship therapy
approaches.
OCCUPATION
COMMUNICATION METHODS
Can vary (couples where either one or
Counselors, relationship coaches,
Authors, curators, Journalists,
Childcare providers, event managers,
both members are working)
church staff
bloggers, website and App Developers
hospitality industry professionals
Phone call and messaging
Phone, Email, websites
Phone, Email, websites
Phone, Email, websites
Medical groups, therapy related
Social media, related groups
Social media, related groups
More direct, faster and intuitive
More direct, faster and intuitive
EXISTING NETWORKS SMS, Messenger, and WhatsApp
groups, websites, social media
FUTURE NETWORKS Voice to text, AI
More direct with patient, video conferencing
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Concept 2
Career Oriented Couples with Young Children This concept focuses on career oriented couples with children. Research reveals that stress from a career and responsibilities of children negatively affect the relationship of a married couple. The concept explores the idea of helping couples manage their schedules better, and creates opportunities to spend more time with each other. Based on the following research insights from earlier: • Couples who devote time together at least once a week have lower divorce rates, an increased perceived quality of the marriage. • Good entertainment outlets for married couples are often expensive, planning and time intensive. • Married couples are often too busy, or perceive themselves too busy to go on dates together.
For career-advancing married couples with young children who desire romance and alone time out of hectic daily life with work, home and children, Our application will help manage your daily schedule, improve communication between spouses, and provide suggestions on when to take a break, the activities to pursue, and childcare options available within a few clicks. We do this by building a mobile application that does it all for busy on-the-go parents. Unlike other web and mobile apps such as Cozi and Care. com, our product aims to be the go-to place with smart features that learns and understands the needs of the couple and their children.
Additional Insights: • Parents feel the need to balance career expectations against parental responsibilities. • Grandparents are leveraged as daycare proviers DMGT 720 Winter 2017
to save costs.
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Career Oriented Couples with Young Children Users COUPLES DEMOGRAPHICS
OCCUPATION
COMMUNICATION METHODS
CHILDREN
GRANDPARENTS
CHILDCARE PROVIDERS
BUSINESS OWNERS
Younger Gen X and older
Younger Gen Y and Gen Alpha,
Parents of Gen X & Millennials;
Childcare center, home
People who can be a good
Millennials, well educated and
use technology from a young
support their children financially
daycare, stay at home nanny,
resource for couples
career driven
age
or via childcare.
nanny share
Wannabe Entrepreneurs,
Students
Could be employed or retired
Taking care of children
Childcare providers, event
Startup Founders, Managers,
managers, hospitality industry
Mentors
professionals
Phone, messaging, Email
Phone, messaging
Phone, messaging, email
Email, SMS, video calls
Phone, Email, websites
Social media, related groups,
Social media, related groups
(Simple Interfaces and products)
EXISTING NETWORKS SMS, Messenger, WhatsApp,
None for the younger kids,
Viber, social media (Instagram,
social media sites for the older
twitter, facebook, LinkedIn)
kids
FUTURE NETWORKS Voice to text, Instant video call,
Instant connection, AI
Social media
websites
More direct, faster and simple
More direct, faster and intuitive
More direct, faster and intuitive
AI
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Concept 3
Healthy Lifestyle: Food and Exercise
The effects of stress and lack of intimacy often results in the loss of romance in the relationship of a married couple. This concept considers how a healthy lifestyle, including food and exercise would impact a relationship. Based on the following research insights from earlier: • Couples who devote time together at least once a week have lower divorce rates, an increased perceived quality of the marriage. • Good entertainment outlets for married couples are often expensive, planning and time intensive. Additional Insights: • Wedded couples tend to put on weight after marriage, which can pose a hindrance to sexual attraction and general health.
For married couples who feel a healthy lifestyle plays an important role in their relationship (like reducing stress, increasing intimacy and creating an overall sense of wellbeing), Our application will enable couples to lead a healthier lifestyle by supporting their health and fitness goals as per their preferences, while bringing in a sense of teamwork and fun. We do this by combining goal setting, with a teamwork spirit and creating customized information, based on couples preferences in the areas of food planning and activity oriented events and places. Unlike current offerings which are individual focused, our product will focus on team spirit and bringing in the aspect of romance in a relationship.
• Exercising together fosters closeness, improves mood and is a stress buster • Cooking together can lead to improved physical health, stronger communication and memorable experiences DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Healthy Lifestyle: Food and Exercise Users COUPLES
DEMOGRAPHICS
INDIVIDUALS
COMMUNICATION METHODS EXISTING NETWORKS
Women, individuals with a low
Couples, individuals, content
Content creators, food experts,
Instructors, exercise centers,
kids, couples experiencing a life
self-esteem, going through a life
creators, therapists, instructors,
therapists, farmer markets,
therapists, content creators,
change, couples under a lot of
change, etc.
food experts, exercise centers,
culinary related stores,
exercise equipment stores
farmers markets
restaurants
Varies based on demographics
Varies based on demographics
Varies based on demographics
Can vary (couples where either
Can vary (couples where either
one or both members are
one or both members are
working)
working)
Phone call and messaging
Phone call and messaging
Phone, Email, websites
Phone, Email, websites
Phone, Email, websites
SMS, Messenger, and
SMS, Messenger, and
Social media, related groups
Social media, related groups
Social media, related groups
WhatsApp, FitBit
WhatsApp, FitBit More direct, faster and intuitive
More direct, faster and intuitive
More direct, faster and intuitive
FUTURE NETWORKS Voice to text, AI, FitBit successors
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SERVICE PROVIDERS: EXERCISE
Empty nesters, couples with
stress, etc.
OCCUPATION
COMMUNITIES
SERVICE PROVIDERS: FOOD
Voice to text, AI, FitBit successors
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Selected: Concept 2
Career Couples with Young Children
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Selected: Concept 2
Career Couples with Young Children We found Concept No. 2 to be most aligned with our earlier research and of value to our target audience. Married couples are stretched and stressed with the challenge of balancing professional endeavors and commitments to family. Add young children into the mix and the task becomes even more complex. How can couples create and sustain a life together that balances
INSIGHT Married couples
INSIGHT Good
who devote time together
entertainment outlets for
at least once a week, not
married couples are often
only have lower divorce
the most expensive, the
rates, but also increase the perceived quality of the marriage
most planning intensive, and
2
take the most time.
careers, family, and a relationship that thrives? INSIGHT Married couples are often too busy, or perceive themselves too busy to go on dates together
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CREATIVE BRIEF
NETWORK GOALS • Easy access, user-friendly application available via cell phones, smart phones,
NETWORK OVERVIEW For married couples with children, family life can be chaotic and overwhelming. It can be difficult to find and take time for the people closest to us. Our service offering will ease the burden of coordinating and finding time for family activities by helping couples personalize and schedule activities into their daily life.
laptops, desktops, and tablets 24/7 • Coordinate and communicate everyone’s schedules and activities, track grocery lists, manage to do lists, plan ahead for dinner, and keep the whole family on the same page • Set reminders via phone notifications, SMS, and email, so no one misses an appointment
OPPORTUNITIES Young families are extremely busy. There is a need for a product or service to help couples manage everything they need to do while providing them with resources to boost their connection. This platform would offer holistic solutions to daily life challenges such as bookings, reservations, childcare arrangements and other needs.
• Keep track of the couple’s milestones, remind/highlight any date & time suitable for couple date nights, and provide suggestions on celebrations and dates • One-stop place for booking appointments, reservations, and childcare • Capture and save photos and videos associating with appointments and events; instantly share to close family and friends or post to social media • Support newer devices as well as the old ones
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VALUE PROPOSITION For married career couples with young children who desire alone time in the midst of hectic daily life. Our service is a one stop place to enhance the quality of married life by managing couples schedules, identifying dating opportunities, suggesting relevant activities or events and sharing relevant therapies to reach customized goals towards an improved relationship. We do this by building a mobile application that does it all for busy on-the-go parents. Unlike other web and mobile apps such as Cozi and Care. com, our product aims to be the go-to place with smart features that learns and understands the needs of the couple and their children.
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STATEMENTS MISSION STATEMENT To restore order to the chaotic lives of married couples with children and help them overcome challenges that prevent them from spending quality time together. 25 WORD STATEMENT SyndĂŠo is an application that is designed to help married couples with children find and spend quality time together. ONLINESS STATEMENT SyndĂŠo is the only application that helps bring order to the chaotic lives of married couples with children in the U.S. and around the world who want to spend quality time together in an era when quality time alone is diminishing.
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5W’s & 1H
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Who?
Married couples with children with hectic schedules who are interested in spending quality time together.
What?
A one-stop application that helps couples identify and spend quality time together.
Why?
We believe healthy marriages offer the greatest benefits to society and couples with children need help bringing order to their chaotic lives.
Where?
Digital devices (smartphones, tablets, computers) that can connect to the application.
When?
Everday
How?
Provide syncing calendars and list creation tools, connect to childcare providers and identify date opportunities. 45
USERS YOUNG MARRIED COUPLES - Younger Gen X and older Millennials, well educated and career driven YOUNG CHILDREN - Younger Gen Y and Gen Alpha, use technology from a young age GRANDPARENTS - Parents of Gen X & Millennials; support their children financially or via childcare. CHILDCARE PROVIDERS - Childcare center, home daycare, stay at home nanny, nanny share BUSINESS OWNERS - People who can be a good resource for couples
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SWOT Analysis STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
• Improves communication and reduce misunderstanding between couples and extended family members
• Too busy to use the product
• Maintains good relationship by keeping open communication and consistent communicating method • Offers suggestions on date ideas which is helpful to busy people who does not have time to think/research
• Learning curve of the product will take time • Every family is different; product may not fit some families’ needs • Requires technology-readiness in order to use the product
• No need to use multiple apps and services or make frequent phone calls – one app does it all! OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
• Fills the white space between the two types of existing products/services out there in the market space: rekindling romance and organizing family life
• Existing competitive product Cozi wihch geared toward scheduling reminders and family organization
• Suggests events and things to do to maintain a healthy marriage • Suggests therapies to receive to reach goals of improving relationships
• Existing competitive service Care.com which geared toward searching for a trust-worthy caregiver • Some non technology-savvy users may not want to use this product
• One-stop place to take care of all bookings, reservations, and chlldcare arrangements
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COMPETITORS
Competitors in the space reveal a disparity between a network that targets couples and one that targets families, indicating a whitespace for possibilities. Networks such as Kindu, Couple, and Pillow target couples (both married and dating) with specific regard to intimacy and rekindling romance. Products, such as Cozi and Care.com, are more family centric. A blended model would have the potential to disrupt this market space and create a valuable resource for customers.
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Part 3
Defining Network Users
Introduction In an effort to validate our findings from Secondary Research
Does having a job and children impact the health of a marrIage/ relationship?
How does having a job and kids influence a relationship (Key areas/ key issues/ challenges)?
and have a better understanding of our users, Primary
What are some of the consequences of having a job and children on the relationship between spouses?
Research was carried out in the form of surveys, interviews and observations. The main research question considered for our inquiry was: ‘How does having children affect the relationship of
What keeps a marriage going?
Main Research Question
What does a married couple value in their relationship?
What are the methods used to cope with the challenges/ key issues? Has it made a difference and how has it made a difference?
How does the couple use technology to improve their relationship?
dual-career married couples and what are the methods (traditional & technology based) used by a couple to keep their marriage healthy?’ From this, 8 sub-questions were extracted that would help collect the required information as well as cover periphery areas for richer insights.
What are the ways in which couples improve/ maintain the romance in their relationship?
User Groups Users were categorized into 4 groups to create questions specific for each interview.
1
2
WIFE / MOTHER
HUSBAND / FATHER
4
3 CAREGIVER - Extended Family - Nannies / Babysitters - Schools
PRIMARY USER
SECONDARY USER
TERTIARY USER
NON-CUSTOMER - Non-married Couples - Single Parents
Survey Surveys were disseminated directly to potential users (married couples with children) through social networks like Facebook and Google Forms. The survey received an enthusiastic response with close to 40 responses within 24 hours. This indicated that our area of study is of interest to people. For the purpose of our research, 40 responses were taken into consideration.
Survey as it appeared on Google Forms
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Survey Results Key Quantitative Data Points: • 80% of those surveyed use mobile technology as a couple or family for budgeting, communicating, family organization, calendars, etc. • 34% of couples with young children had one of the parents stay home as a means for childcare. • 37% of couples with young children relied on daycare. • 37% of couples with young children regularly had a relative watch their children as a solution to childcare needs • 75% of couples surveyed responded with either “yes” or “maybe” when asked if they felt their level of romance had declined since getting married. DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Survey Results After gathering survey results, the affinitizing process helped analyze the extensive data by grouping information into more manageable clusters. Please refer to Appendix for high-res image of the working wall.
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Survey Insights • Technology amongst couples or as a family is used mainly for
• Couples feel connected doing outdoor and sport related activities
communication, followed by planning / scheduling, finance,
(especially walking or hiking), followed by entertainment (movies,
entertainment and shopping
concerts, theatre), food related activities (going out for a meal or
• Daycare and relatives (grandparents) are the most used caregiver options for parents followed by stay at home parent and nanny • A majority of the couples feel the romance has gone down in their marriage since they had kids • Most couples feel time is the main reason for this followed by
cooking together), and vacations • Love, the kids, faith in each other, commitment and mutual respect are some aspects which help keep the marriage going • Being supportive, companionship, trust, open communication and love are some aspects couples value about their relationship
busy lives, kids and stress
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Interviews and Observations Questions for the interview were derived from a project matrix. Improvisations were made as users were interviewed. The team interviewed 20 users in all and covered all four user group categories. Observations were made during three preschool campus visits as well as during the interviews.
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Interviews Wife & Mother
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Name: Victoria Age: 37 Location: San Bruno, California Profession: Senior Accounting Manager Status: Married with 2 children (6 and 2)
Name: Wenchi Age: 40s Location: San Jose, California Profession: Information Architect Status: Married with 2 children (twins, both 8)
Victoria and her husband are both working professionals with young children. They share childcare and chores equally. They have grandparents and relatives, who live nearby within driving distance.
Wenchi and her husband are both working professionals with young children. Her husband works till 11pm on weekdays. None of the grandparents nor relatives live in the USA.
Name: Kate Age: 30 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Profession: Marketing Coordinator Status: Married with 1 child (8 mos.)
Name: Sally Age: 27 Location: Monroe, Michigan Profession: Stay at home Mom Status: Married with 2 children (3 and 2)
Kate and her husband, Adam, are both working professionals with a young child. They both take their daughter to and from daycare. After having a baby, they are much more pressed for quality time together.
Sally and her husband Nick are hard working, God fearing people raising two young children in Southeast Michigan. They have relatives close by whom they visit often and who help out with child care when needed.
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Interviews Wife & Mother Name: Rajvi Age: 40 Location: Ahmedabad, India Profession: Designer & Entrepreneur Status: Married with 1 child (13) The support of family living close and flexible work hours have helped Rajvi raise her daughter. She feels that the many opinions, daughters busy schedule, and family expectations have been a strain. She would like more one on one time with her husband.
Name: Neha Age: 36 Location: Bangalore, India Profession: Senior Design Manager Status: Married with 1 child (3) Neha lives in a different city from her spouse, due to her career. Her day involves taking care of her son and office. She has created a photo album on Facebook on the saris she wears to work daily as a way to connect with her spouse. They meet once or twice a month.
Name: Heta Age: 42 Location: Bangalore, India Profession: IT Professional Status: Married with 1 child (7)
Name: Bea Age: 28 Location: Fairbanks, AK Profession: Nurse Status: Married with 1 child (9 mos.) Bea lives with her husband Nathan and nine-month-old baby Nellie. Both Bea and Nathan are nurses, so when both of them are working, Nellie goes to day care. The biggest challenge for their family is juggling their time together with their busy work schedules.
Heta is career focused & has the complete support of her parents with raising her child. They live very close. Trust in her parents makes her feel comfortable about pursuing her career confidently. She understands the importance of having a good support system.
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Interviews Husband & Father Name: Adam Age: 32 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Profession: Senior Visuals Producer Status: Married with 1 child (8 mos.)
Name: Nathen Age: Late 30s Location: Aurora, CO Profession: Financial Analyst Status: Married with 3 children (18, 15, and 6)
Adam and his wife, Kate, are both working professionals with a young child. Adam is also in grad school and has a busy travel schedule with his work. Deciding and knowing what to do for little things like dinner are a pain point for Adam.
Nathen and his wife Christine are both hard working professionals in the banking/finance industry. They’re raising three kids and about to send one off to college next year.
Name: Nathan Age: 28 Location: Fairbanks, AK Profession: Nurse Status: Married with 1 child (9 mos.)
Name: Akshat Age: 37 Location: Bangalore, India Profession: Management Consultant, IT Status: Married with 2 kids (8 and 5) Akshat enjoys activities with his spouse that focus on teamwork and adventure. He thinks going on dates is important, provided the people are not distracted.
Nathan and his Wife Bea are both nurses living and working in Fairbanks, AK. They recently had their first child and are consumed with the challenges of managing two careers and a baby.
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Interviews Caregiver Name: Han Age: 50s Location: San Jose, California Profession: Full time nanny Status: Married with 1 child and 1 grandchild Han has been a full time nanny for close to 20 years and part time nursery worker at church. She cares for children from newborns to preschoolers.
Name: Sandra Age: 60s Location: San Jose, California Profession: Teller Status: Married with 3 children and 4 grandchildren Sandra is an empty nester and a grandmother. She lives with her husband and some of their children live nearby. She is still working full time.
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Name: Hannah Age: 21 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Profession: College student, part-time babysitter Status: Single Hannah has been a babysitter since she was 14 years old. For one summer she was a full-time nanny. Hannah keeps track of her own personal schedule using an app called Cozi. She enjoys taking care of kids and sees it as an opportunity to earn money. Name: David Age: 60s Location: San Jose, California Profession: Technician Status: Married with 3 children and 4 grandchildren David is an empty nester and a grandfather. He lives with his wife and some of their children live nearby. He is still working full time. He enjoys taking care of his grandchildren as it reminds him of the wonderful memories he had with his own children.
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Interviews Caregiver Name: Nalini Age: 64 Location: Ahmedabad, India Profession: Retired as a Program Assistant in UNICEF Status: Married with 2 children and 4 grandchildren Nalini takes care of her grandkids when required as she lives in a different city. Over the years she has learned to understand what works with the particular child’s temperament.
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Name: VS Age: 65 Location: Ahmedabad, India Profession: Banking Consultant Status: Married with 2 children and 4 grandchildren VS has two phones. One of them is full of game apps for his grandkids. He also enjoys playing hide and seek and indulging his grandkids. He says there is a very thin line as a grandparent – you are emotionally attached and cannot be strict at the same time.
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Interviews Non-Customer Name: Pansy Age: 40s Location: San Jose, California Profession: Part time accountant Status: Married with 2 children (16 and 13) Pansy became a stay-at-home mother since her first child was born. She had been the caretaker for both of her children. Her husband works full time and is the bread winner of the household. None of the grandparents nor relatives live in the USA.
Name: Alyssa Age: 23 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Profession: Public Relations Coordinator Status: In a committed long-distance relationship Alyssa and her boyfriend have been dating for five years. Two of those five years have been long distance. They communicate throughout the day via text and Facebook messenger. After work they have phone conversations and will sometimes Skype.
Name: Nicole Age: 26 Location: Savannah, GA Profession: Human Resources Manager Status: Married (no children) Nicole and her husband are both very involved in their careers. They temporarily live about 2.5 hours apart during the week for work and see each other on the weekends. Nicole plans for children in the future.
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Empathy Map After gathering the data points from interviews and surveys, empathy maps helped us understand the users better by enabling us to go beyond demographic characteristics, and enhancing our understanding of the users environment, behavior, concerns, and aspirations. Empathy Maps were based on the following six questions: • What does he/she see? • What does he/she hear? • What does he/she think and feel? • What does he/she say and do? • What is the user’s pain? • What is the user’s gain?
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Empathy Map
If her spouse does not involve with chores, she feels like a single mother.
Wife & Mother
between her career and family. The age range for children considered is from infant to pre-teen.
things to run smoothly
Opinions from extended family
“I trust who she [the child] is with (at daycare)”
Information from social media
Doesn’t have time for makeup or nice clothes
Information from social media
School offers marriage/parenting counseling for parents. Friends keep up with trends in fashion, home decor, exercise, food, religious beliefs and politics
Truly listening to each other Uses Google goes a long way. Calendar to manage family life. When school is on break or child Try to find is ill, parents take time off work. common Make time to do things her hobbies with spouse would appreciate Values time with Tries to stay her spouse relaxed but gets children over both stressed as well spouses working Encouraging one another is very valuable.
See
aspires to have a good balance
Feels out of sync Feels left out when she is unable when she is unable to attend to attend industry A system is events from work conference due to important for childcare. due to childcare.
First time parents get nervous in many things.
Hear
A mother who works full time and
Hears too many opinions/advices from friends
Think & Feel
Values 1:1 conversations
Family surrounded by a lot of family as everyone stays close by
Say & Do
No family live nearby to help out when needed “Must make an effort to spend time together, otherwise it won’t happen.”
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No backup plan for childcare when needed
Pain
No time for friends or dating
“Less time available for dating and less spontaneity.” Life/dating takes a lot more planning after baby.
“I can text the daycare teacher anytime during the day.” Relationship/ perceptive between spouses changed after having children
Gain
Appreciates small things in life more now after having children Nanny-share occasionally to gain free time
Wants to set more time aside for her spouse
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Empathy Map Husband & Father
Think & Feel
Quality family time is very important
Media Influences: websites, books
Spouse is best
is his wife
good friends
amount of time with his family Childcare is expensive
learning and
romantic with his
growing
wife
romantic at an older age
Say & Do
Dating after having kids is much more difficult
Pain
He’s not sure how to be
Wants to be
father is vital He has a limited
way his wife wants
Wants to keep
Being a good
offerings pervasive
communicating the
is very important
Media Influences:
“adult” content
He’s not good at
Pleasing his wife
sports channels
Exposure to
friend and kids are
from infant to pre-teen.
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and work
more intentional
Hear
age range for children considered is
from church
less critical and Primary influencer
the workday
See
between his career and family. The
Friends come
He wants to be
A father who works full time and
He is worn out by the end of
family’s life
influencers
aspires to have a good balance
are at daycare
himself and his
family time
co-workers all
child when they
Wants to improve
Values extended
Church, friends,
Worries, misses
Money, time,
He wants to be
location restrict
a hero dad and
dates
husband
Marriage not as open and free as it was before kids
Advancing his career and growing in importance
Be more thoughtful of his spouse and kids
Gain
Improve his romance and intimacy Satisfying his wife
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Empathy Map
“I will text the parents a photo of the kids to let them know everything is okay”
Caregiver
Takes care of grandchildren when daycare/school is on break.
include part time or full time nannies, school teachers, babysitters, grandparents, relatives, or friends.
Part of her job is to create good routine and habits for the child.
“Parents want to know the highlights of what happened while they were out.”
Being a nanny means you are more part of the family.
Nanny prefers to have 1:1 with the child.
Sees how the parents raise the children.
Sees bad routines and habits setup by previous caretaker or parents.
Enjoyed the time when her children were still young.
Expected to household work (laundry, clean, etc.) and cook or pick up a meal. Helps to create good routine and habits for the child.
“I will text the parents a photo of the kids to let them know everything is okay”
Uses Cozi to keep track of her own schedule. Caretaker works with parents with different parenting styles and routines.
Caretaker works with infants and/or toddlers daily throughout the years. “I don’t want to have to have to text the parents a million times to ask them questions and bother them.”
Previous caretaker/ parents did not set up a routine/habit for the child.
Pain
Trains the child to eat well and sleep well.
Say & Do Good to know expectations of the parents
Dislike controlling Children parents Parents want to know May not be have many highlights of what happened tech-savvy. allergies. while they were out.
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Some nannies prefer to be a nanny rather than a daycare worker.
See
parents when needed. These
Hear
A caregiver is someone who takes care of children on behalf of their
Think & Feel
Being a nanny means more expectations on tasks.
Sees other at-home caretakers at the community park/ library. Grandparent takes care of the child when daycare/ school is on break or during illness. Uses messaging app to manage family life.
“It would be great to have instructions for the kids online or easily accessible.”
Grandparents enjoy Grandparents enjoy caring their grandchildren. their memory of caring their own children.
Centralized location for instructions and emergency contacts
Daycare/caretaker Wants an app lets parents focus that marks do’s and don’ts to work
Gain
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Empathy Map A non-customer is someone who category but has the potential to be a customer of the product. He/she can
fulfillment is scary
are significant
and respected
contribute and
Understand where
improve lives
Moved by
they can add value
honesty, truth
other and parents
to the world
and intetionality
See relationships in communities,
Media Influences: social media (Facebook, Instg.)
Church, friends,
social network
Co-workers,
co-workers all
friends
influencers
be in a relationship without children, or dating.
as a quality person
Aspires to
Not finding
Primary influencers
Wants to be seen
Friends are from work, school, church
Feels positive Media Influences: television, websites
See
does not fall into the married couple
partner scary
Hear
Non-Customer
Think & Feel
Not finding a life
about the future of
Exposed to
the relationship
social media posts routinely
Wants to be
Ambitious in career
connected
Say & Do Limited
Willing to take risks,
Money, time and
communication
but fearful of hurt
career aspirations limit
opportunities
relationships
Dating experiences require effort
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Pain
Feels not connected when apart from other
To marry or find someone they
To be an excellent
Honesty, trust
parent and provider
and open communication
can share life with Make memories with significant other
Companionship
Gain
and intimacy are top-of-mind
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Personas Based on the Empathy Maps, eight personas were created for four user groups. We tried to differentiate personas by age, experience, the kind of childcare and prospective users.
1
2
3
4
WIFE / MOTHER
HUSBAND / FATHER
CAREGIVER
NON-CUSTOMER
• Diane, a high achiever mom; • Sia, an experienced mom who balances career and family;
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• Elvin, a striving dad; • Antonio, a mid-career dad;
• Julie, a seasonal nanny; • Dorothy, a grandmother;
• Virginia, unmarried, in a long distance relationship with her partner; • Angela, a wife with no children as of yet;
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Diane, 39
Married, mother of 2 children with age 5 and 2, college education, manager of her team at work, hired a full time nanny
Value Quality time spent with family while advancing in career Jobs High achiever mom
“ After having kids,
we have less time available for dating, and it takes time to plan.” DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Pains
• Manages a team at • Spouse on the workplace phone while spending time • Volunteers together personal time at church
• Activist for children’s safety, care, and education
• Needs odd-hour childcare to have flexibility to deal with work
Gains
• Spends her evenings caring her children and helping kindergartener’s homework
• Freedom to work full-time while the nanny takes care • Needs to put trust of children in nanny to care for her children
Expectations
• Husband and wife share the chores and responsibility of maintaining a household • Set aside 2 nights per month for her and her spouse to go out for dinner • Uses calendar app and reminders to manage family life • Relationship improvement after having children
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Sia, 45
Married, mother of 1 child aged 13, owner of own clothes business, extended family stays close by and is of great support
Value Wants to be a good mom, wife, entrepreneur and daughter
Jobs
• Runs own clothing business
Experienced Mom
“ A date is good provided both are in the same mindset at the time.”
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• Feels connected with her work • Accomodates work schedule to be available for daughter • Maintains a network of clients in the city
Pains
• Many opinions due to large family
Gains
Expectations
• Family support • Spending more one on one system enables her time with her spouse to work & raise a • Daughters • Going on family vacations child schedule physically • Daughter excelling in talents and mentally • Flexible work after effort put in demanding schedule • Not being influenced by family • Unable to focus • Husband is open opinions as a couple - having completely on and available their own understanding and business to share pickopinion up and drop-off responsibilities for the child 70
Elvin, 31
Married for three years, has a son aged 2, grad student, videographer for his organization
Value Being a good father and pleasing his wife Jobs Striving Dad
“ I need to be
more thoughtful and intentional than I am.” DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Pains
• Invests in his career • Budget restrains and education him from doing more with his wife • Makes wife and child top priorities in his life
• Ensuring he stays active and healthy • Travels for work on a regular basis
Gains
• Finds pleasure in cooking for his family
• Lacks the freedom • Enjoys simple he and his wife had to-do lists to before children remind him of responsibilities • Time limitations restrict his experiences
• Unsure of the best way to keep pursuing his wife
• Embraces every opportunity possible to have a positive impact on son’s life
Expectations
• Tools to help him prioritize and time manage his schedule • Advanced knowledge of events so he can plan accordingly • Ideas to help him thrive in his marriage and as a father
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Antonio, 40
Married for 19 years with three children, ages 18, 15, and 6, works as financial analyst
Value Time with his kids and separate alone time with his wife Jobs Mid-Career Dad
“ I love being with
my kids but sometimes my wife and I need our time too.” DMGT 720 Winter 2017
• Very involved with his work as a financial analyst • Helps people and improve lives on a daily basis
Pains
• Busy work and kid’s activities restrict leisure time with wife
• Before and After School program for youngest child is inefficient and • Both Antonio and inconvenient his wife work at the same company • Finances are uncertain with new house and college payments coming up
Gains
• Kid’s schools are very close to home allowing them to drive or be dropped off easily • Him and his wife work at the same company allowing them to eat lunch together every day • Family has weekly meeting to sync calendars and get everyone on the same page
Expectations
• An app that would allow the family to manage all calendars so there are no miscommunications • Increased time with his children to take weekend trips and vacations • Be able to take wife out more often on dates 72
Julie, 19
Single and not married, college student, work as a nanny during school break to earn extra income for school, tech-savvy
Value Job performance and experience gained Jobs Seasonal nanny
“ It would be
great to have instructions for the kids online or easily accessible.” DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Pains
Gains
• Uses calendar app • May not know • Wants a better way to keep track of her where everything is to inform parents own schedule how their children • Expectations are doing without • Expected to do are not clear ruining their time laundry, cook and sometimes clean • Appreciates a good • Takes time to household rountine • Expected to know understand the and system of first aid and know child’s habits and where everything is what to do during behaviors urgent situation
• Loving and caring for children
• Parents want to know everything at all time
Expectations
• Tools to know habits and routines of the children • Tools for parents to make notes and instructions • Calendar that can be shared between parents and nanny • Maintains good relationship with the family
• Prefers to work children with good habits and routines
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Dorothy, 62
Grandmother of 3 children and 5 grandchildren, college education, still working but near retirement, limited technology experience
Value Relationship and well-being of her children and grandchildren
Jobs Grandmother
“ My spouse
and I have fond memories of our children growing up.” DMGT 720 Winter 2017
• Works 9 to 5, 5 days a week with an office job • Provides care for her grandchildren on weekends or when needed • Leverages her sick days from work to care for her sick grandchild
Pains
Gains
• May not be tech• Caring for her savvy; need time to grandchildren adopt something brings back new enjoyable memory • Parenting for her children’s generation is different than hers
• Relationship improved with her children by helping out child-caring
• Grandchildren get sick from friends at daycare
• Be a part of with her children’s and grandchildren’s lives
Expectations
• Reminder tools to help marking do’s and don’ts with her spouse • Knows the latest communication tools that her children and grandchildren use to keep in touch with them • New topics of conversation with peers by knowing the latest and greatest from children and grandchildren
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Virginia, 27
In a committed, long-distance relationship, but not married, no children, college education, Millennial, entry-level income
Value Openness, companionship and communication Jobs Non-customer
“ I want to feel
connected and like the other person is really there.” DMGT 720 Winter 2017
• Works full-time, volunteers on occasion • Has social obligations to friends and coworkers
Pains
• Budget constraints her activities and social life • Dating relationship is challenging with communication via technology and expectations
• Manages house chores when home • Challenge of wanting to be married but wanting a career
Gains
• Easy communication tool • Help with relationship advice • Connections to people • Opportunities to create lasting memories
Expectations
• Tools that help her feel more connected • Seamless integration of communication tools and apps • Connectedness to her boyfriend’s schedule • Engagement with people
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Angela, 26
Married for 2 years, both her and husband have busy and demanding careers in separate locations
Value Limited weekend time with husband and busy job
Wife with no kids
“ I really appreci-
ate the time each week that I have with my husband” DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Jobs
Pains
Gains
• Commutes to work and travels on a regular basis
• Paying for two apartments in two cities
• Loves job and the people she works with
• Works a busy job that often includes travel and weekends
• Limited time with husband during the work week
• Dual-income with no kids allows the couple to travel and maintain disposable income
Expectations • Coule use a better budgeting tool/app that allows her to track the couple’s purchases
• Hopefully have kids within the next couple of years
• Volunteers with • Limited vacation time • Utilizes the full potential of calendar app to juggle church and other • Balancing desire schedules with husband • Be able to continue non-profits in her free to have kids with working after time • Ability to go on dates with advancement of having kids and husband and hang out with career advance her career coworkers during the week 76
Affinitizing The affinitizing process helped analyze the extensive data gathered by our primary research. Information was grouped into more manageable clusters based on the following themes: • Dating and romance • Marriage after kids • Tools • Communication • Childcare Insights generated from the affinitizing process are documented in the following section.
Affinity Diagram on Working Wall Please refer to Appendix for high-res images.
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Insights
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Insight 1
Quality Time Alone Couples need and want quality time alone. It is critical for a marriage to thrive amidst the hectic demands that are placed on a dual-career family that the husband and wife find time to be with just one another.
“ We have to make sure
that we spend time together... dating helps improve our relationship� - Victoria
Supporting Insights
Opportunity
Dating after kids is more about quality than quantity.
To make finding quality time easier for a couple
Dates are constrained after having kids due to constrained time and money. Parents must be more intentional about spending time together having kids. Less spontaneous dating after having kids. Expectations of dates lowered after having kids. Staying engaged during the date is very important. After having kids, dates are shorter and often involve less thought in planning. Couples feel connected when doing outdoor activities together.
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How Might We Develop an application to help couples find the time to spend together? Educate couples on the value of spending quality time alone? Help couples plan their time together? Set the mood so a couple is not distracted when they are out on a date? Fascilitate activities or events where couples feel connected, and suit their conveninece? 79
Insight 2
Simple is Better With so many demands (family, work, & social) vying for the attention of a couple, it is important to keep products and solutions smart, simple and easy to use, while making the system all-encompassing and fluid.
“ It would be nice to have
an app that made decision making easier, like what to cook for dinner� - Adam
Supporting Insights
Opportunity
Tools need to make communication simple.
To combine, improve and custom create app. features that will help create a holistic system to support and make the lives of busy parents more convenient.
Consistent communication is essential for busy lives. Communication becomes more important as the family grows. A support system is very important. Instructions for the kids need to be easily accessible. Apps need to be more human: visual and verbal. Couples are looking for products to simplify their lives. Couples are looking and using apps to manage their time. Couples use joint calendars, either print or digital. Couples need to understand a family schedule. DMGT 720 Winter 2017
How Might We Integrate with existing channels to share information? Make it fun for the customers to use a management system? Make the tool easy to use as well as effortless on-boarding and adoption? Integrate features in a holistic way to improve the quality of a married couple’s relationship 80
Insight 3
Be Intentional In today’s world dual-career couples with children are pulled in a thousand different directions. To help keep love alive and a marriage thriving, couples must be intentional. Being intentional means planning, thinking and acting on their relationship.
“ We have to make an effort
to spend time together, otherwise it won’t happen” - Kate
Supporting Insights
Opportunity
Couple is more focused on the family than each other.
To introduce a product that enhances a couples unnatural ability to be intentional
Career motivated couple have harder time after having kids. Raising kids can be time consuming and exhausting. Work and money don’t leave a lot of time of anything else. Parent’s conversations are centered on discussing the child.
How Might We
Couples agree that love, kids, faith in each other and committment are some of the core values that keep the marriage going.
Better prepare couples to be intentional with their romance, time and communication?
Couples value partner support, companionship, trust, open communication and mutual respect in their relationships
Encourage couples to look beyond their schedule and value their relationship?
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Overcome the barriers to intentionality, e.g. selfishness?
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Insight 4
Outdoor Activities
“ A team mindset as
The absence of household responsibilities during a vacation, or team spirit ignited doing an activity together, can help a couple feel more connected and relaxed.
opposed to, ‘this is your task, you do it’, made it more enjoyable” - Akshat
Supporting Insights
Opportunity
Couples stated outdoor activities (including walks, hiking, camping, playing sports, etc) as one of the key ways they feel connected. A vacation is usually amongst the most enjoyable memories. Being outdoors or on a vacation changes the regular setting of daily or household nuances for husbands and especially wives. Adventure and exploring something together brings out a sense of team spirit that strengthens a relationship.
To help couples plan outdoor activities and adventures of mutual interest that fosters relationship connect.
How Might We Help couples plan outdoor activities of their interest? Bring in a sense of adventure, team spirit and fun to the daily routine? Manage childcare so couples can spend time on outdoor activities of their interest? How might we help couples plan activities within their budget and childcare constraints?
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Encourage couples to spend time doing outdoor activites?
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Insight 5
Childcare Roller Coaster Whether you are a parent or paid childcare provider, you have a tough job that requires an unimaginable amount of patience and planning. Childcare can be stressful and a delight. To handle the childcare roller coaster, key strategies must be implemented.
“ Finding adequate
childcare for the baby is the biggest barrier to us going on dates” - Bea
Supporting Insights
Opportunity
Childcare providers play a crucial role in shaping the children’s character.
To create a more inviting childcare experience for married couples with children
Arranging childcare creates stress on the couple. When childcare is closed, it creates stress on the couple. Parents want to be informed about a child’s progress. Caretaker wants to know the expectations of the parents. Convenience and trust are important to parents. Parents can focus on their work or each other when they know their children are in good hands.
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How Might We Develop a process that enables the childcare provider and the parent? Design a better, more complete childcare experience for providers and for parents? Develop a stress-free process for parents dealing with childcare?
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Research Conclusion The research revealed that the relationships of dual-career married couples are often strained by family and work related responsibilities. Much effort and time is spent in keeping things going, leaving little or no time for the couple to connect. This is something that couples yearn for, even in a simple way as opposed to elaborate experiences. Couples also value the importance of an efficient support system that meets their hopes and expectations, whether it be communication, calendar syncing, budgeting or childcare. In the midst of this, if the ignored, yet deep rooted aspiration of being valued and cared for by their partner is met, and the core abilities that keep a marriage going as a team are incorporated, we might be able to provide an offering of immense value to our selected users. The high level of interest in our research from married couples, their use of technology as a means to communicate, budget, plan as a family and the absence of a holistic tool amongst the current available offerings, demonstrates the potential user base for creation of an innovative solution in this market. From our research we can conclude that the key for making a married couples App. successful will be to provide users with a specific tool that solves more than one of their problems and does it well!
Marketing Strategies Based on findings from our research, it is evident that the social network app needs to be built on the foundation of four primary factors:
Simplicity
Connectedness
This user group is extremely busy To enhance their marriage or and does not have the time or keep it thriving, couples need to patience for complexity. They
require easy-to-use designs that do not require excessive time to operate.
staty connected. They do this via multiple platforms, including instant messaging, phone and video calls and emails. It will be critical that any platform offers integration into these comunication tools.
Schedule Management
Support/ Encouragement
Calendar sharing was a common Career support, emotional factor across the research
support, encouraging healthy
respondents. Consolidating their
lifestyles and general well-being
schedules allows couples to plan all help keep a marriage thriving. ahead, be intentional and get the The team must keep these most out of their time together. A essential relationship factors in schedule management tool is a
mind when designing the final
basic tool needed and desired by solution. this user group.
Marketing Strategies The first challenge for this platform is going to be getting users on-board. One way to achieve this is to target organizations that are invested in the health of marriages such as churches, counseling services, family websites and programs. This could be accomplished by seeking out influencers in these organizations, influential family bloggers and magazine editors/writers to use the app and discover the benefits for their audiences. As it is used and written about, word-of-mouth and information sharing will help spread the news and the user base will grow. To jump start this ripple effect, we intend to incentivize early adopters with attractive limited-time offers. We will do this by partnering with organizations in the hospitality and entertainment industries (hotels, airlines, theatres, restaurants, etc.). Such partnerships can create value for both sides by increasing their visibility and giving our social network a good excuse to try out the app.
Marketing Strategies The Strategy Canvas below provides an understanding of where we want to invest in our potential offering based on research. The horizontal axis captures the range of factors that our application will compete on and the vertical axis captures the offering level that customers receive across the factors. High
Strategy 1 Offering focused on life management
Strategy 2 Offering focused on connecting couples and creating experiences Strategy 3 Offering is more holistic and covers a broad range of options
Low Price
Communication / Messaging Travel
Time Management / Calendar Childcare Management
Entertainment Ideas Financial Management
Support / Encouragement Activities Planning
Intimacy
Three Value Creating Strategies Strategy #1
Strategy #2
Strategy #3
Management Focused Offering
Connection Centered Offering
All-Encompassing Offering
Strategy 1 focuses on the management of
Strategy 2 is centered around the idea of
Strategy 3 is a more holistic approach to
couples’ lives. Our primary research led us
couples needing romance and quality time
a service that will help couples across a
to the insight that couples need tools to
together. This solution would focus on
broad range of areas. This product does not
help them manage their busy lives. Some
these underlying factors that contribute to
excel in any one category but offers benefits
of these tools include scheduling, childcare,
delightful experiences.
that matter to our customers based on our
and clear communication.
primary research.
Part 4
Competitor Research and Analysis
Introduction
High Focus Gottman Institute
To gain a better understanding of the current market space and identify hidden, untapped value opportunities, we decided to examine two leading businesses that compete across complementary product and service offerings: The Gottman Institute and Cozi. These businesses were married couples. They also occupy the extreme ends of two market strategies that we identified in part three. Gottman is relationship/connection focused while Cozi competes in the productivity/management space.
High Base
Relationship Enhancement
selected for review because they appeal to and target
Low Base
Productivity Based
Cozi
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The Gottman Institute
Customer Segments
The Gottman Institute is a well-known, research-based relationship counseling organization. Gottman’s mission is to ‘reach out to families in institute provides a multitude of services including training and certification for clinicians (mental health professionals), products designed for couples, parents
The Gottman business model is best described as a blend of an Open Business Model and Multi-Sided Platform Model. Research and development
Gottman Institute
(Gottman Certified Therapists and National Marriage Seminars). Relationship and services for customers such as content on mobile apps, blog posts, books, videos, website, workshops and more. Because Gottman serves two distinct customer segments (couples and parents, and clinicians), it has two value propositions and two revenue streams. Gottman’s main costs relate to content creation for products and human capital (e.g. researchers, knowledge creation, and instruction). DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Content
research and development results are transformed into value creating products
Event Production
activities are concentrated in-house and leveraged by utilizing outside partners
National Marriage Seminars
Cash , Sub scrib er Da tabas e Prod ucts, Clinic ians, Rese arch
Cash
ts, n e v E
Cash, Clients
and clinicians and an extensive network of clinicians around the world.
Clinicians
ork w t e ts, N c u d ro P , g n ini a r T , arch e s e R ch a e R nd a r B , Cash
Counseling
order to help create and maintain greater love and health in relationships’. The
Couples & Parents
ent t n o an C m t t Go
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Cozi Cozi is a leading online productivity tool for families that aims to ‘integrate creatively’ on multiple fronts in a quest to help users manage the chaos of family life. It organizes and integrates the schedules of family members by letting moms, dads and kids sync up activities and errands with an online calendar, shopping, to-do lists and messaging, that can be accessed anywhere and on any platform. Cozi families keep track of everything from school schedules and sports activities to grocery lists, meals and chores, all in one place. The Cozi business model uses both Freemium, a model that blends free basic services with paid premium services and Multi-Sided Platform Model, which generates revenue by selling to advertisers. Cozi is a free product (app and website) with a large user base benefiting from a free, no-stringsattached offer. The small base of paying users subsidize the free users. Cozi also generates revenue by selling advertisements within their monthly editorial content to their larger user base.
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Business Model Canvas The Gottman Institute KEY PARTNERS
KEY ACTIVITIES
KEY PROPOSITIONS
• Certified Gottman Therapists (clinicians) • National marriage seminars
• Relationship Management • Content creation for products (apps., books, workshops, videos, website, events, etc.) • GI training of clinicians and network • Research
Married Couples and Parents:
KEY RESOURCES • Gottman brand • Customer database • Intellectual property (i.e. Gottman Method Couples Therapy) • Gottman Referral Network • Certified Gottman Therapists (clinicians CGTs) • Gottman products
• Extensive network of certified clinicians • Expert knowledge and research • Legacy of success helping customers overcome problems associated with marriage and parenting • Accessible and customizable content in a manifold of formats, much of it available 24/7
Clinicians • Legacy of success helping clinicians develop successful practices and methods • Referral network • Industry leading research, training and certification • Tools/resources for delivering customized content to clinician customers
COST STRUCTURE • Employees & Human Capital • Content production • Network CGTs platform and support • Material production and product maintenance (books, apps, website, videos, workshops, trainning, etc.)
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CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
CUSTOMER SEGMENTS
• Interact daily with couples and clinicians through social media, email and website • Workshops, events, training are held weekly, monthly, annually
• Couples • Professionals (i.e. clinicians, social workers, church leaders) • Parents
CHANNELS
• Social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter) • Referral network • Email marketing • Subscriber database: segmented by customer type • Workshops & events • Social media advertising • Website
REVENUE STREAMS • Intellectual property defense • Marketing (advertising, social posts, etc.) • Partnership with national marriage seminars (revenue split, space rental, logistics)
• Partnership with national marriage seminars • Product sales (apps, books, videos) to public • Certification of clinicians (CGTs) • Marriage Seminars
• Material purchases from CGTs for their workshops • Workshops & trainings
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SWOT Analysis The Gottman Institute STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
• Content available in multiple formats & platforms • Multiple revenue streams • Gottman brand is credible, respected and has high value • Robust referral network provides easy way for customers to identify clinicians, which makes becoming a Gottman certified instructor desirable creates loyalty loop • Partnership with National Marriage Seminars provides way to expand reach • Largest organization of it’s kind, no direct competitors • Extensive customer and clinician subscriber database • Gottman intellectual property protected • Global accessibility (both content & certified clinicians)
• Divorce rates in the U.S. (ranked 10th in 2014) and in Europe at an all time high and there is a need for services that can help create/maintain healthy marriages • Leverage the brand and move into the family management space with new platform creation • Leverage partnership with certified counselors to offer new services in untapped areas, such as premarital counseling on college campuses, corporations, etc. • Extend brand into childcare management tools
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• Gottman apps are seperated by problem solving needs and not all inclusive • Gottman does not have any dedicated online communities other than a clinician Facebook group • Only one centralized office • Lacks family management tools such as calendar, planner, list creation • Lacks communication messaging tool • No childcare management tools
• Divorce rates in the U.S. and Europe at an all-time high, and a trend is developing to forgo marriage altogether • Cheaper solutions, such as competitor apps like Couple and Avocado, could pull couples away from more expensive and time-consuming Gottman counseling solutions • Busy schedules of married couples with children limits opportunities to inform them of services
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Business Model Canvas Cozi KEY PARTNERS
KEY ACTIVITIES
KEY PROPOSITIONS
• Time Inc. • Affiliate Program • Premium account subscribers
• Software versioning and testing • Social media • Customer support • Marketing content
• Simplify the logistics of managing everyday life • Keep the whole family on the same page • Free productivity tool • Premium service • Access anytime, anywhere
KEY RESOURCES • Platform • Software • Platform Development • Marketing
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
CUSTOMER SEGMENTS
• Self-served FAQ’s • Email-based customer support • Premium priority of emailbased customer support
• Parents who own smartphones • Parents who need ideas to organize their lives • Parents who organize and schedule family activities • Primary purchaser of the household • Parents who use mobile calendar frequently • Military families • Divorced / separated families
CHANNELS • Cozi.com • TimeInc.com • Affiliate program • Media coverage • Club Cozi
• Social media • Marketing content • Advertisement
COST STRUCTURE
REVENUE STREAMS
• Platform Development • Marketing • Software Development • Software Maintenance
• In App advertisement • In App purchase • Free limited basic account • Annual subscription premium account
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SWOT Analysis Cozi STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
• Easily accessible platform for on-the-go users • Free to use, pay to use premium features • No initial cost to try out • Large user base — 15 million • Easy-to-use tools for free download • View calendars of individual or family at once • Create lists and shared to-do lists for whole family to access in real time • Family journal for busy parents • Sync family calendar with work calendar • Company backed by Time Inc.
• Similar competitive product, Google Calendar, provides a roadmap and market entry strategy • Fill the white space between the two types of existing products/services out there in the market space: rekindling romance and organizing family life • Suggest events and things to do to maintain a healthy marriage • Enable features to make bookings, reservations, and childcare arrangements within the application • Explore and capture market for new user group DMGT 720 Winter 2017
• Adaption to the product takes time • Big learning curve to use this product • No patents • Easily out-run by competitors who want to produce similar products • Lack of diversity in user type: majority of users are Caucasian and female • Small portion of male users: men are not adopting like women • 91% of the users are within USA • Uncertain amount of active users
• Similar competitive product, Google Calendar, that has the advantage of seamlessly syncing with the suite of Google products • Dated design and technology platform • Not able to capture new and younger customers • Slow down in growth within US market • No plan to expand in a different market or other emerging markets
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Similarities and Differences SIMILARITIES
DIFFERENCES
• Both business models offer mobile application platforms
• Gottman Institute is focused on relationship building; Cozi
• Both Cozi and The Gottman Institute utilize social media
is focused on family organization through creating shared
platforms as channels for customer interaction • Both business models offer email-based customer service and support • A key resource to both business models is their intellectual property and proprietary software • Both business models offer a paid premium subscription for customers looking to get the most out of their product • Neither model is focused on the childcare needs of families
calendars, to-do lists, and grocery lists • Gottman apps and services are offered on a paid basis; Cozi offers customers a free limited basic account • Cozi only offers app and virtual services; Gottman customers have access to “real-life” clinicians and products (e.g. workshops) • Gottman’s business model includes a partnership; Cozi does not have a partnership • Unlike Cozi, Gottman features a robust referral network for customers
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Similarities and Differences The Strategy Canvas below provides an overview of what the Gottman Institute and Cozi business models offer customers. The horizontal axis captures the range of factors that offerings compete on and the vertical axis captures the offering level that customers receive across the factors. High
Gottman Institute Cozi
Low Price
Time Management / Calendar
Communication / Messaging Childcare Management
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Activities Planning
Multiple Platforms / Touch Points
Support / Encouragement Revenue Streams
Intimacy
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Weakest Business Model After analyzing the business models, and comparing their strengths
Reflecting on the primary and secondary research insights, we
and weaknesses, we found useful attributes of both. The Gottman
find the Cozi model to be more relevant to our targeted user group
model is centered on building lasting, healthy relationships,
and defined problem area. Cozi is simple and has a highly focused
matching a concern of our primary user group (married couples) .
value proposition of helping couples organize and connect their
The Cozi model is directed toward helping create family organization lives. The Gottman model has been incredibly successful and has through calendar syncing, and to-do lists solving a major pain point
undoubtedly helped thousands of couples. However, in regards
of our primary user group.
to the challenges facing dual-career married couples with children (i.e. schedule and childcare management, making time for each other, etc.), we find that the Gottman offerings are beyond the scope of what primary users are looking for in an app and do not solve their primary pain points. Still, we discovered opportunities for improvement in both business models.
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Improving The Gottman Model Some ways in which The Gottman Institute could be adapted to cater to our targeted customers include: Improving the ability to
Offering a free app or service
Offering family management
Implementation of a
appeal to customers with
to help reach a broader
tools including to-do lists,
messaging/communication
young children by offering
range of customers, as the
calendar syncing, and
tool into the platform.
childcare solutions.
high cost of membership
shopping / recipe lists that
and attending seminars is a
could be used on a daily
deterrent to young families
basis. This would greatly
who are just starting out in
improve their customer
their careers.
reach.
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Key Takeaways This process helped us as a team to understand the strengths and weaknesses of two very different approaches to the same problem. Studying the two business models helped us glean a myriad of opportunities for our own product/service for development. A blend of the two business models we studied, combined with a more robust childcare service would be very useful to target customers. Some key takeaways from our business model analysis include: Developing a product/service
Providing couples/families
Offering dating ideas and
Partnering with an
that centers around family
with solutions to childcare
romantic outing planning,
organization like Gottman
keeping the needs of married
to offer relationship/family
couples in focus
counseling, seminars,
organization
and general marriage and parenting advice
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Part 5
Business Model Generation
Introduction After compiling primary and secondary research, as well as assessing the business models of two competitors within our sector, we were able to derive our own business model that focused specifically on key areas pertinent to the user base, dual-career married couples with children. We aspire to strengthen connections between spouses who have lost that spark due to busy careers, raising children, routine chores, or just lack of motivation. Designed to help couples overcome these barriers, our product will simplify family organization and management and create opportunities for relationship enrichment. We will do this by meeting the needs of modern couples with offerings such as calendars and list syncing, on-demand childcare and relationship building and goal setting.
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17-Step Process 17 checkpoints for evaluation Each checkpoint addresses one of four key elements – differentiation, focus, trend, and communication
1
Who are you?
A resource for married couples who want to enhance their relationship amidst the chaos of routine family life to build healthier marriages.
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What do you do?
We help couples manage their busy lives and reinvest in their relationships.
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17-Step Process 3
What is your vision?
To be the primary resource that married couples turn to for managing their lives and creating opportunities for connection and romance.
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5
6
7
What wave are you riding?
Who shares the brandscape?
What makes you the “only�?
What should you add or subtract?
The trends of mobile convenience, social networking, ondemand service, simplicity, instant communication.
No other competitors share the same brandscape. There are products that offer similar services on the market in a limited capacity but not a comprehensive product that meets multiple needs.
We are the only product that offers customers family organization and relationship building in one platform.
+ Childcare service + Relationship building partnership + Partnership with local businesses + On-demand services in customer’s area
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17-Step Process 8
9
Who loves you?
Who is the enemy?
Married couples who want to reinvigorate their marriage but need a tool to do so.
Modern married couples with children face complex daily issues: time management, home management, parenting, finances and career decisions.
10
What do they call you?
Syndéo The Greek word for “Connect.” This embodies our business model for the connection of married couples.
11
12
How do you explain yourself?
How do you spread the word?
Syndéo is all about helping couples achieve connections.
Focus on early adopters and
Tagline: Organizing your life so that you can focus on what matters.
• Influential marriage bloggers
those who strongly believe in the value of healthy marriages. Target:
• Influential church leaders • Marriage therapists • Business partnerships • U.S. Healthy Marriage Project • Word of mouth • Online advertising
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17-Step Process 13
14
How do people engage with you?
What do they experience?
We offer a comprehensive product for couples to engage with each other through childcare solutions, relationship enhancing goal setting, and family organization/ management.
• Connection with spouse • Pain point eliminating childcare • Seamless family organization
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How do you earn their loyalty?
Our users will be rewarded based on frequency of use and referrals with discounts at local businesses.
16
17
How do you extend your success?
How do you protect your portfolio?
• Expand the product internationally • Build business partnerships • Buy-out by one of the dating apps in order to extend services • Design the app for multiple platforms
• Patents • Proprietary software • Exclusive partnerships with businesses
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ABC....Q Approach A Meeting Expectations Family Organization and Management A tool which syncs up calendars, helps create lists, and has couple centric communication, designed to reduce the hassle of routines and chores and create free time. However, How is this different from Cozi or Google?
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ABC....Q Approach B Creating Confidence Strengthen Relationships In addition to organizing and managing life, the offering will help couples build stronger bonds and connections through relationship goal setting and advice. This is achieved through a partnership with the Gottman Institute using their content to design realistic, fun and meaningful pursuits for couples. Additionally, the tool will aid date planning. However, Many married couples are unable to go on dates due to the unavailability and inconvenience of childcare.
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ABC....Q Approach C Creating Anticipation Childcare on Demand Finding adequate, affordable and convenient childcare are barriers for our primary user group going on dates and strengthening romantic connections. Childcare on demand is the solution. By easily connecting parents with responsible, screened providers in their immediate area, couples can relax and take comfort knowing their children are in qualified hands. However, To completely satiate the needs of the modern couple with children, and capture market whitespace, a more holistic offering is needed...
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ABC....Q Approach Q Re-contextualize Syndéo: Family Organization and Relationship Enhancement Syndéo is the total tool for couples who want to organize and manage their lives and reinvigorate their relationship. Through features like calendar and list creation and syncing, childcare on demand, and relationship enhancing goal setting and advice, Syndéo solves the major pain points of dual-career married couples with children. Additionally, Syndéo connects local businesses, such as restaurants, hotels, airlines, marriage counselors and sole proprietors like nannies and babysitters to an eager audience. These connections not only create new opportunities for customers, but multiple revenue streams for Syndéo, surpassing any current available platform.
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Why, How, What Approach
What
Relationship goal setting and advice
The ‘Why, How and What’ model helped us evaluate
Shared list, plans and schedule creation
our business model on a deeper level. We started with the ‘Why’, which is our core belief, and this drives
By helping couples create opportunities for romance
our business strategy. The ‘How’, then describes the processes by which we accomplish our goal. Lastly, the ‘What’, encapsulates the actual products / services that we offer as a business to attract customers.
How
By helping couples arrange childcare Support / Counseling Connections
Why
On-demand childcare options
By helping couples organize their busy lives
Calendar syncing
We believe healthy marriages provide the greatest benefit to all society.
By keeping all plans, lists, and schedules in sync
By connecting businesses with couples for date options
Connecting with local and national businesses
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Business Model Canvas Syndéo KEY PARTNERS
KEY PROPOSITIONS
KEY ACTIVITIES
PayPal / Preferred payment method
Premium subscribers
Amazon / e-commerce platform
Religious Institutions
Local Daycare
Uber / Local ride services
Local Businesses & National Businesses
Local Babysitters / Nannies
Affiliate Programs
Starbucks / National robust chain
UX Development
Legal
Relationship Management with partners
Marketing of Application
Customer Service
User acquisition and retention
KEY RESOURCES Software Developers
Network of users
Designers
Marketing Experts
Investors
Robust network of Business Partners
Mobile and online network
Legal
Product development
Marketing
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■ Childcare related
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Simplify the logistics of managing everyday life
Free tool
Access anytime, anywhere
Secured personal information
Reliable childcare providers
Secured payment
Flexible work schedule
On-demand childcare
Interestbased activity suggestions
Premium service
Parents who own smart phones
Reservation through App
Couples who desire time together without children’s presence
CHANNELS Website
Social media
Referral network / Incentives
Marketing materials
Traditional media ads
Weekly blog / newsletter
Reminders by push notifications
■ Dating related
CUSTOMER SEGMENTS
Daily interactions with customers
Dating/ meeting time & date suggestions
COST STRUCTURE Human capital and employees
■ General
Media coverage
Parents who organize and schedule family activities
Childcare providers seeking employment
Childcare providers who manage own work schedule
Extended family who provides childcare
Local entertainment businesses
Local food businesses
Advertising at partner events and venues
REVENUE STREAMS Infrastructure
Platform buildout costs
Customer Service
Legal
Free limited basic account
Annual subscription premium account
Subscription plans based on # of calendar sync’ed
Commission fee of childcare service
Booking fee
Commission fee on partner services
Top search listing service fee for businesses
Ad listing service fee
Annual registration fee for childcare providers
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Syndéo Value Web
Content, User Incentives
Syndéo
Value
ion t i s o Prop
ach e R d ran B , h Cas
Cash , Use r Ince ntive s Acce ss to User s
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Couples & Parents
Cash
Access to Users
Primary Customer Segment
Services
Gottman Institute
Access to Parents
Cash
Childcare Providers
Local Businesses
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SWOT Analysis Syndéo STRENGTHS
WEAKNESS
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
• First holistic app, which includes childcare options • Few competitors and none with comprehensive services like ours • The marriage health market is vast and ever expanding with products and services • Partnership with hospitality industry businesses • Digital platform allows for accessibility around the world, removing barriers for couples • Solves multiple pain points of target user group • Large population of strong believers in healthy marriages
• Encourage the community to help it grow and develop • Create a simplified version that alleviates the pain points of learning a new product • To find investors that believe in the value and benefits to society and lower the start-up risk / cost factors • Divorce rates are high and there is a growing need for marriage help • The marriage health market is vast and ever expanding with products and services • Modern couples are familiar with using digital tools and this platform would fill an existing gap in the market DMGT 720 Winter 2017
• No established brand name to build network • High start-up costs • Network model could be easily copied • Couples could prefer to manage their lives as they have been • Learning curve of using a new app could be a turn-off or overwhelming for the user • Privacy • Too big to handle and do well
• Individual apps able to do it more successfully • A bigger name in marriage health (Gottman) or live management (Cozi) could flood the market with a similar product / service • Studies reveal social networks or too much time on the phone can have a damaging effect on inter personal relationships
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Similarities and Differences The Strategy Canvas below provides an overview of what the SyndĂŠo model offers customers compared to the Gottman Institute and Cozi. The horizontal axis captures the range of factors that offerings compete on and the vertical axis captures the offering level that customers receive across the factors. High
Gottman Institute SyndĂŠo Cozi
Low Price
Time Management / Calendar
Communication / Messaging Childcare Management
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Activities Planning
Multiple Platforms / Touch Points
Support / Encouragement Revenue Streams
Intimacy
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Performance & Delight HIGH SATISFACTION
The 2x2 matrix plots the value of Syndéo features from a
(DELIGHT)
user’s perspective. The performance attributes are factors that are considered basic to competing in the market. The
Childcare Tool
Connections to local Businesses
delight attributes are factors that are unexpected from
Relationship Building
customers, but they delight in having them. Suggested Content
Calendar and List Sync
ACHIEVED
PERFORMANCE ATTRIBUTES
ABSENT
(WOULDN’T MISS IT)
(MUST BE THERE)
Privacy Network Connect Profile Building
LOW SATISFACTION (DISGUST)
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Strategies Syndéo Based on the Business Model and SWOT Analysis, below are some ways in which Syndéo reaches its fullest potential:
MAXIMIZING STRENGTHS
MINIMIZING WEAKNESSES
• Attracts a large user base to capture market share by offering
• Avoids out-run by copycats by prioritizing user acquisition and
free basic account. • Allocates engineering resources to prioritize building a global digital platform. • Applies for patent to protect product against competitors. • Targets and establishes partnership with leaders in various industry.
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retention as a key activity for success. • Builds brand name and reduce learning curve by having daily interaction with customers. • Markets privacy to attract customers who have concerns with privacy of their information.
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Strategies Syndéo
KEY PROPOSITIONS
Amazon / e-commerce platform
Religious Institutions
Local Daycare
Uber / Local ride services
Local Businesses & National Businesses
Local Babysitters / Nannies
Affiliate Programs
Starbucks / National robust chain
UX Development
Legal
Relationship Management with partners
Marketing of Application
Customer Service
User acquisition and retention
KEY RESOURCES
Network of users
Designers
Marketing Experts
Investors
Robust network of Business Partners
Mobile and online network
Legal
Product development
Marketing
Access anytime, anywhere
Secured personal information
Reliable childcare providers
Secured payment
Flexible work schedule
On-demand childcare
Interestbased activity suggestions
Dating/ meeting time & date suggestions
COST STRUCTURE Human capital and employees
Premium service
Reservation through App
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
Free tool Daily interactions with customers
Reminders by push notifications
Software Developers
Simplify the logistics of managing everyday life
Premium subscribers
■ Partnership with key industries, businesses, and population
CHANNELS Website
Social media
Referral network / Incentives
Marketing materials
Traditional media ads
Weekly blog / newsletter
CUSTOMER SEGMENTS Parents who own smart phones
Couples who desire time together without children’s presence
Media coverage
Parents who organize and schedule family activities
Childcare providers seeking employment
Childcare providers who manage own work schedule
Extended family who provides childcare
Local entertainment businesses
Local food businesses
Advertising at partner events and venues
REVENUE STREAMS Infrastructure
Platform buildout costs
Customer Service
Legal
Free limited basic account
Subscription plans based on # of calendar sync’ed
Commission fee of childcare service Annual subscription premium account
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■ Small base of paying “pro” users
■ Strategies to gain market share quickly
KEY ACTIVITIES
PayPal / Preferred payment method
■ Large base of basic accounts for casual users
Annual registration fee for childcare providers
KEY PARTNERS
■ Fixed and sunk costs related to platform development
Booking fee
Top search listing service fee for businesses
Ad listing service fee
Commission fee on partner services
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Part 6
Defining the Users’ Needs
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Value Proposition After the feedback we received, we decided to refine our value proposition by removing the “relationship enhancement” feature and focused on an application that helps couples find and spend quality time together. The renewed value proposition is:
For married couples with children who desire quality time with each other, our application will decrease the “out-of-control” feeling by taking control of schedules, to-dos and childcare. We do this by building a mobile application that is free to use for busy on-the-go parents. Unlike other web and mobile apps such as Cozi and Google Calendar, our product aims to be the go-to tool to help married couples manage their time, find accessible childcare and opportunities to spend quality time together. DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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The Process We used a multi-step process to identify differentiating features that delivered the value proposition. The various scenarios, matrices, and canvases used, led us to a better understanding of our users and the features that we would need to implement in the prototyping phase.
1
3
Empathy Maps
Ideation: Dream Scenario
Ideation: Good/Different Matrix
4
5
6
Ideation: Creative Matrix & 5E’s
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Ideation: Value Proposition Canvas
Summary of Findings
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Empathy Maps The team created empathy maps for each persona, deepening our connection and understanding of the users.
1
3
Empathy Maps
Ideation: Dream Scenario
Ideation: Good/Different Matrix
4
5
6
Ideation: Creative Matrix & 5E’s
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Ideation: Value Proposition Canvas
Summary of Findings
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Empathy Map Wife / Mother (User 1) A mother who aspires
Concerned about children's safety, care and education
to have a good balance between her work and family. The age range for children
Other career moms
considered is from
Mom's of daughter's friends
infant to pre-teen.
Childcare support from friends
Values 1:1 conversati ons with spouse
Out of sync when unable to attend work related events
Frustrated about being burdened with responsibilitie s of the home
Responsible for the family
Spending time with spouse will help relationship
A system is important for things to run smoothly
Feels like a single mom when spouse doesn't involve himself with the chores
Children's aspirations are important to her
Good food, ambience, and a relaxing atmosphere is important for an enjoyable date
The house can always be cleaner, but letting things so a bit is a good skill to have as well
Bad about sacrificing career advancement for young children
Dating helps improve the relationship with her spouse
Social media (especially facebook)
Comparisons
Information from social media
Nervous as first time parents
Information / resources related to her field of work
Child's schedule
Think and Feel
School offers marriage / parenting counselling for parents
Media magazines, TV, Websites
No No time for time for dating friends
Doesn't like spouse on the phone when on a date
Uses text messaging to plan dates
Keeping track of the to-dos, including bills, child needs, husband needs & other demands
Balancing the desire to be with kids while finding satisfaction in her job
Unable to go on frequent dates as would earlier
Being able to trust the nanny to care for children
Needs odd hour childcare to have flexibility to deal with work
No extended family live close by to help out when needed
Less time & spontaneity after having kids - takes more time and effort to plan
No back up plans for childcare
Unhappy about expenses
Stressed: Tries to stay relaxed but gets stressed as well
Hear
See
Pain
Gain
Say and Do
Tries to find common activities with husband
too much effort taking the baby to childcare
Manages a team at work
Spending quality time with family is a priority
Other parents, especially other moms
Work related: deadlines, meetings, travel, timings
Home Respon sibilites
Social media including Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest
Friends keeping up with trends in fashion, home decor, exercise, food, religious beliefs and politics
School offering marriage / parenting counselling for parents
Other career moms
A sense of fulfilment in her work & home life
Wants best for children
Communication with caregiver through text messaging / Overview of what happened at daycare
Contribute skills & talents to create a better life for kids & society
Getting to-do list accomplished with ease
Less time spent on children's classes and homework
Each partner shares chores & assigned duties
Going on family vacations / spending weekends with family
When together, not distracted by phone
Help during marriage crisis
Feel healthy, fit, knowledgea ble & successful
Time to focus n her work
Traveling & vacations with the family
Diane, High Achiever Mom DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Work respon sibilities
Using calendar app & reminders to manage family life
Goes out with husband
Needs to take time off from work when child is unwell / has holidays
The right mindset is important when on a date
Guilty when unable to attend children's programs / activities
A support system that enables one to work and raise a child
A system is important for things to run smoothly
Values 1:1 conversati ons with spouse
Tired & Overwhelmed
Children's aspirations are important to her
Too many opinions/ad vices from friends and family
Comparisons
Information from social media
Too much demand on her time - less time to focus on work / career
feels the need to spend more time together with spouse
Daughter's schedule physically and mentally taxing
When on a date, would like self and husband to have the right mindset and focus on the time together
Keeping track of all the to-dos, including bills, child's needs, husband's needs, and other demands
Feels responsible for keeping the house clean and in order
Needs to make effort to spend time together, otherwise it won't happen
Wants to be a good mom, wife, daughter & daughter in law
Spending time with spouse will help relationship
Dating helps improve the relationship with her spouse
Social media (especially facebook)
Mom's of daughter's friends
Responsible for the family
Information / resources related to her field of work
Work respon sibilities
Home Respon sibilites
Media magazines, TV, Websites
Social media including Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest
Friends keeping up with trends in fashion, home decor, exercise, food, religious beliefs and politics
Other couples
Other parents, especially other moms
Child's schedule
Family everyone stays close by
Going on vacations with the family
Husband is open & available to share pick-up & drop off responsibilities for the child
Efforts have an impact on child's success
Less effort and time on child's activities
Time for herself / Personal growth
Flexible work schedule
Time to focus on her work
Taking photos, making memories
A support system that enables her to work and raise a child
Wants best for children
Time together with spouse
Feeling values & appreciated
Think and Feel
Work related conversation s: with staff & clients
Overwhelmed by opinions from extended family
Hear
See
Pain
Gain
Say and Do
Meets family whenever she finds the opportunity
Takes daughter for different classes outside of school
Manages social obligations with extended family
Manages the house: chores / shopping / children's schedules
Accommodates schedules to be available for child
Manages a team at work
Makes time to do things her spouse will appreciate
Manages the house
Accommodates work schedule for home responsibilities
Runs own business
Maintains a network of clients / colleagues
Goes out for social gettogethers with spouse
Sia, Experienced Mom 124
Empathy Map Husband / Father (User 2) A father who aspires to
Time management is a concern
have a good balance between his work and family. The age range for children considered is from infant to pre-teen.
My friends and peers providing marital and parenting advice
Influencers are friends, his parents, colleagues
I want to feel that my son is safe and in great hands when we are not there.
I worry that I am not investing enough of myself in my son
Childcare is expensive I'm frustrated that I don't have enough time to spend with my wife
I worry that I am not investing enough of myself in the marriage
Doesn't completely trust digital sources
I see a lot of expensive options for childcare and for dates.
Dates are limited by budget and distance from home
About the dangers of childcare in the media
No time to plan dates or quality time with his wife
Not good at planning in advance things to do with his wife
Hear
See
Pain
Gain
I try to stay positive and good natured, but I get worn out with my schedule
I enjoy trying new things Marriage and parenting are tougher than I thought
I want to spend quality time with my wife, but it's hard for me to find it.
I try to think about planning things in advance, but I end up getting too busy and forget
Elvin, Striving Dad DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Feeling like his marriage is thriving Know how to improve his relationships
Say and Do
Doesn't know what to do with quality time with wife
I see a lot of options to create a sync'd calendar, but nothing that stands out to help me and my wife find time together.
I don't see many options for finding trusted childcare.
Marriage videos and audio books
Think and Feel About the importance of pursuing your wife
Sometimes I feel like I don't have anything under control
Wife and friends are the biggest influencers
Invest time where it counts
Simple way to connect with his wife
I feel like our schedules are crazy and complicated
How safe is our current childcare?
Think and Feel
Friends say to get a nanny
Miscommunication
Other families using nannies for their childcare
How can I show my wife that I care about her?
That he needs to put his family first
I don't see many digital offerings that are private without paying a lot.
Respect of his wife and child and colleagues
How can I create more romance in my marriage?
Family calendar is a paper calendar
Hear
See
Pain
Gain
Quality time with wife is hard to come by
Be known as a good father and loving husband
Busy work and after work activities restrict leisure time
See my wife a lot, but we not quality time
Helping managing all the family's events / schedules
Say and Do Spend more time with his wife
I want to ease the burdens placed on my wife, take more responsibility, but I don't
Work schedule is not sync'd up with his wife
Is getting a nanny an option?
If I focus on my marriage and raising my kids, I can't go wrong
I want to be the best dad that I can be and raise my kids well
I pay attention to what my wife says
I want to make time alone with my wife a priority
Increased time with his kids and more family vacations
If he could take over some of the scheduling of childcare and other things his wife has to do now.
I don't have time to do the things I want to
Antonio, Mid-Career Dad 125
Empathy Map Caregiver (User 3) A caregiver who takes
Wants consistent work from same parents and children
care of the children on behalf of their parents when needed. These include part time or full time nannies, school teachers, babysitters, grandparents, relatives, or friends.
Feedback from children
Complains from parents
Different languages used towards children
Set my own work schedule
Influential on children's character
Easy and secure payment
Compliments from parents
Expected to be good at childcare task
Different type of parenting
Get support by the app when need to
Reviews from parents Provide parents highlights of the day
Receive instructions from parents
Understand routine of the child
Works with parents with different parenting style
Bad routine/ habits of the children
Hear
See
Pain
Gain
Deal with parents who do not pay enough or on time
Works with children all day long
Uses calendar to keep track of schedule
Say and Do
Influential on children's character
Set up good routine/ habits for the children
Get paid on time Need a way to organize children's routine
Need to keep track of multiple customer bookings
Julie, Seasonal Nanny DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Influential on children's character
Do not need to work more
Requests from their grandchildren
Think and Feel
Difficult to find more babysitting jobs
Build trust with customers
Earn more by working demanding time and date
Part of the family
Keeping parents informed allow them to focus on their work
Need to make a living
Wants more work hours in order to earn more
Different upbringing of children
Caregiver allows parents to focus on their work.
Stable work schedule
Use messager app to manage communicatio n
Calendars help caregiver to understand schedules and to-do's.
Flexible work schedule
Part of the family
Does not need to make a living
Taking care of grandchildren out of enjoyment not for living
Other grandparenting style
Think and Feel
Requests from their children Hear
See
Pain
Gain Trustworthy
Understand routine of the child
Spoil the grandchildren
Say and Do Works with own grandchildren only
Not the parents
Influential on children's character
Helping out their own children
Different parenting style than their children
Enjoyment
Works with own children only
Need to understand family schedule
Bonding time with grandchil dren Use calendar to keep track of schedule
Use messager app to manage communicatio n
Dorothy, Grandmother 126
Empathy Map Non Customer (User 4) A non-customer might
I want to feel connected, like the other person is really there
be someone who does not fall into the ‘married couple with children’ category but has the potential to
Has strong family relationships
Wants to have quality communication with boyfriend who lives states away
Feels busy all the time with managing work, volunteering and social life
Only hears boyfriend's voice over video chat and phone calls
Uses social media to connect with people
Spends all day listening to coworkers and friends
Think and Feel
in a relationship without children, a single mom or currently dating.
Budget constraints her activities and social life
Managing expectations for a long-distance relationship
Mostly sees boyfriend over video chat
Hear
See
Pain
Gain
Dating relationship is challenging with communication via technology
Challenge of wanting marriage but also a successful career
Manages household chores herself
Works full time Has social obligations to friends and coworkers
Say and Do
Opportunities to create lasting memories
Lives alone Volunteers on occasion
Virginia, Non Customer DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Wishes there was a better budgeting app/tool out there
Cherishes the time she has each weekend with her husband
During the week, she spends a lot of time on the phone at work and talking with co-workers
Only sees husband on weekends
Talks to family often on the phone
be a customer of the product. He/she can be
Tries to balance her desire to start a family and advancement of career
Sees and engages with co-workers on a daily basis
Think and Feel
Her apps she uses to manage her life
Easy communicatio n tool
Budgeting for two apartments in two locations at the same time
Help with relationship advice
Limited vacation time
Connections to people
Limited/no time with husband during the weekdays
Sees a future with kids in the next few years
Hear
See
Pain
Gain
Balancing desire to have kids and advancement of career
Say and Do
Dual-income with no kids Utilizes calendar app for syncing schedules with husband
Ability to spend time with friends during the week and with husband during weekends
Works hard during the week
Manages the bills and household chores
Wishes there was a better way for her and her husband to budget easier
Loves job and people she works with
Disposable income Manages her and her husbands budgets
Angela, Wife with no kids 127
Ideation With the empathy maps in mind, we then moved into the fuzzy front-end ideation phase. Using methods like the Dream Scenario, Good/Different Matrix, 5Es Creative Matrix, and the Value Proposition Canvas, the team was able to discover potential features that would optimize Syndéo and create a Blue Ocean
1
during the ideation process, keeping in mind the features they thought would be most relevant to the users of Syndéo.
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3
Empathy Maps
Ideation: Dream Scenario
Ideation: Good/Different Matrix
4
5
6
market opportunity. Members of the team individually voted on the ideas that emerged
2
Ideation: Creative Matrix & 5E’s
Ideation: Value Proposition Canvas
Summary of Findings
128
Dream Scenario Ideation Method 1 The dream scenario method is useful in coming up with farreaching, exploratory features intended to stretch thinking. In this case, the team brainstromed ideas around the questions: What if Google designed SyndĂŠo? What would it do and be? How might it function?
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Good / Different Matrix Ideation Method 2 Following the dream scenario ideation exercise, the team then positioned some of the ideas on a Good / Different Matrix. The purpose behind this was to find the truly differentiating factors. Each member could vote on 5 ideas.
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Creative Matrix & 5 E’s Ideation Method 3 Next we created a template of the different ideas and product features on a 5 E’s matrix. This helped us visualize the consumer process from first impressions to long lasting brand loyalty. Each member could vote for 3 ideas each in the wife, husband and nanny category and 2 ideas in the grandparent category.
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Value Proposition Canvas Ideation Method 4 Finally, the value proposition canvas helped us to once again identify the product features, gain creators, and pain relievers. This process narrowed down what our product will ultimately focus on. Each member could vote for 2 ideas each in the three categories of the value map
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Summary of Findings Once the ideation process was complete, we voted on the concepts and product features that would be most important to our target customer. We affinitized these voting groups in two ways: 1. Based on the ideation process
1
prioritizations of the offerings. The design concepts with 4 votes would be heavily weighed in our decisions for prototyping. The concepts with less votes would still shape our product development, but, would not be as heavily
3
Empathy Maps
Ideation: Dream Scenario
Ideation: Good/Different Matrix
4
5
6
2. Based on the product features The affinitizating process enabled the team to define the
2
Ideation: Creative Matrix & 5E’s
Value Proposition Canvas
Summary of Findings
weighed in decision making.
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Summary of Findings Affinitizing
4 VOTES
Decrease the "out-ofcontrol" feeling by taking control of schedules, todos, and child care
VALUE MAP CALENDAR SYNCING / SCHEDULE RELATED
Easy import calendars and contacts
Syncs calendar with husband Puts content on caldendar
Easy sync with family calendar
Organize personal calendar as well as business
Decrease the "out-ofcontrol" feeling by taking control of schedules, todos, and child care
Comprehensive Calendar and List creator that syncs schedules and lists
Create balance and mutual understanding between couples with synced calendars
Eliminate schedule surprises by having all calendars synced with reminders
Set up my spouse's profile
Create profile with interests and dietary restriction
Easy sign up process
Easy sign up process
Create profile Easy sign up for low-tech users
GENERAL FEATURES Memorize my schedule and habits
I would want it to be safe and secure
It would be intuitive
Use an algorithm to send me preferred information
It would be super simple and elegant
Free to use
DATING RELATED Searches date activities and ideas based on user preferences and past usage
Increase couple's quality time with each other by scheduling entertainment and activities
Auto suggest things to do around town based on my availability and interest
See options for dates and activities
Searches date activity ideas It would allow my husband and I to schedule entertainment that fits both of our busy schedules
Easy sign on flow
Eliminate pain of scheduling conflicts by merging calendars
Reminders to book events/restaurant s for upcoming special occasion
Increase couple's time together by providing childcare options
Childcare arrangement and scheduling I would be able to rate the childcare provider
Read profile and instruction
Offer incentives to loyal customers
Receive payment via app
Offer incentives to loyal customers
Eliminate pain of scheduling conflicts by merging calendars
Childcare arrangement and scheduling
Increase couple's time together by providing childcare options
Eliminate schedule surprises by having all calendars synced with reminders
Increase visibility of calendar whitespace to take advantage of
Create balance and mutual understanding between couples with synced calendars
Increase couple's quality time with each other by scheduling entertainment and activities
Get referrals and reviews from customers
Decrease stress of remembering the family's commitments by setting calendar reminders
I would be able to see multiple options for childcare and date activities
Set reminders on special occasion
Get a summary of daily activities
Searches childcare options
Receive payment via app
Searches childcare options
Clock-in and clockout babysitting service
1 VOTE
Comprehensive Calendar and List creator that syncs schedules and lists
COMMON TO DATING & CHILDCARE
Get a summary of daily activities
2 VOTES
Searches date activities and ideas based on user preferences and past usage
5 E's
Upload certificates and documents
It would store information on my kids for the childcare provider
Easy import calendars and contacts
Syncs calendar with husband
Set up my spouse's profile
See options for dates and activities
Auto suggest things to do around town based on my availability and interest
Create profile with interests and dietary restriction
Offer incentives to loyal customers
Reminders to book events/restaurant s for upcoming special occasion
Offer incentives to loyal customers
Searches date activity ideas
Clock-in and clockout babysitting service
Create profile
Easy sign up process
Easy sync with family calendar
Easy sign up for low-tech users Get referrals and reviews from customers
Easy sign up process
Puts content on caldendar Read profile and instruction
Upload certificates and documents
Enable user to set availability for work flexible schedule
Organize personal calendar as well as business
CALENDAR CHILDCARE RELATED Enable user to set availability for work flexible schedule
GOOD / DIFFERENT CHART
Set reminders on special occasion
Memorize my schedule and habits
I would be able to see multiple options for childcare and date activities
I would want it to be safe and secure
It would allow my husband and I to schedule entertainment that fits both of our busy schedules
Free to use
I would be able to rate the childcare provider
It would be intuitive
Use an algorithm to send me preferred information
Easy sign on flow
It would store information on my kids for the childcare provider
AFFINITY MAP BASED ON PRODUCT FEATURE DMGT 720 Winter 2017
CHILDCARE RELATED
Enable user to set availability for work flexible schedule
Decrease stress of remembering the family's commitments by setting calendar reminders
CALENDAR DATING RELATED Increase visibility of calendar whitespace to take advantage of
SIGN UP / PROFILE RELATED
3 VOTES
It would be super simple and elegant
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Key Features Syndéo Customized Profile Syndéo will offer an easy sign up process and flow, allowing users to customize their profiles. Spouses will have the ability to fill in their list of favorite places, interests and dietary restrictions, amongst other information. For caregivers, qualifications and certifications will be a part of their profile requirement. There will also be an option for easy sign in for low-tech users.
Personalized & Secured Syndéo will be free to use, have a simple and elegant interface and be incorporated with strong safety and privacy features. It will be intuitive and memorize the users’ schedule and habits over time. An algorithm will enable the application to forward relevant information
remembered “What?! You forgot our Anniversary?”
(like good deals and special events) to its users.
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Key Features Syndéo Synchronized Calendar The Calendar is an important element of Syndéo. It will import events and sync schedules between the couple. This will increase the visibility of calendar whitespace, which the couple can take advantage of, as well as, eliminate any schedule surprises that were not communicated. The calendar will also prompt the user about upcoming events with suggestions of events or restaurants for a special occasion.
Shared Lists Like the calendar, synced lists are also an important element of Syndéo. A shared list between the couple, will help them knock of
“I’ve got “Oh Darn! I forgot it, honey!”
tasks that were to be completed or grocery that had to be bought.
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Key Features Syndéo Date Planning Syndéo will enable spouses to schedule entertainment around their combined schedules. Calendar syncing will help couples find potential opportunities to go out on a date. The search feature will help find activities and ideas based on the couple’s preference as well as previous history and provide booking information amongst other details to plan their outing.
Childcare Clicks Away Syndéo’s uniqueness lies in its easy to organize childcare option. Based on the couples’ planned event, they can search and connect with childcare providers in advance. The app is equipped to enable the caregiver fill out a summary of the activities of the
“Yay, we’ve got “I so wish we had a sitter!”
child and payment transaction can be done on the app itself.
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Key Features Syndéo Customer Benefits Syndéo plans to offer incentives to loyal customers, which they can use to their benefit for an outing or caregiver services. The app also allows customers to share referrals and reviews.
Set Your Own Work schedule Caregivers can set up their availability for work according to their schedule, making it more convenient. Caregivers can also leverage their profile to find jobs, receive reviews from customers, and be paid securely and on time, via the app.
Freemium Model Syndéo basic offereing is free for everyone to download and use, without obligations or contracts. A premium service is available for a subscription fee. DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Part 7
Prototyping and Brand Development
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The Brand SyndÊo enhances the relationships and lives of married couples. We are committed to enriching marriages through providing solutions for childcare, syncing family calendars and organizing daily routines, as well as planning date options for couples. Married couples today, are constantly on the go and consumed by work, raising children, and the constant noise of life. Our mission is to help couples refocus on their marriage and prioritize what’s important by alleviating the stressors. SyndÊo strengthens marriages with three key goals in mind:
Manage
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Restore
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The Brand Manage
Connect
Restore
Syndeo will provide useful calendar, lists and communication tools, to help couples organize their busy lives and enable them to focus on what’s important. Syndeo will also help arrange and manage childcare and date planning options for the couple.
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The Brand Manage
Connect
Restore
Syndeo will connect couple’s schedules, calendars and lists to reduce confusion and aid them in keeping everyone on the same page. Some key features for this aspect of Syndeo include, calendar syncing and compiled shared to-do lists for the couple/family.
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The Brand Manage
Connect
Restore
Syndeo understands the value of spending quality time with ones spouse, and it’s positive impact on a relationship. Syndeo’s restore function will place the couple’s focus back on what is truly important, their marriage. This feature will help couple’s plan date nights and provide entertainment ideas for the couple to engage in, based on their preferences. The restore feature is contingent on the effectiveness of the manage and connect features. Once childcare is coordinated, schedules are synced, and to-do lists are complete, the marriage comes into focus. DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Syndéo The Role of Aesthetics Syndéo’s goal is to enrich married couple’s relationships and ultimately their lives through managing necessities such as childcare, connecting through shared calendars and to-do lists, and restoring their bond as a couple. With these principles in mind, we understand that customers will feel the need to connect with our product in a unique way. For this, we have considered six core values, which form the basis of the brands experience, appearance and interaction. These are: Simple, Intuitive, Helpful, Trusted, Personal and Connected As Syndeo will be used by couples as well as babysitters, we decided to use a violet color palette. It is gender neutral, and brings in a balance of warm and cold colors, once again communicating a neutral feel. Violet also represents the romance that we hope to celebrate in a relationship, especially of a married couple.
INTUITIVE SIMPLE The product is designed with a simple, yet sophisticated interphase, making Syndeo easy to engage with and use. Visual graphics include art and photography, that center around the theme of married couple’s spending time together, thereby emphasizing the goal of Syndeo.
Syndeo is intuitive in understanding schedules and lists and tracks users tastes and preferences to be able to suggest dating opportunities, restaurants and babysitters.
PERSONAL The ability to make custom suggestions for the user, while communicating in a friendly and interactive way, gives the product a personal and human appeal.
TRUSTED
SyndĂŠo CONNECTED Syndeo boasts of being able to efficiently connect across its features, whether it be calendar syncing, crossing off items on the to-do list or finding the right restaurant or babysitter.
HELPFUL The calendar, notes and communication tools have a clean look and feel, and are organized so as to make accessing information convenient, helpful, easy to use and see.
Syndeo induces trust in the user by creating a space exclusively for the user, with strong privacy and security features in place. The ability to see customer reviews and give feedback as a customer themselves, further enhances this. Good customer service in case of any issues also builds the trust in the brand.
The Role of Aesthetics As Syndeo will be used by couples as well as babysitters, we decided to use a violet color palette. It is gender neutral, and brings in a balance of warm and cold colors, once again communicating a neutral feel. Violet also represents the romance that we hope to celebrate in a relationship, especially of a married couple.
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The Role of Aesthetics Syndéo’s goal is to enrich married couple’s relationships and Simple necessitiesIntuitive ultimately their Values lives through managing such as
Helpful
Trusted
Personal
Connected
childcare, connecting through shared calendars and to-do lists, and restoring their bond as a couple. With these principles in mind, we understand that customers will feel the need to connect with Experience our product in a unique way. For this, we have considered six core values, which form the basis of the brands experience, appearance and interaction: • Simple
Appearance
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How the Business Model Strengthens the Brand Synchronized Calendar Syndeo is a secure and private platform, that aims at helping couples manage their busy schedules to find time for each other. It does this by syncing the couple’s calendars and lists and proposing windows of opportunities for the couple to go out on a date. The program also reminds users of upcoming events and helps them plan for it.
Easy Buy The synced list feature allows couples to work together in completing tasks, whether it be household chores or buying groceries. Syndeo plans to partner with Amazon, by incorporating a small button that will help couples buy items directly and slash out items from their ‘tobuy’ lists, thereby increasing the scope of having more time to spend together in a click. This will also give Syndeo an initial advantage vis a vis revenue. DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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How the Business Model Strengthens the Brand Partnership with Businesses Based on the users tastes and preferences, Syndeo suggests activities as well as restaurants that might be of interest to the couple. For this, Syndeo partners with local and national businesses. In terms of revenue, Syndeo receives a commission from restaurants and charges a service fee for special listing and advertising. Starbucks is a key partner for Syndeo. We find this partnership would be beneficial, as coffee is the simplest date a couple can go out for and partnering with a robust and popular national (and international) chain like Starbucks will give us a revenue and marketing advantage.
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How the Business Model Strengthens the Brand Secured and Easy Childcare When planning for a date, couples can use Syndeo’s on-demand childcare to choose a babysitter. Syndeo partners with religious institutions, local daycares and local babysitters to build its resource of caregivers. By conducting a background check, keeping a record of credentials and also allowing its users to rate and provide feedback for caregivers, Syndeo is able to provide a service that can be trusted and is reliable. Syndeo is great for babysitters as well as it helps them control their schedule and find work easily. Payment through the app makes it convenient for both parents as well as care providers. Syndeo charges a nominal one-time registration fee to caregivers and deducts a small percentage of the earning from their job as commission. DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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How the Business Model Strengthens the Brand Subscription Plans In case a couple prefers to have a family member as the care provider, this can be added into the users setting and account and the couple pays a nominal fee to add each user on. Different subscription plans based on frequency of usage enables Syndeo to be used as a free app or provide premium services, thereby spreading its services as per the preference of its user base. Couples who need the service often, can consider the premium subscription. Customers who need the service once in a while can consider the lighter plan (where the service can be used upto twice a month). New customers, are given a free trial of upto 2 bookings. Syndeo promotes its offering through its website, social media, promotional emails and posters, relevant magazines and referral network and incentives. DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Site Map Wireframe - Syndeo Syndeo Landing page Facebook About / Service
Log In
Sign Up Google
Childcare Mission and values
Enter username and password
Email Create Account
Add to childcare customer listing
Website
Subscription Purchase
Create Profile Preferences Add to Childcare provider listing Invite a partner (spouse)
Add Email
Add Phone Number
Logout
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Purchase
Family Organization / Management
Date ideas
Contact Information
Scheduling
List Creation
Favorite Restaurants
Customer Service
Payment
Calendar Syncing
Entertainm ent Ideas
Rating / Reviewing
Calendar Reminders
Birthday, Holiday, and Anniversary Reminders
Legal
Founders Terms of Service
Add Personal informaton
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Mock Ups
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Mock Ups
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Mock Ups
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Mock Ups
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Mock Ups
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Part 8
Network Sales Pitch
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Validation Survey on Google Forms We prepared a brief survey for potential users to validate our product, Syndeo. This was done by sharing the video of the product and asking targeted questions. The survey got a good response with 31 participants over a period of 24 hours. Participants comprised of married couples with kids, childcare workers and business owners. Survey results revealed that potential users liked the organizing and syncing feature very much, and it would help couples coordinate their schedules. Users also liked the date planning and discounts on local restaurants features, saying it would make going out as a couple easier. Users liked the idea of one App that handles all the needs for scheduling, and mentioned that there are other apps that fill these needs individually, but Syndeo could be the one stop shop.
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Validation Survey Response (Quantitative)
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Validation Survey Response (Qualitative)
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Final Pitch The final pitch was aimed at investors, which informed the
Attention grabber
State the problem
Introduce the solution
Take the viewer through the Product
Context to potential users & revenue stream
Validation
Market Opportunity
Get the viewer interested
Could use footage / still shots from previous video here try to include all the problems in a simple way if possible could also include a statistical infographic
Brand Id short line about what it is
Go through screens of how it works. What problems it solves. Keeping it crisp. Start from login - could use parts of previous video
User ecosystem, revenue streams
Validation from people who face specific pain points. This could also be a short video - showing interaction with product and feedback.
Potential market size: couples, babysitters, restaurants people in the ecosystem
1 slide
Not too much emphasis crisp, to the point
1 slide
Multiple slides
1 slide
Video or multiple slides hitting on the personas we worked out: mom/ dad/ babysitter/ local restaurant. Could also be a google survey sent out.
1 - 2 slides
framework for the storyline. We tried to emphasize on the feasibility, desirability, and usability, aspect of the
Marketing Strategy
Competitors
Conclusion
End: Brand & Tagline
Crisp, focussed and worked out
What makes Syndeo the Only?
Conclude - crisp, brief & strong
Final Screen
1 - 2 slides
1 slide
1 slide could include Qualitative data from the survey
1 slide
app., and highlighted potential subscribers, expected revenue and marketing strategies to appeal to investors. Information about competitors and validation from potential users brought in the aspects of ‘what makes Syndéo the only’, and ‘what people say about Syndéo’. DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Storyboard
Do you have trouble making love in your marriage
A priority? Well, you’re not alone.
Modern married couples are so caught up in their busy lives that they do not make time for each other. Add kids into the mix, and the problem grows exponentially. Parents have to deal with obstacles such as finding good childcare and coming up with date ideas.
Meet Syndeo, a platform designed to help married couples spend quality time together.
We have something that can help.
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Storyboard
Syndeo intuitively syncs calendars and finds open opportunities for couples to go on dates. But it doesn’t stop there. Syndeo will suggest date activities based on user preferences and even help arrange childcare.
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It all begins with a very simple onboarding And input your user preferences. Users process. Simply input your name and can also add their spouses. location.
When a user opens the calendar page, they can add any number of other users and begin sharing content.
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Storyboard
Once an open date is recognized and suggested for a date opportunity, users can select from various date options based on their preferences, planning a date with a few clicks.
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And if mom and dad need to find a sitter, Syndeo does it in a snap. Users can search, contact, schedule, rate the sitter and even pay all without ever having to leave the app.
Syndeo is an active ecosystem of couples, babysitters and local business owners.
Revenue will be generated by couples who pay a very nominal annual subscription fee. Childcare providers will pay 5% of their service fee to Syndeo and local businesses will be charged a small fee for prominent listings and advertising to users.
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Storyboard
To put the potential for Sydneo in context, there are 79 million families in the US.
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Of those, 36 million have children under the age of 18. That translates into a huge market that needs a service like Syndeo.
And If only five percent of those families signed up for Syndeo, we’re talking 1.8 Million users and that’s just in the first year.
We showed Syndeo to potential users including couples, childcare workers and business owners for validation and received encouraging feedback. 65% of respondents said Syndeo would be a valuable tool for them while 46% said they were willing to subscribe.
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Storyboard
If 1.8 million couples subscribed at $1.99 for an annual subscription, we are looking at an annual earning of $ 3.6 million in subscription fees and on top of revenue generated from childcare provider and business listing fees.
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Our market strategy begins with targeting married couple influencers, particularly the wives. We will begin paying popular mom social bloggers to review the app in key markets around the U.S.
We will also target moms and babysitters on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Another important group will be counselors and religious organizations who are invested in helping couples thrive in their marriage. We plan to use public relations to attract their attention and get media coverage on family programming via platforms such as radio, websites, television and newsletters. We also will be exploring opportunities to co-promote the app with local business. 167
Storyboard
Competitors in the brandscape are singularly focused. Some focus solely on dating, others childcare, others lifestyle management. Syndeo combines all three. No other competitors can match our offering, creating a blue ocean opportunity.
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Here is what potential customers are saying about Syndeo:
Syndeo, organizing your life so that you can focus on what matters.
Link to Pitch Video: https://youtu.be/mBFuwbK-IQs
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Gantt Chart
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4-Jan
11-Jan
18-Jan
25-Jan
1-Feb
8-Feb
15-Feb
22-Feb
1-Mar
8-Mar
Contextual Design Inquiry
Working Wall + Documentation
Prepare and Update Gannt Chart
Process Book
Identify Opportunities/ Concepts
Select four user groups & Define them
Identify potential concept
Form Design Strategy/ creative brief
Survey + Documentation
Empathy Map
Completed Incomplete
Personas: Template + Document
Document User Analysis Build business model canvas for 2 leading networks Document Findings + Compare models
Compile Part 5 Deliverables into PDF
Save Pitch as video file (make pitch?)
Create B2B empathy maps for personas Document findings of possible components for the site Create and share WIP video Create a video sales pitch to market social network
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References
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Blatchford Emily, (2016). Date Nights: They Are More Important For Your Relationship Than You Think. Retrieved on January 9th, 2017. http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/03/07/date-nights-they-are-more-important-for-your-relationship-than/ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Employment Statistics. Retrieved on January 16, 2007 from https:// www.bls.gov/news.release/famee.t04.htm. Charter, C. (2016, December 21). The Complete Guide To Generation Alpha, The Children Of Millennials. Retrieved from http://www. forbes.com/sites/christinecarter/2016/12/21/the-complete-guide-to-generation-alpha-the-children-of-millennials/#35859bad5452 Charter, C. (2016, December 1). How The Great Recession Left A Lasting Legacy On Millennial Families. Retrieved from http://www. forbes.com/sites/christinecarter/2016/12/01/how-the-great-recession-left-a-lasting-legacy-on-millennial-families/#1d0c39b71a58 Diller, V. (2011, November 8). The Real -- Not Reel -- Problems Facing Gen X Couples | The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www. huffingtonpost.com/vivian-diller-phd/gen-x-couples_b_1078421.html Fry, R. (2016, April 25). Millennials overtake Baby Boomers as America’s largest generation | Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http:// www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/25/millennials-overtake-baby-boomers/ Higgins, L. (2016, September 22). 5 Critical Decisions Millennial Couples Face | The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www. huffingtonpost.com/entry/5-critical-decisions-millennial-couples-face_us_57e41c5be4b00267764fbb92 Iyer-Ahrestani, S. (2016, February 10). Millennial Planner Finds Success With Millennial Clients. Retrieved from http://www.thinkadvisor. com/2016/02/10/millennial-planner-finds-success-with-millennial-c References DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Kim, T. (2016, October 31). What will Generation Alpha’s trends be? | SmartBrief. Retrieved from http://www.smartbrief.com/ original/2016/10/what-will-generation-alpha%E2%80%99s-trends-be Landrum, S. (2017, January 9). How Millennials’ Happiness Is Tied To Work Friendships. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ sarahlandrum/2017/01/09/how-millennials-happiness-is-tied-to-work-friendships/2/#4343372f6abc Millennials: A New Generation of Family Values | Millennial Marketing. (2009, July). Retrieved from http://www.millennialmarketing. com/2009/07/millennials-a-new-generation-of-family-values/ Next Avenue. (2016, September 13). The Undetected Influence Of Generation X. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ nextavenue/2016/09/13/the-undetected-influence-of-generation-x/#e2bb88d36abf Nowiniski, J. (May, 2014). Can Execessive Social Networking Harm Marriages? Psychology Today. Retrieved January 9, 2017, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-almost-effect/201405/can-excessive-social-networking-harm-marriages Pew Research Center (2011). Barely Half of U.S. Adults Are Married – A Record Low. Retrieved January 9, 2017, from http://www. pewsocialtrends.org/2011/12/14/barely-half-of-u-s-adults-are-married-a-record-low/. Reilly, Winifred M. (2014). 4 Reasons to Put Date Night on Your Calendar – In Ink. Retrieved on January 9th 2017. http://www. huffingtonpost.com/winifred-m-reilly/4-reasons-to-put-date-night_b_5667016.html Scott, R. (2016, November 28). Get Ready For Generation Z. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/causeintegration/2016/11/28/ get-ready-for-generation-z/#5459632f1dfe References DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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Some Common Causes and Reasons for Divorce. (2012). Retrieved on January 16, 2017 from http://www.divorcestatistics.info/some-common-causes-and-reasons-for-divorce.html US Census Bureau (2015). Number of married couples in the United States from 1960 to 2015 (in millions). Retrieved January 9, 2017, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/183663/number-of-married-couples-in-the-us/. White, M. (2015, July 9). Generation X Will Never Be Ready to Retire. Retrieved from http://time.com/3935428/this-is-why-gen-x-willnever-be-able-to-retire/ Wilcox, W. Bradford & Dew, Jeffrey. The Date Night Opportunity – What Does Couple Time Tell Us About the Potential Value of Date Nights? The National Marriage Project, University of Virginia Zingraf, Gerald. Why Dating Is Important For Marriage. Retrieved on January 9th, 2017. http://www.foryourmarriage.org/why-dating-isimportant-for-marriage/ & www.nationalmarriageproject.org
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Appendix
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Introduction: Identifying Opportunities and Concepts We found some interesting insights from our research in Week 1, but we also realized that we need to dig deeper and document some of the innate issues that go into depleting the romance in a marriage. These were added to our working wall as we progressed ahead and the ones relevant to the selected concepts are summarized here as well. Based on our research on the subject, the team initially brainstormed concepts individually. These were then discussed amongst the members and three concepts were selected to be explored further in detail. Some of the concepts chosen were derived by combining two or three ideas from the individual brainstorm, which made the process interesting and also added more value to the concepts.
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Working Wall of Initial Concept Brain-storm
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Concept 1
Relationship FitBit Relationship FitBit is a concept that is centered around the question and social network of how married couples get advice, communicate and boost their relationship. Research revealed that advice can come from a multitude of sources. Some of these sources include friends and extended family members, other couples, from a spouse within the marriage, and from professional sources such as a counselor, church staff, nonfiction books, websites, apps, workshops, etc.
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In addition to user groups, the marketplace was examined. Findings suggest that the relationship advice is a robust and lucrative business. For example, a search in Amazon turned up nearly 25,000 book offerings. Author Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages, a book that provides advice on communicating in relationships, has been a New York Times best seller since 1992 and is available in more than six formats and has been translated into 49 languages. New media, i.e. mobile apps, podcasts and websites, are also booming. Platforms offering anything from sexual intimacy games to a couple’s calendar and to-do list management are growing in number. Though this market is fruitful and expansive, it is representative of a red ocean of fierce competition where organizations compete for market share with features and niche experiences. Highlights from this social network concept and user group research follow:
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KEY PATTERNS & INSIGHTS Communication
Relationship Advice
• Marriage makes couples less social.
• Marital satisfaction requires effort.
• Poor communication leads to marital dissatisfaction.
• Partners provide unique social support.
• Knowing how to communicate with your spouse increases marital satisfaction.
• Partners support helps overcome life’s biggest challenges.
• Communication can be both nonverbal and verbal. Both play a significant role in relationships.
• Couples who consider their spouse their best friend have happier marriages/life than those who do not.
• Family problem solving increases marital satisfaction.
• Couples are willing to seek advice from professionals and non-professionals to enhance their marriage.
• Accuracy of communication vital to good communication patterns.
• Couples have access to thousands of advice resources available on any platform. • Relationship advice is a lucrative business.
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KEY INFLUENCERS Nonprofessional
Products
• Spouse (within the marriage)
• Books
• Friends and extended family
• Websites
• Other couples
• Broadcasts (radio, television, podcast) • Apps
Professional
• Workshops
• Counselors
• Articles
• Relationship Coaches
• Videos
• Church staff • Authors • Journalists and Bloggers
Image retrieved on January 17, 2017 from: https://www.blackloveadvice.com/2013/07/15-keys-to-a-happy-marriage/
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KEY USER GROUPS Nonprofessional • Spouse (within the marriage) • Friends and extended family • Other couples Professionals • Counselors • Relationship Coaches • Church staff • Authors • Journalists and Bloggers • Website and App Developers • Business Owners (childcare providers, hospitality industry managers) Image retrieved on January 17, 2017 from: http://houseofroseblog.com/top-marriage-blogs/
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PROPOSED VALUE PROPOSITION For married couples who are seeking to build a stronger bond, but lack the knowledge to do so, our application will improve communication between spouses and provide relationship target goals and advice, along with reminders and catalogs of important events in the life of a couple. We do this by combining goal setting and communication tracking features (like a FitBit for communication) with quick relationship advice developed by professional counselors. Unlike the current offerings, our product does not require extensive reading or practice and allows users to set simple step by step goals that will enhance a couple’s relationship.
Concept 1: Relationship FitBit User Groups
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Working Wall for Concept 1: Relationship FitBit
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Working Wall for Concept 1: Relationship FitBit
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Working Wall for Concept 1: Relationship FitBit
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Concept 2
Career Oriented Couples with Young Children This concept is focused on career oriented couples with children. Research reveals that stress from a career and responsibilities of children negatively affect the relationship of a married couple. Some more contextual research was carried out to understand and define the concept better, the inferences of which follow below:
Key Findings from Initial Part 1 Research
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KEY PATTERNS Well educated, pursuing career dreams
Living with parents (grandparents)
• 50% of these young couples are individuals who want to be entrepreneurs
• Difficult to have open communication
• Get financial/childcare support from their parents
• 55% of startup founders are part of Gen X • X’ers are taking management roles and mentoring young coworkers Balancing career expectations against parental responsibilities • High value on good parenting • Leverage job mobility to share responsibilities • Interested in healthy, locally produced and organic food
Influenced/enticed by social media • Experience beautiful things now than later • Evolve the use of social media as living through parenthood
Raising Gen Y and Gen Alpha • After experiencing 9/11, these young couples value the importance of a safe world for their children • Anonymous social media is more appealing to these generations • Embrace multiculturalism
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KEY STRESSORS / INFLUENCERS Childcare
Communication
• 2nd largest monthly expense for families after mortgage/rent payment
• With parents or step-parents living under the same roots, couples find it difficult to have open communication with one another
• Share a nanny with friends/coworkers to reduce childcare cost
• Fear of stirring up drama or conflict within the family system
• Get financial support for childcare from their parents
• Feel controlled and obligated to make certain life decisions
• Leverage grandparents already living in their home as daycare providers Finance • College debts • Childcare • Instead of down sizing, these couples are up-sizing their home to fit multi-generations in their home
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KEY USER GROUPS The couples
Grandparents
Childcare providers
• Younger Gen X and older Millennials
• Parents of Gen X and Millennials
• Child care center
• Well educated, career driven
• Support their children financially or via childcare
• Home daycare
• Use of technology to stay in touch / in line with family
• Nanny share
• Value life experiences • Finance is a stress Young children • Younger Gen Y and Gen Alpha • Greater use of technology • Expect instant gratification as they are growing up
Colleagues • “Work family” of the couples
• At home nanny • Grandparents • Cost, credibility and trust is a concern to parents (post 9/11 generation)
• Willing to share personal details
• Communication via email and SMS to keep parents informed
• Influence on parenting
• Webcam gives parents a sense of security
• More cautious in social media and life choices • Embrace multiculturalism
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PROPOSED VALUE PROPOSITION For career-advancing married couples with young children who desire romance and alone time out of hectic daily life with work, home and children, our application will help manage your daily schedule, improve communication between spouses, and provide suggestions on when to take a break, the activities to pursue, and childcare options available within a few clicks. We do this by building a mobile application that does it all for busy on-the-go parents. Unlike other web and mobile apps such as Cozi and Care.com, our product aims to be the go-to place with smart features that learns and understands the needs of the couple and their children.
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Working Wall for Concept 2: Career Oriented Couples with Children
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Concept 3
Healthy Lifestyle: Food & Exercise Some indicators from the previous research pointed towards the effects of stress and lack of intimacy resulting in the loss of romance in the relationship of a married couple. This concept considered how a healthy lifestyle, including food and exercise would impact the relationship. Research revealed that leading a healthy lifestyle can benefit the relationship of a married couple in many ways, inducing a renewed confidence, sense of teamwork, improved intimacy and exploring new activities together. Key insights are summarized in the following pages.
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KEY PATTERNS & INSIGHTS Individual’s response to life changes • The effect of marital transitions on weight changes differs by gender; • Women are more likely to gain weight in a marriage, while men are more likely to tip the scale after a divorce, especially if they are above 30 - Women may tend to eat more and exercise less after getting married and starting a family because of the stresses of child bearing and maintaining the household; • One’s chances of becoming obese increased by 37% if one’s spouse becomes obese • About half of the time, people don’t get the support, which can make it difficult to change eating habits given the crucial role relationships can play.
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KEY PATTERNS & INSIGHTS (contd.) Impact of Exercise in a relationship • Exercising together fosters closeness: After exercising, couples come away with a feeling of synchronicity, cooperative spirit and shared passion. It helps build better communication and common goals; • 94% of couples stuck to a fitness program when they did it together by keeping each other motivated and exploring new fitness activities;
• Exercise is good for self esteem as well as sex life in a relationship. There is a strong correlation between exercise and sexual intimacy; • The impact of exercise on sex life doesn’t apply to young couples only;
• Exercise provides unique benefit for those going through tough times, because it changes the actual chemistry and function of our • Exercise improves mood (because of the production of endorphins brains and bodies; and serotonins) and is a stress buster; • Exercise is a great way to release negative energy. Bodywork like yoga or a massage gives the opportunity to release toxicity and emotional pain; • A dance class is romantic and gets one’s blood pumping;
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KEY PATTERNS & INSIGHTS (contd.) Intimacy • Studies show that people with active sex lives tend to exercise more frequently and have better dietary habits than those who are • One third of couples in America suffer from low sex drive or desire, less sexually active. • Many diet related conditions can negatively impact one’s sex life and getting things back on track isn’t always simple; • Wedded couples tend to put on weight after marriage, which can pose a hindrance to sexual attraction and general health;
• Added energy & improved body image improves intimacy; • Short intense exercise is linked with increased testosterone levels, which help stimulate sexual desire and behavior; • Women are more sexually responsive following 20 minutes of vigorous exercise. Also, women enjoy sex more when they are physically active; • Couples who reported any kind of marital intimacy, from holding hands to sex, exhibited lower levels of hormone produced by stress
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KEY PATTERNS & INSIGHTS (contd.) Food Related • Couples use cooking as a way to invest in their marriage; More than 70% of surveyed married couples enjoy cooking together and were significantly more satisfied in all areas of their lives than couples who didn’t cook together; • Cooking together can be a source of great joy in a marriage; Cooking together can lead to improved physical health, stronger communication and memorable experiences; • Couples have the greatest impact on one another’s dietary patterns; • A history of eating disorders or chronic dieting can also influence one’s relationship with food and one another;
• Couples can have widely different eating habits. Food isn’t just nourishment. It’s also what you believe in how you were raised. Sometimes different food preferences and habits can be a source of stress in a relationship. Sources of potential conflict include cultural differences, religious dietary restrictions, tensions between vegetarian and omnivore, tension between picky and adventurous eaters; • Eating with others can cause one to consume 33% more than they would solo; • The feeling of being judged makes couples stop eating together;
• Food doesn’t only affect our bodies physically, but also our emotions and hormones. Poor diet can deplete energy and cause stress or anxiety. A good diet can boost your libido and ensure your body is working well;
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KEY PATTERNS & INSIGHTS (contd.) Image of Self • A negative body image is the number 1 sexual issue for women; For women, negative self-image is often related to weight gain, constant exposure to unrealistic media images of women, and aging. • Feelings of self-worth carry over into our relationships.
• It’s helpful to have friends, family and particularly a spouse on board when one’s trying to lose weight; • When you’re feeling down you can easily give into the comfort food cycle;
• Added energy improved body image, which improved intimacy; • Self esteem comes from accomplishing things that are important to us. Being fit shows us that we can overcome obstacles and reach goals, and gives us a sense of power in determining our circumstances; • The connection between mind and body influences how we project our own personal beauty; • People with better self-esteem tend to have fewer problems with jealousy, and a lesser need to control others. This translates to a freer and stronger marriage all-round; DMGT 720 Winter 2017
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KEY USER GROUPS Married Couples
Individuals in a Marriage
• Empty Nesters
• Women
• Couples with kids
• Individuals with kids
• Married couples looking to do something fun & different together
• Individuals with a negative self image/ low self esteem
• Married couples supporting their spouses through a life change
• Individuals who commit to a healthier lifestyle
• Married couples experiencing a life change
• Empty Nesters
• Married couples with different food preferences
• Individuals in a marriage going through a life change
• Married couples under a lot of stress
• Individuals in a marriage who want to improve their libido / sex life
• Married couples wanting to improve their sex life
• Individuals in a marriage who are under a lot of stress
• Married couples wanting to lead a healthier lifestyle
• Individuals in a marriage who are supporting their partners during a life change
• Married couples looking to reconnecting with their spouses • Married couples with a common interest in working out or cooking
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KEY USER GROUPS (contd.) Community
Service Provider: Exercise
• Married couples
• Instructors: all kinds of exercises
• Individuals in a marriage
• Gyms / Studios / Exercise centers
• Content creators
• Therapists
• Therapists
• Content creators
• Instructors: all kinds of exercises
• Exercise equipment stores
• Food experts / dieticians • Gyms / Studios / Exercise centers
Service Provider: Food
• Farmers / Farmers markets / Grocery stores
• Content creators • Food experts / dieticians • Therapists • Farmers / Farmers Markets / Grocery stores • Cooking / culinary related stores
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POTENTIAL DIRECTIONS FOR CONCEPT 3 The concept grew too wide, but there were some ideas which showed great potential if narrowed down and focused on. Some directions based on this concept were: 1. An offering for women going through the ‘marriage life change’ to improve her self esteem and also have spouses on board for support; 2. Couples Marathon Training as a way to build teamwork and support in a relationship; 3. Dance / Synchronous body movement regimes; 4. Game Scheduler: For couples to book a court; 5. An offering encouraging couples to cook together; 6. An offering motivating inactive couples to exercise together;
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Working Wall for Concept 3: Healthy Lifestyle (Food + Exercise)
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Good / Different Findings We see a Blue Ocean opportunity for our app/service, particularly in these areas: • • • • • • •
Career driven parents with young children Child care Romantic connections Date night ideas Travel planning Relationship enhancement Extended family involvement
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Competitors
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Project Matrix Research Questions
What do I need to know?
Why do I need to know this?
What kind of data will Where can I find the answer these questions? data?
What type of research methods will I use?
How do having careers and a family impact the relationship of a couple within marriage?
• • • •
• To understand the before and after • To understand what issues occur within the process • To find out the pains and gains of these users
• Qualitative • Quantitative
• Primary Research • Secondary Research
• Interview • Survey
• To understand what it takes to maintain a marriage • To understand life lessions learned by individuals/ couples • To find out the pains and gains of these users
• Qualitative • Quantitative
• Primary Research • Secondary Research
• Interview • Survey
In what ways does children • Beside normal work hours, what are some of the situations that • To understand how family affect relationship of a affect relationship of a couple? couples seek childcare? couple • How often do couples date after starting a family? What types of • To explore things that family do that affect relationship dates? What stories about dates do they have? of a couple • What kind of activities do couples/individuals do that require childcare? • What kind of activities do children involved in? Do they require parent involvement? How? How do they affect individual/couple? • What kind of activities do family do together? How do they affect individual/couple?
• Qualitative • Quantitative
• Primary Research • Secondary Research
• Interview • Observation • Survey
In what ways do caketaker affect young families?
• How does caretaker have affect on the family? • How is the grandparents/relatives involved with the family? What do they do? How do that affect the family and the couple?
• To understand the role of caretaker have on a family • To understand what affect caretaker have on a family • To understand what affect caretaker have on a couple
• Qualitative • Quantitative
• Primary Research • Secondary Research
• Interview • Survey
How does techology effect family and couple’s life?
• What are some of the technology products that couple use to manage your family life? • What are some of the technology products that couple use to plan/ setup dates? • What are some of the books/reading materials couple read for the purpose of improving marriage/family life? • What do couple do/use when seeking improvement on their relationships? Books? Therapy? Apps? Activities?
• To understand how technology changed the way family/couple live • To explore how technology can positively enhance the life of family/couple
• Qualitative • Quantitative
• Primary Research • Secondary Research
• Interview • Observation • Survey
How is the relationship between spouses before having children? How is the relationship between spouses after having children? How are couples balancing both careers and family life? What are the impacts to couple’s marriage with children and career?
How are couples in a marriage • What does a spouse do in order to improve or maintain relationship maintain their relationship? with his/her spouse? • What works? What does not work? • What are the lessons learned? • What are the pains and gains?
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Project Matrix Research Questions
Why do I need to know this?
What kind of data will Where can I find the answer these questions? data?
What type of research methods will I use?
Does having a job and • If couples feel that hav-ing a job and children im-pacts the health of children, impact the health of a their mar-riage, i.e., do they experi-ence that their rela-tionship lacks marriage/ relationship? romance
• Want to know if couples acknowledge this as an issue in their relationship
• Qualitative • Quantitative
• Primary Research • Secondary Research
• Interview • Survey
How does it influence the relationship (Key areas/ key issues/challenges)?
• What are some of the areas that couples might feel stressed about which results in lowering of romance in the relationship. What areas do couples think they are?
• Want to know some of the key areas/ challenges that married couples in a job with kids might face or think cause the relationship to deteriorate
• Qualitative • Quantitative
• Primary Research • Secondary Research
• Interview • Survey
What are some of the consequences of the impact?
• What are some of the behavioral changes
• Qualitative • Quantitative
• Primary Research • Secondary Research
• Interview • Observation • Survey
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Affinitizing Survey Results
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Affinitizing Diagram
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Qualitative Survey Results
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Qualitative Survey Results
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Qualitative Survey Results
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Qualitative Survey Results
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Gottman Institute Business Model Canvas - Working Wall
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Cozi Business Model Canvas - Working Wall
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Working Wall
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Working Wall
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Working Wall
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5 E’s Product Development SUMMARY
Entice
Text goes here Wife/Mother
Enter
Engage
Easy to create profile
Easy sign up process
Heard from friends
Create profile with interests and dietary restriction
Location service knows where I live and events happening around here
Promise of creating more quality time with spouse
Safe and secure
Easy import calendars and contacts
Looking at the features
Activity Feeds
Syncs calendar with husband
Set up my spouse's profile
Husband/ Father
Wife introduces product
Promise of creating more quality time with spouse
Free
Branded like Google
Easy sign up process Easy import calendars and contacts
Looking Easy to around create the app profile Syncs with wife
Keep a list of special occasion
Can easily see options Set reminders on special occasion
Exit
Save nannies/ babysitters as Favorites
Save date activities ideas as Favorites
Share Favorites with husband
Remember the last babysitter I used (Saved as Favorites)
Sync'ed with OpenTable, Yelp, Trip Advisor etc.
Auto suggest things to do around town based on my availability and interest
Searches date activity ideas
Give reviews and rating of childcare
Searches childcare options
Creates a to-do list
Assign owner to tasks on to-do list
Puts content on caldendar
View sports activities available around town
See options for dates and activities
Give reviews and rating of childcare
Views a to-do list
Auto suggest things to do around town based on my availability and interest
Books a restaurant or event
Clock-in and clockout babysitting service
Extend
Remember the last task performed with the app
Signoff
Preferences are remembered
Offer incentives to loyal customers
Introduce new features
Reminders pushed to email and text messages
Referral bonus
Contact by customer support
Coupons and discounts on special events
Keep pushing activities of interest to him
Sync up with work calendar and to-dos
Introduce new features
Offer incentives to loyal customers
Reminders pushed to email and text messages
Reminders to book events/restaurant s for upcoming special occasion
Save credit card info to book/pay for childcare
Nanny
Granparent
Easy sign up process
Embedded with Android phones
Easy to connect with potential clients
It will only show few options vs. many
Easy sign up process
Branded like Google
Sync with Gmail
Multiple calendars at a glance
Accept jobs via app
Small service fee
Organize personal calendar as well as business
Read profile and instruction
Receive payment via app
Calculate distance and cost of gas
Auto suggest range of price based on demand
Information is secured
Privacy settings for personal calendar
Remember the last task performed with the app
Both personal and business usage
Upload certificates and documents
Easy sign up for low-tech users
Easy sync with family calendar
Privacy settings
Receive reminders / alerts via app or SMS
Shared calendar with family
Free to use
Predict what user needs based on content of email
Post for different activities
Get a summary of daily activities
Activity feeds
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Create profile
Give reviews and rating to parents
Get referrals and reviews from customers
Enable user to set availability for work flexible schedule
Reminders pushed to email and text messages
Reminders pushed to email and text messages
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Value Map Product Development Increase couple's time together by providing childcare options
Increase visibility of calendar whitespace to take advantage of Improve couple's relationship by scheduling couples events
Childcare arrangement and scheduling Comprehensive Calendar and List creator that syncs schedules and lists
Comprehensive todo lists and grocery lists in one location
Enhance childcare experience by understanding schedule
Gain Creators Create balance and mutual understanding between couples with synced calendars
Helping managing all the family's events / schedules
Invest more time in growing couple's relationship through more personal dates
Know how to improve his relationships
Finding Balance in her life
Fit
Avoid marriage/family problems by spending more time together
Avoid the anxiety of work and home related stress by balancing requirements
Eliminate pain of scheduling conflicts by merging calendars
Decrease stress of remembering the family's commitments by setting calendar reminders
Responsibility to keep the house in order
Too many demands on her time Not enough time to focus on work/career
Eliminate schedule surprises by having all calendars synced with reminders
Decrease the "out-ofcontrol" feeling by taking control of schedules, todos, and child care
DAD
MOM
Have improved relationship with husband
I want to make time alone with my wife a priority
A healthy, happy, satisfying marriage
Spend more time with her family
How can I show my wife that I care about her?
I try to think about planning things in advance, but I end up getting too busy and forget
Spend quality time with husband
I want to ease the burdens placed on my wife, take more responsibility
Managing the family schedule
Be supportive of husband and children
Find activities to do with her husband
Trust issues with childcare provider
Doesn't know what to do with quality time with wife
Dates are limited by budget and distance from home
No time to plan dates or quality time with his wife
Find safe, excellent childcare
Manage the children's schedule
Busy work and after work activities restrict leisure time
Pains
Invest time where it counts
Customer Job(s) Know and
Has to make an effort to spend time with husband
How can I create more romance in my marriage?
I try to stay positive and good natured, but I get worn out with my schedule
Responsibilities easily communicated and accomplished
No time for friends
Wants husbands attention
Support system to help her with kids
Efforts have an impact on child's success
Manage the control the household schedule
Keeping track of all the todos
No time for dating
No extended family nearby
More time for herself
Have deeper connection with husband
No opportunities for spontaneity
No enough quality time with husband
No backup plans for childcare
Overview of what's happening with kids when she's not there
Personal growth
Spend more quality time with husband
Respect of his wife and child and colleagues
Feeling like his marriage is thriving
Simple way to connect with his wife
Pain Relievers
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Gains
Invest time where it counts
A sense of fulfillment in her work and life
Feel valued and appreciated
If he could take over some of the scheduling of childcare and other things his wife has to do now.
Be known as a good father and loving husband
Increased time with his kids and more family vacations
Decrease the stress of child care by always knowing the schedule
Successfully manage family schedule
Spend more time with his wife
Increase couple's quality time with each other by scheduling entertainment and activities
On demand child care options
Products and Services Searches date activities and ideas based on user preferences and past usage
Increase efficiency of grocery shopping by compiling grocery list
Shared responsibilities of raising the children with husband
Work schedule is not sync'd up with his wife
Doesn't completely trust digital sources
Wants to be a good mom, wife, daughter & daughter in law
Manage to-dos Have healthy work/life balance
Feel in control of schedules
Quality time with wife is hard to come by Miscommunication
Not good at planning in advance things to do with his wife
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Good / Different Chart Product Development SUMMARY Text goes here Good, but Not Different
Good and Different I would be able to see multiple options for childcare and date activities
Good
It would be intuitive
I could store information in the cloud
It would be super simple and elegant
The technology would make my life easier
It would allow my husband and I to schedule entertainment that fits both of our busy schedules
Predict what user needs based on content of my email
Not Good and Not Different Easy sign on flow
Free to use
I would want it to be safe and secure
It would list top results
I could map out activities and determine what I want to do
I would be able to rate the childcare provider
I would access to my schedule anywhere
Use an algorithm to send me preferred information
It would store information on my kids for the childcare provider
Memorize my schedule and habits
Know my work and home schedule
It would have a personal assistant
Different but Not Good
It would update with new features regularly
Sync with Gmail
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Values
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Easy
Simple
Communicate clearly
Assist
Strong safety & security features
Intuitive
Fun
Friendly
Connected
Helpful
Enable
Team work
Ease of visibility
Elegant
Smart
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Not sure if we want to do two stories (mom and a nanny). I'm thinking not - John
Meet user 2
Should we include our value proposition somewhere?
Meet Jill. She is a full-time nanny. She would love to get more clients and income but she doesn't have a great way to let parents know about her services.
Slide or Scene 1
Slide or Scene 2
Slide or Scene 3
Slide or Scene 4
Reveal the product right up front.
IDEATION NOTES IN GREEN
Highlight what is unexpected about the topic
Slide or Scene 1 Strong societies are built on strong families, which originate from strong marriages It's time to make love a priority by putting the focus back on the married couple's relationship
Married couples are so busy they don't have enough time for each other.
Choose 1 approach to grab audiences attention from the start. Something new or unusual, could be emotional
Attention Grabber
The Syndeo app can ______
The Syndeo app can decrease the "out-ofcontrol" feeling by taking control of schedules, todos, and child care
Problem:
Slide or Scene 5
Tell about the problem through a story. Better if we have a real story.
Slide or Scene 6
Ideally we want to speak of people in different situations, but where each could benefit from the Syndeo solution.
Meet user 1
Problems made emotional
Meet Emily and David. Emily and David are busy parents. They both work full-time and are raising 3 kids. Emily and David would love to spend more quality time together, but they just can't seem to make it happen with their busy schedules. And when they finally do find the time, they face another obstacle of finding safe, trusted and available childcare.
The lack of quality time together has left Emily and David feeling distant in their marriage and hurt their relationship.
Slide or Scene 7 Discovering what Syndeo can do.
Do you make love...
Slide 1
Answer: Just one, with a little help from your smart phone 2
A priority?
3
4
Modern married couples with children are so caught up in their busy lives that they do not make time for each other. And when they finally do find the time, they have to deal with obstacles such as finding good childcare and coming up date ideas. We have something that can help.
Discovery
Then, a friend told Emily about Syndeo. Now Emily and David can sync their schedules on an easy-to-use calendar. They find open dates and together make a plan and schedule quality time.
Slide 2
5
Meet Syndeo, the app for married couples looking to spend quality time together.
Use footage of couple talking at table with kids in foreground.
VISUALS
Introductory slide
Couples easily plan dates from a list of suggested options based on their preferences. So the next time you need to pick a restaurant you're set.
video clip of user interface
Closing: testimonials: who supports your idea?
Milestones for the business?
Market Opp.
Revenue
Slide or Scene 13
Slide or Scene 12
Closing: milestones: what has been accomplished and what might be left to tackle?
Stats about marriages or productivity apps?
With the out-of-control feeling gone, Emily and David are enjoying their marriage and time together more. In fact they have two dates scheduled later this month.
Validation
Marketing Strategies
Slide or Scene 13 Revenue Streams, Customers, Key Partners
Business Model?
Closing: What's next?: How can the audience get involved or find out more?
Request funding?
Syndeo organizes your life so you can focus on what matters.
8
When mom and dad need to find a sitter, Syndeo does it in a snap. Safe, trusted and convenient childcare is available in their area. They can make contact, schedule and even pay.
Use app movies with restaurants
Need footage of Emily and David looking distant
Slide or Scene 11 If a statistic is too big to comprehend relate it to something familiar.
Use stats and relate them back to story.
Out-of-control feeling gone
7
Slide or Scene 10
Stats 9
Use concrete, specific details
Syndeo also provided a way for Emily and David to quickly and easily find safe, trusted and convenient childcare. That is an answer to one of Emily’s biggest concerns. Instead of going through her call list of friends and looking for a random teenage babysitter, Emily is able to do it all with Syndeo. She can find babysitters in the area, read reviews, see prices, make contact, schedule and pay.
6
(login) Syndeo offers an easy sign up process and flow. Users customize their profiles and preferences and can add their spouses.
How do you know when you have too much on your plate? How can you tell when you life has reached a tipping point?
Show how Syndeo helps the people in the stories reach their goals.
Discovery 2
1
How many languages do you need to communicate with the rest of the world?
Slide or Scene 8
Market opportunity...
(calendar syncing) Intuitively sync calendars to make more time so that couples can focus on what really matters, each other.
Use app movies with childcare
Use b.roll from first video and app movies
Is it when your busy schedule starts infringing on your marriage? Is it when work, school, or your children become your sole focus in life?
State the problem
Introduce the solution
Take the viewer through details of the App
Context to market Opp.
What do Kelly and Jill have in common? They have both let their busy schedules become the priority in their lives and have sacrificed their marriages
Validation
Their marriage has been restored and they are experiencing the "honeymoon" phase once again!
Syndeo organizes your life so you can focus on what matters.
Revenue Streams
End: Brand & Tagline
April 2017 Beta Launch with identified early adopters: xyz
2017
2018
It's time for them to refocus on their spouses and rekindle the flame in their marriage
Rethinking these June 2017
January 2018
Full launch
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GoJaneGo link: http://bit.ly/2lrgjtu
For married couples with children who desire quality time with each other, our application will decrease the “out-of-control” feeling by taking control of schedules, to-dos and childcare. We do this by building a mobile application that is free to use for busy on-the-go parents. Unlike other web and mobile apps such as Cozi and Google Calendar, our product aims to be Who are the go-to tool to help married couples manage their time, nd we? accessible childcare and opportunities to spend quality time together. Who are we? (Option 1) We are a mobile app for busy on-the-go parents who desire quality time with their spouses. We decrease the out of control feeling by taking control of schedules, to-dos and childcare.
Who are we? (Option 2) We are the go-to too to help busy married couples manage their time, find accessible childcare and (dating?) opportunities to spend quality time together
‘The go-to mobile app, for busy on the go parents, who desire quality time with their spouses’ DMGT 720 Winter 2017
Working well - The simplicity of the brand is working really well. It aligns nicely with your business values. Like how you described this in your process book - You do have an innovative product! You've done a good job of demonstrating an easy to use product that can have value in to your customers.
State the problem
Could use footage / still shots from previous video here try to include all the problems in a simple way if possible could also include a statistical infographic
Not too much emphasis crisp, to the point
Introduce the solution
Brand Id short line about what it is
1 slide
Take the viewer through details of the App
Context to market Opp.
Go through screens of how it works. What problems it solves. Keeping it crisp. Start from login - could use parts of previous video
Potential market size: couples, babysitters, restaurants people in the ecosystem
Who are we? Who are we? (Option 1) We are a mobile app for busy on-the-go parents who desire quality time with their spouses. We decrease the out of control feeling by taking control of schedules, to-dos and childcare.
(Option 2) We are the go-to too to help busy married couples manage their time, find accessible childcare and (dating?) opportunities to spend quality time together
Multiple slides
1 / 2 slides
- You video and process book is well formatted and organized. - The user experience also has a nice familiarity but softened through photography. This makes a very approachable product for a diverse set of users.
Validation
Validation from people who face specific pain points. This could also be a short video - showing interaction with product and feedback.
- Hood overall process in the aesthetics. Perhaps come up with a unique interaction style? Seems you are using industry practices, but a key tagline or interaction could help differentiate.
Revenue Streams
Crisp and worked out
1 slide
End: Brand & Tagline
Conclude - crisp and brief
1 slide
Video or multiple slides hitting on the personas we worked out: mom/ dad/ babysitter/ local restaurant. Could also be a google survey sent out.
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