Cork
Cork discourages users from opening social media apps through physical device feedback.
Product Experience
Problem Space
Problem Statement
Social media users need a way to reduce their social media usage to break their compulsive usage.
Problem Background
Social media has become integral to modern lives for a few compelling and addictive reasons. Their ease of use and addictive nature have allowed social media to abuse our attention. Users lose time and energy to these platforms with no way to stop themselves from the next scroll except weary resolve.
I want to help users gain control of their SM usage with Cork by discouraging users from opening social media apps after they exceed their preset number of daily uses.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
User want to overcome compulsive social media usage.
Supporting Data
Through user surveys and interviews, we learned that 85% of users are dissatisfied and 85% of users would like to reduce their social media usage from a frequency of 10+ times per day, 15+ minutes each use.
Feedback
Users want to be discouraged from opening SM apps
Landing on the Solution
Users indicated that they are most likely to close a social media app due to changes in their physical environment. We want to make users aware of their actions as they open their social media app through physical stimuli so they can have a movement of realization and regain control over a compulsive action.
Explanation of Solution
At the time of setup, user will set the number of times they want to use social media apps in a day – the average from our research is 7 times per day.
After a user exceeds their set number of uses for the day, the next time user tries to open the social media app, their device will vibrate and flash its camera flash to let the user know they are performing an undesired action – to discourage them from performing that action.
Future Steps
Through Cork, I want to solve a problem that is progressively getting worse. I hope to keep working on this project and have an MVP ready by the end of January.
I hope to roll out the Alpha and test it with users, collect feedback and improve the product, eventually roll out the Beta.
Images
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Ankit Ranjan
Co.Lab’s PM program encouraged me to think deeply about user issues through the JTBD framework. This gave me a structured approach to problem solving and got hands-on experience with one of the most important aspects of product management – understanding the problem.
I will continue thinking about building solutions and hope to keep sharpening my problem-solving abilities.
Designer Learnings:
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
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Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.