CareLink
"A comprehensive, user-friendly platform transforming the Canadian daycare landscape with real-time, location-based services."
Product Experience
Problem Space
CareLink is designed to solve the critical issue of finding affordable, high-quality daycare in Canada, a challenge that has become more pronounced since 2020. The platform addresses the need for a centralized system that connects parents with reliable daycare providers.
Problem Statement
“How might we streamline the process of finding and booking daycare services for Canadian families, ensuring quality and convenience?”
Problem Background
The onset of the pandemic highlighted the deficiencies in the daycare system – lack of reliable information, absence of a unified platform for daycare discovery, and difficulties in verifying provider credentials. These challenges have had a significant impact on working parents' productivity and mental health.
Research Insights
Our extensive research, including surveys and interviews, revealed a glaring need for a service that offers not just listings but also insights into daycare quality, real-time availability, and user reviews. Customer personas like Alex Timberlake, a busy professional, and Sarah Smith, a single parent, represent our primary user base, each with unique requirements for daycare services.
Supporting Data
These personas underscore the diverse needs of our target audience, ranging from flexible hours to proximity to work or home. The data collected provides a comprehensive view of the existing market gaps and user expectations.
Feedback
Feedback from early users, including parents and daycare providers, has been instrumental in shaping the platform. It highlighted the desire for a more transparent, efficient, and user-friendly way to find and book daycare services.
Landing on the Solution
In response to these needs, CareLink offers a mobile app and optional web application. The service includes a robust search engine for daycare services, detailed provider profiles with credentials and real-time availability, and a user review system to ensure trust and transparency.
Explanation of Solution
By analyzing user scenarios, CareLink has been tailored to facilitate easy discovery of suitable daycare options. Whether it's finding a facility with specific amenities, like outdoor play areas, or ensuring flexible pickup and drop-off times, CareLink provides a comprehensive solution.
User Flows/Mockups
User flow designs and mockups have been meticulously crafted to ensure an intuitive and seamless experience. From initial search to booking and review, each step is user-friendly, addressing common pain points identified in our research.
https://www.canva.com/design/DAF0MzWxZVI/TVed0npLNI-VX7esTODpcA/view?mode=prototype
Future Steps
Future objectives include expanding the range of daycare services offered, incorporating additional features based on user feedback, and continuously enhancing the user interface. We are committed to evolving CareLink to meet the dynamic needs of Canadian families.
Images
The portfolio will feature high-resolution images and screenshots showcasing the CareLink interface, user testimonials, and real-life scenarios of the app in use.
https://www.canva.com/design/DAF0MzWxZVI/TVed0npLNI-VX7esTODpcA/view?mode=prototype
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
David Adediji
“The journey of developing CareLink has been a profound lesson in balancing user needs with technological innovation. It underscored the importance of empathy and thorough research in creating solutions that make a real difference in people’s lives.”
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.