FOR: (OLDER TEENS 16-19 years old) WHO: (are trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be) IN A: (digital/IRL service) THAT (connects teens to youth programs and mentors based on their interests) UNLIKE (teen programs, life-coaches, mentors, older siblings, friends/peers and parents) THE PRODUCT/SERVICE (reflects on ones identity and provides different areas to explore)
ENTICE: Typically a student needs community service hours to graduate from high school and they are constantly worried about getting into a good college and so my service can be directly tied to meeting those credits. as well as something to put on their resume and help begin to build their network. It thus it can be promoted through school or through the program partners.
ENTER: Taking a "TINDER/WANELO" style quiz, where you swipe left (disagree) or right (agree) on words, statements, images (maybe gifs?), the service begins to collect data on user's personality/interests in an informal and playful manner.
ENGAGE: Based on one's profile and then one's location and time availability the service recommends 3 IRL workshops/programs for them to participate in. One of them is completely random, another is slightly related to their interests, and the last one would be directly in line with their character. Thus this idea of "trying on different hats" or roles, through trial and error. To learn and begin to understand more about themselves and unpack questions like:
What are the things I love to do?
When do I feel most myself?
EXIT: After completing the IRL activity, users would "win" and accumulate different hats for their avatar as a sign of growth and accomplishments. Seeing their interests grow across a period of time by being open to different opportunities. And seeing themselves change.
EXTEND: Seeing different paths and journeys of others through the timeline. That there are unbeaten or less traveled paths that people can take. Discovering that "what you love could be what you do" (as a career, job, etc) and that might not be in the conventional sense. It's learning by doing. Power users can become mentors and talk about their experience and field any questions or concerns of a new user. One becomes an expert on many different subject matters.
WHAT CAN YOU LEAVE OUT?: Everyone tells you to be yourself, to love yourself, and answering the question 'who are you?' is impossible. Self-actualization is hard to measure. So I am going to let go and leave out that my solution will solve for that. It's an undertaking that is set up to fail.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR NEXT PROTOTYPE TO ACHIEVE?: My next steps to further this prototype is to test out the actual questions. What are the type of questions that will really get at one's character. What do I understand about the user after they answer all the questions. How does the recommendation system work?
