Problem Space
Consistency is a key issue for writers who are writing long-form content online. We’re aiming to build an application that rewards consistent writing habits, helping writers meet their word-count writing goals and produce content on a continuous basis.
Our target demographic is writers who focus on long-form content (fictional or non-fictional) and write using a laptop/computer, who often find they are encountering writer’s block. Writer’s block is a phenomenon wherein a writer will become overwhelmed or stuck in the writing process and are unable to produce more written content. This affliction is particularly frustrating because the desire to write is there, but losing the struggle to overcome this block can end a writing career.
With the ease of writing online and the internet being widely available, writing is now more accessible than ever, and there is a growing demand for written online content (with the popularity of apps such as Wattpad, Radish, Goodnovel etc).
Research Insights
From our research
- Most writers (over 50%) experience writer's block occasionally or more.
- 67% of writers had sporadic habits
- 44% cited perfectionism as a cause for writer’s block
- 44% of respondents in this research say they want to write daily, but only 22% are writing daily.
- 78% say that sticking to a schedule is the most frustrating part of the writing process
- Distractions were the second most cited reason for writer’s block
Landing on a solution
This focus on minimizing distraction and forgoing perfectionism to overcome writer’s block is the main foundation for this product. Within an in-person writing group, the PM had previously participated in 3 20 minutes blocks of sustained writing where the entire group focused on just writing as much as possible in that timeframe, and found this to be a very effective way to produce more content. Translating this pomodoro technique into the digital space means that writers won’t need to physically attend such writing groups, and still increase their productivity.
Lofi’s and Hifi’s
Lofis
Hi Fi
Design Learnings
Team 6's Stream encountered a dynamic and complex design challenge, characterized by frequent modifications in response to descoping, feature re-prioritization, and shifting brand identities. This experience underscored the importance of adaptive thinking in the design process. For me, this involved minimizing distractions and simplifying the user experience by streamlining features such as the share feature or removing features such as the reset sprint feature to enhance usability. Furthermore, I focused on aligning the color choices with the intended product purpose and rebranding the product name to improve its visual design. Overall, this experience highlights the value of flexibility, responsiveness, and innovation which allowed for a product that directly aligns with business goals and user needs.
Implementation details
Tech stack
ReactJS, Tailwind CSS
Current design
We have tried to replicate the wireframes and develop the application as close as possible to the mockup designs. We have made use of React which follows Component-Based Architecture allowing us to build reusable UI Components making the code modular, maintainable, and easy to understand. For managing the state of the application, we have made use of React’s inbuilt state management system, viz ‘useState’ hook. We have also made use of Tailwind CSS which is a CSS framework facilitating utility-first approach, customization options, responsive design capabilities, consistency in design, smaller file size and JavaScript integration has helped us to enhance our development experience. As of now, all of the data is managed within the frontend since we are not storing anything on the backend. There are two routes in the application, ‘/’ route which is the landing page for the application and ‘/new’ route which is the sprint page for the application.
Future steps
Currently the web application focuses on only the guest/non-logged in user experience. As a future scope, we would like to work on the logged in experience and build on phase 2 and 3 of the product, and make it a Full Stack web application (as of now its just a frontend project). As a future scope, we would also be focussing on cross-platform compatibility, to develop the product for the mobile and desktop experience.
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Gabriela Bzorek
The main thing I learned during this bootcamp is the importance of context always being present. Whenever a meeting is set, ensuring that everyone has a clear understanding for what this meeting will encompass is important. If a decision is made, making sure that all stakeholders understand why the decision was made and why we chose to forgo another action ensures that we’re consistently moving forward and staying on track. And also, understanding that we’re all coming from different perspectives and contexts within our meetings. Great learning to have, and I feel like I’ve very much improved my ability to work within a team dynamic.
Designer Learnings:
Lydia-Rose Aigbedion
The three main things I learned at co.lab are the importance of teamwork to project success, how feedback can direct designers out of ambiguity, and how to continually adapt designs. Typically, I have worked on projects alone, so being on a team was a new and exciting experience. In addition, the feedback from my teammates played a large part in building and guiding our product to what it is today. Finally, being able to go through this iterative process was amazing as I was able to challenge my ability to be flexible and adaptive as a designer. Overall, I enjoyed my experience and learned so much about working with pms and developers.
Developer Learnings:
Hitesh Kowdiki
The main thing I learned during the bootcamp is working and collaborating in a diverse team across various time zones. This exposed me to different ideas from various perspectives as well as different approaches to solve the same problem. Another takeaway from this bootcamp is effectively communicating your requirements and concerns related to the product, which ultimately evolved into a better product with proper communication and brainstorming. Also having another developer is invaluable with their respective expertise that they bring on the table and help with dividing the tasks to complete it in the given time frame.
Developers Learnings:
Monika
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My major takeaway from the bootcamp has been collaboration in a cross-functional and diverse team which has led me to develop a range of skills and perspectives like exposure to different viewpoints, working in a diverse team has exposed me to different ideas and approaches to problem-solving. This has helped me to broaden my thinking and challenge my assumptions, leading to more creative solutions.When working with people from different cultures or backgrounds, I got to develop a greater understanding of their experiences and perspectives. This has led to an increase in empathy and helped me to better connect with people from different walks of life leading to improved teamwork and accountability.