Grants:IEG/Play video games and learn new languages without realizing
Project idea
What is the problem you're trying to solve?
I'm glad to read it. I'm using Lean Startup too (Running Lean specifically) :) Top 3 problems: 1) It is hard to find fun video games to learn languages 2) Kids want to play games, but parents want them to study 3) Homework is usually boring
What is your solution?
Top 3 solutions (for the first Minimum Viable Product): 1) Create a serious game to learn Chinese language having real fun 2) Create a website that collects only fun language learning video games 3) Same as point 2 but gamificated in a simple way EXTRA: crowdfunding campaign
Project goals
The goal is that, attracted by money, a lot of professionals who previously create games about killing people move to create learning languages games (the killing people stuff is a kind of joke). I'm doing it alone. I hope to attract colleagues to join this project. Receiving this grant will motivate them to join the team for sure. Of course, money is helpful anyway.
Project plan
Activities
I'm following the book Running Lean book, step by step and thoughfully. Right now, I'm interviewing parents (face to face). The next step is to start developing one of the proposed MVP solutions (or a different one depending of the results of the interviews). Then, testing if I have build something people want (first microscale, second macroscale). Keep learning and improving according with my users and clients feedback...
Budget
Community engagement
Well, right now I'm on face to face interviews to parents. When the number of clients grow up, I'm planning to use a question and answer CMS to develop the most wanted features. Anyway, it is more interesting the following.
Pot of money to attract professionals. It consists in a kind of crowdfunding. Clients give money to a pot so the quantity of money of the pot increase. The money is not for me, it is for anybody who create a video game. Clients will decide who give their money to. The professionals know that they can get that money if they make a good learning languages games. After some time clients must distributed the accumulated money through their favourite games. If not, it will be given to an ONG. My Startup get a percent to survive anyway.
The pot system also can be my Unfair advantage. People overvalue what they have, and undervalue what they don't have (...) people struggle to overcome is the emotional attachment to money they've already spent[1]. If the clients have given their money for the pot, it is very hard they left for another website who has copied my idea.
Sustainability
I'm being flexible so it will depend on the result of the interviews. Right now, I'm not sure if I should build something to show parents or create a crowdfunding campaign.
If I get the grant, it will be easier that other people want to join the team. Also, I could contract other people. According with Running Lean, before I got a enough number of clients the team should have two or three people and cover development, design and marketing habilities. I'm stronger in development, so the other colleages should be stronger in marketing and design. Specifically, I love to have an expert of crowdfunding campaign if it is the path I have to follow.
Measures of success
Again, I'm following thoughtfully Running Lean. I will measure first qualitatively (microscale, seeing how the customers interact with the site), second quatitatively (macroscale, the conversion funnel: pirate metrics or a very similar one)
I'll know I'm done (ready to grow up quick) when I can:
- Retain 40% of the users
- Pass the Sean Ellis Test: 40% of the customers (or more) say they would feel "very disappointed" without the website.
Get involved
Participants
I'm on the project alone. My mentor is helping me a lot thought. Starting from the agile methodologies for software development I discover Lean Startup. I have been studying about this for doing this project. I wrote an introduction for my IT colleages (Spanish).
My experience and background in my portofolio: www.carloshelder.es and my linkedin profile.
Maybe, I can empathize that I'm an IT Engineer, and I have been a teacher of languages in China.
Community notification
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Endorsements
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- ↑ Neil Davidson, Don't Just Roll The Dice, Efendi Books, 2012.