reLocate Me
"reLocate Me" is a centralized and accessible platform designed to assist new immigrants, such as Sola, in their settlement process in Canada. This app aims to reduce potential barriers to successful integration into the new community by offering a platform to socialize with other newcomers in the area
Product Experience
Problem Space
Problem Statement
How might we create a centralized and accessible platform that offers new immigrants like Sola a platform to build social connections, in order to reduce potential barriers to successful integration into their new community?
Problem Background
Relocating to another country might seem like an excellent choice in terms of education and career prospects. However, from a social perspective, it could potentially be a challenging decision, particularly when it means leaving behind your entire family in your homeland and arriving in a new country without any familiar support system.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
Using Surveys and interviews, challenges in building social networks were diverse, with 30% facing cultural differences, 20% experiencing no significant difficulties, 10% feeling "othered," 15% encountering unspecified challenges, and 10% struggling with accent-related issues.
Supporting Data
The duration of residency in Canada varied among participants, showcasing diverse timelines since relocation. A majority, constituting 60%, had lived in the country for 0-3 years, while 15% had a residency spanning 3-5 years, another 15% for 8-10 years, and 10% for over a decade. Regarding the season of relocation, most respondents (50%) made their move during the winter, with 25% arriving in autumn/fall, 15% in spring, and 10% in the summer.
Feedback
Recommendations for a centralized platform included creating an information hub (20%), categorizing and providing access to resources (15%), having a directory with links to resources (10%), and emphasizing localization for a diverse user base (10%). However, 30% did not provide specific recommendations, and 15% did not mention any.
Future Steps
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Oluwaferanmi (Bola) Gbadamosi
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.