Konnect
A mobile application to help international migrants settle in their new environment.
Product Experience
Problem Space
Problem Statement
How might we make a more accessible experience for International migrants to find community and familiar products/services in their new location so that they spend less time searching for the right information and do not have negative emotions?
Problem Background
This problem space research stemmed from my experience adapting to a new normal as an international migrant in the United States.
According to the International Organization for Migration, as of 2020, an estimated 3.6% (281 million) of the world's population lived outside the country where they were born. The United States has more international migrants than any other country in the world with 51 million migrants, while Europe and Asia regions host around 87 and 86 million international migrants respectively; representing 61% of the global international migrants stock.
When immigrants arrive in a new country, it takes some time to settle down, figure out the new system, and find products/services that they are familiar with. All of these can be overwhelming as change is never easy, especially in an unfamiliar environment. People have to do extensive research using methodologies like internet searches, social media, and recommendations to get answers to questions/doubts they have.
According to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, newly arrived migrants appear to be susceptible to developing depression, underlying the gap in existing social and cultural supports for recent migrants.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
Using one-on-one interviews and online surveys (google form) for the research, feedback was collected from persons who recently migrated to a new country. The questions were centered on migrants’ experiences when they arrived and factors that helped them settle in the new environment.
Supporting Data
The result of the user research helped to confirm the hypothesis that international migrants took longer to adapt to the new environment without the right community and resources.
In the research, 100% of the research participants stated that a community was essential to help them settle in the new environment. The community consisted of people who had shared interests or motivations, making it easier to connect with them. According to a recent migrant, “She chose her apartment because other students from her country recommended and also lived in the same apartment. Having people around was important to settling in”
Also, the research highlighted that 71% of the research participants experienced challenges finding food items or restaurants that sell food that they were familiar with in their home country. A recent migrant also stated, “Find out where to get my food was great”.
Overall, some of the words the research participants used to describe their experiences moving to a new country include “Jarring”, “Challenging”, “Daunting”, “Cultural shift”
Feedback
The preliminary user research validated that there are gaps in the social and cultural support for international migrants in the new environment. In addition, research participants stated they leverage multiple resources such as internet searches, referrals, and group chats to discover and find community and/or resources that they need to settle in the new environment
Landing on the Solution
Based on the target users’ pain points, it was identified that though international migrants might plan for their move, they still experience emotional shock when they move to the new environment. The proposed solution aims to easily connect people with shared interests, backgrounds, and stories so that they can build meaningful relationships and a community that serves as a resource for settling into the new environment and ensuring their psychological well-being.
Explanation of Solution
Konnect makes it easy to build a community by leveraging users’ current location and interest to recommend relevant content and resources, and other international migrants to help them settle in their new environment.
Future Steps
In the future, an additional problem to address is to provide a better job search experience for international migrants. Searching for a job using current job boards such as LinkedIn and Indeed is a tedious task for international migrants who have to go through each job description to check if the job sponsors internationals. I plan to do more research on the job search experience as getting a job is fundamental to the survival of international migrants in the new country
References
- Prevalence of Depression among Migrants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - PMC
- The World Migration Report 2020
- Interactive World Migration Report 2022
- Key facts about recent trends in global migration | Pew Research Center. .
- What is acceptance criteria? | Definition and Best Practices.
- About Maze | Trymaze.com
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Ade Babatope
Co.Lab was a very interesting experience for me because;
- As a Product Manager, I learned to dig deep into the problem without thinking about the solution. As a PM, it is easy to slip into forming a solution in our head while understanding the problem. Like the story of NASA which spent millions of dollars to develop a pen that worked in zero gravity, while the Russian space team simply used a pencil to write in space, it is imperative to understand the problem (problem space) before diving into solutions (solution space)
- My second learning is to remain customer-focused. Customers typically hire a product to perform a job because it solves a problem they are experiencing. If the product does not provide value/perform the job, then customers will not use the product. So, throughout my research, I kept iterating my scope and goals as I got more information from potential users
- Finally, I realized the value of building in public. Though it was initially daunting for me to publish my work and progress in public, the feedback and benefits I gained from the exercise have helped reshape my mind towards building in public. Going forward, I intend to continually publish my work, achievements, and even learnings to build my brand, gain credibility, and meet people with similar interests.
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.