LactoLink
LactoLink is an app that connects new or experienced mothers to lactation consultants and other healthcare professionals that can assist in their breastfeeding journey.
Problem Space
Problem Statement
“Mother’s need a better way to easily locate breastfeeding support.”
Problem Background
New and experienced mothers often face challenges when breastfeeding, and finding professional support can be difficult and time-consuming. Breast Milk is regarded by health professionals as the most nutritious food source for an infant, however, the CDC reports that 60% of mothers do not breastfeed for as long as they intend to due to various reasons but believing they do not produce enough milk is the most common reason. It is recommended by the World Health Organization that infants be exclusively breastfed for at least the first 6 months of life for optimal nutrition and a reduced chance of childhood illnesses occurring.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
10 surveys and user interviews were conducted in research efforts.
Supporting Data
90% of mothers stated that they had been told by their child’s pediatrician that they did not produce enough milk and 100% did not know how to seek help from a Lactation Consultant after leaving the hospital. Only 20% stated that their child was exclusively breastfed the first 6 months of life.
Landing on the Solution
Based on our target users’ pain points LactoLink will include the following features:
• Easily locating lactation consultants and other health professionals.
• Social engagement with peers.
• Family support for breastfeeding.
• Accurate published information on breastfeeding.
Explanation of Solution
• Users will be able to locate Lactation Consultants, Therapists, Doulas & Nutritionists based on their location and know whether these providers accept their health insurance plans, self-payment, or provide free services based on income.
•Engage with other mothers through a community forum.
•Family support will also be encouraged through the ability to share feeding plans with caretakers.
•Users can locate accurate published breastfeeding information supported by trained and licensed Lactation Consultants and government health agencies.
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Chasity Baker
- Focus on your problem BEFORE you focus on solutions.
- How to conduct user research and form user stories.
- Ensure that your product features make sense based on your problem statement.
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.