8A – Solving The Problem
The opportunity: Roommates not collaborating on cleaning
the house. Primarily, “common area” zones such as, but not limited to: the
kitchen, living room, laundry room, pantry, etc. My customers are University
of Florida students (any grade level) who are living with at least one
roommate.
Product
Idea:
Create
an app that would gather your general schedule, ask personality/behavior
questions to conceptualize the specific customer, and provide a work-and-reward
system based on the roommate(s) contribution. It would be a challenging concept
in theory, though the app would be a good resource for students because no one
wants to put in more work than necessary. The downside with this idea is that roommates
will start to go off track after about a month when schoolwork starts to get
serious. To perhaps counteract this, the app can create a shared budget for common
groceries such as paper towels, dish soap, etc.— but even then, no one can
really force you to buy things against their will (because then it starts
getting weird and only causes more tension). Further, the app would have to
somehow be aware of when the kitchen is a mess, and what defines a mess? I am
kind of stuck on the app idea because it can be interpreted in countless ways,
though please share what you feel might work! Could there be a way to actually involve University of Florida too?
When reading part one of your assignment I was not sure what a good product would be that would satisfy your opportunity. I like the idea of the app that collaborates everyone’s schedule along with their strengths and weaknesses. This is an idea that seems feasible. I would possibly include an aspect that would help incentivize people to use the app.
ReplyDeleteHi, there! I think your solution to this problem is unique and I really like the idea of it being presented in the form of a mobile app. I think this service could be seen as a contract among the roommates and the specific chores listed would be agreed upon before moving in. Maybe the app could send alerts on a set day or time to the person that is listed as the cleaner for that arranged date. It might not be adhered to, but at least it could help keep people accountable and if they were to fail keeping up their end of the deal, the other roommate would have verified support for their claims.
ReplyDeleteHi Evan,
ReplyDeleteYour idea has me so intrigued, for a lot of reasons. This opportunity that you've found has got to be one of the most commonly experienced issues in student living situations throughout Gainesville, be it off campus or on. Not only that, but were this product to be realized, it has so much potential to expand beyond the confines of just one city. There would be a use for this app everywhere there is a university, and even in places where there isn't one but in which people have shared living situations. I also really appreciate the potential the app itself has function-wise, which you allude to briefly. There is so much more than just the cleaning aspect of things that you could bring into the app and still have it feel like a comprehensive product.