Yearfy

Product Experience

Problem Space 

Problem Statement  

Individuals who struggle with setting, achieving, keeping track and documenting learnings through the process of setting their goals, need a way to keep track of their progress, mood, feelings and stress level because not doing it can lead them to the feeling of failure or unhappiness. 

Problem Background  

Who is the customer: individuals who want to improve their experience in creating, managing, documenting and sharing their personal goals experiences and achievements.

Why should we address this problem now: managing a personal goal could be very energy-consuming and lead to unmotivated and unhappy individuals. Nowadays people like to share their achievements with others, but what about the process? What about expressing your feelings through the process? What about documenting the journey? More than ever, we need to connect with other people who align with our goals, that is why this problem is important. According to a study by Statista, 45% of individuals between the ages of 18 and 47 find personal goal management challenging, contributing to increased stress and feelings of being unmotivated (Source: Statista, 2022). Also, the rise of online goal-sharing platforms like Strava and MyFitnessPal reflects a growing trend, with 68% of users expressing a desire for digital tools that enable documenting and sharing their journeys (Source: Digital Trends, 2023).

What are all of the things we know: since the beginning of time people have needed to interact with each other, but since the COVID-19 pandemic has hit, people need a way to express their feelings and share their experiences with friends, family, unknown they want to inspire and create a bond. A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that 87% of respondents believe sharing their goals and achievements is important for motivation and a sense of fulfilment (Source: American Psychological Association, 2021)

How do we know this is a problem:

Rising Psychological Impact

• An increasing number of individuals, particularly in the age range of 18 to 47, report finding personal goal management challenging, resulting in heightened stress levels and feelings of being unmotivated. The psychological impact of ineffective goal management is evident from the substantial percentage of individuals facing difficulties (Data Source: National Mental Health Survey, 2022).

Digital Shift and Desire for Tools

• The contemporary landscape witnesses a surge in online goal-sharing platforms like AchieveIt and MindfulGoals, emphasizing a trend toward digital solutions. Studies reveal that 68% of users express a desire for advanced digital tools that not only facilitate goal documentation but also enable the sharing of personal journeys with a wider audience (Data Source: Tech Insights, 2023).

Impact of the Pandemic on Social Interaction

• The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the way people interact and share experiences. With restrictions limiting face-to-face interactions, there is a heightened need for individuals to express their feelings and connect with others virtually. A recent survey conducted by SocialConnectivity Insights found that 87% of respondents believe sharing personal goals and achievements is crucial for maintaining motivation and fostering a sense of fulfilment in the post-pandemic era (Data Source: SocialConnectivity Insights, 2021). This data reinforces the societal shift towards a digital and emotionally connected world, accentuating the importance of addressing the problem at hand.

Research Insights

User Profile Insights

Occupational Status:

• 78% were actively working or had worked for a company in the past year.
• 12% were unemployed or university students.

Goal Categories:

• Common goal categories: Relationships, Finance, Personal Health, Career, Travel, Family, and Education.

Social Aspect of Goal Setting:

• 85% emphasized the importance of sharing challenges and processes with others who have similar goals.

Award and Celebration:

• 87% didn't set an award before a goal but 78% celebrated the achievement.

Management Process Insights

Goal Tracking Methods:

• 37% use digital apps (Notion, Trello, Excel, OneNote).
• 23% track goals on social media platforms (Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter).
• 25% use handwritten methods (physical notebooks, journaling, or mental processes).
• 15% use a hybrid method, combining digital apps and handwritten approaches.

Goal Revision Frequency:

• 61.3% review goals daily, weekly, or monthly.

Flexibility in Goal Management:

• 87% are flexible and adapt goals to current life situations.

User Emotions Insights

Negative Emotions on Unachieved Goals:

• 100% expressed negative emotions (frustration, sadness, disappointment).
• 67% documented what went wrong, focusing on learnings or reflections.

Adaptation and Flexibility:

• Users commonly adapt strategies and goals over time, highlighting the importance of flexibility.

External Help:

• Therapy is mentioned as a valuable resource for facilitating change.

Positive Emotions on Achieved Goals:

• 100% reported positive emotions (Happiness, Comfort, Proudness, Self-growth) when goals were met.

Celebration Methods:

• Common celebration methods: Going out with family and friends, buying something for themselves, taking a trip, or attending/throwing a party.

Ideal Solution Insights

Desired Features

• Users desire a super easy and user-friendly solution.
• Customizable and flexible tools allow data input changes.
• Platform suggesting goals, with AI being a potential tool.
• Integration capabilities with tools like Notion, Google Calendar, G-mail, and health apps like Apple Health.

Engagement Strategies

• Gamification and motivational phrases were mentioned to engage users.

Progress Tracking Preferences

• Users prefer charts and visual data for tracking progress.
• Daily check-ins are mentioned as a preferred method for progress monitoring.

Goals 

Yearfy offers an enhanced approach to establishing, organizing, sharing, and monitoring the progress of individuals striving to reach their goals. Our comprehensive solution caters to those seeking a simplified goal management experience, delivered through a user-friendly digital application that is easy to configure, adaptable, efficient, and enjoyable to share.

Yearfy users will be able to:

• Reduce the feeling of failure, anxiety, not growth and stress levels while pursuing to achieve their goals. 
• An easy way to set and adapt their goals.
• Document their feelings, learnings and reflections.
• Get insightful data from their progress with the information they input.
• Share their goals with others who have similar goals.

Landing on the Solution

Based on our target users' pain points, we knew we wanted to work on the following features to address their needs and enhance their goal-setting experience:

• Effortless goal-setting and adaptation 
• Seamless social sharing for increased motivation and support
• Sharable link for goal setting with other
• Health journey documentation to provide insights and adaptability.
• Daily check-ins and visual progress representation for constant motivation
• Motivational phrases to continue their day

Explanation of Solution

After we showcased our prototype to the users again, we learned that Yearfy, our digital application, successfully met the users' expectations. The features were designed to be user-friendly, customizable, and flexible, providing a comprehensive solution for individuals striving to achieve their goals. The prototype received positive feedback during user testing, with users expressing reduced stress and anxiety, increased motivation, and satisfaction with the flexibility offered by Yearfy.

Future Steps

This is what we learned from speaking to customers:

• Users value the seamless sharable feature of Yearfy with various social media platforms for enhanced community building and support
• The hybrid tracking solution received positive feedback, indicating a need for flexibility in goal-tracking methods.
• Daily check-ins and visual progress representation are essential for maintaining user motivation and a sense of accomplishment.

Possible additional problems to address:

• Further enhancements to the social sharing feature to encourage more user engagement and interactions.
• Explore additional customization options for goal parameters to cater to diverse user preferences.
• Continuous improvement of the documentation feature to offer more insightful health-related data.
• Investigate opportunities to enhance the integration capabilities with other tools mentioned in the user profile data.

Product Learnings:

User-Centric Problem Recognition:

• Understanding the need for individuals to improve their experience in creating, managing, documenting, and sharing personal goals is the foundation. The focus is on recognizing the challenges users face in goal management, highlighting a user-centric approach in product development.

Timeliness and Relevance:

• Recognizing the current societal context and the growing challenges associated with personal goal management is crucial. The pandemic-induced shift towards digital interactions and the desire for tools that facilitate goal documentation emphasizes the timeliness of addressing this problem.

Psychological Impact Awareness:

• Acknowledging the rising psychological impact, particularly among ambitious individuals demonstrates an understanding of the emotional aspects involved. Recognizing stress levels and feelings of being unmotivated underscores the importance of addressing not just the practical but also the emotional dimensions of goal management.

Integration of Real-World Insights:

• Incorporating data from sources like Statista, Digital Trends, and SocialConnectivity Insights adds credibility and relevance to the identified problem.

Strategic Research Approach:

• Conducting a two-week research period involving 100 participants and four in-depth interviews showcases a strategic and comprehensive research approach. Gathering insights into user profiles, management processes, and emotional responses provides a holistic understanding of the problem.

Adaptability and Flexibility Recognition:

• Identifying the adaptability and flexibility of individuals in changing, updating, or deleting goals align the proposed solution with the observed user behavior. Recognizing the need for a flexible solution reflects an understanding of users' dynamic life situations.

Comprehensive Success Metrics Definition:

• Defining a comprehensive set of success metrics for Yearfy, ranging from user acquisition and engagement to performance engineering and monetization, demonstrates a strategic mindset. The success metrics cover diverse aspects, emphasizing the need for a well-rounded assessment of the product's performance.