Idea Napkin No. 2

1) Me

My name is Morgan Johnson and I am a second-year Journalism student the University of Florida. Some of my main skills include website writing, graphic design, and professional social media posting. One of my main goals in this world is to make a difference in some way. I am passionate about environmental issues and hope to one day become a communications specialist for an environmental nonprofit. However, I am also passionate about helping people with their stress. Being someone with clinical anxiety, I can definitely understand the pressure that school, work, and other commitments can have on one person. Because there is a surprising lack of services available to people with anxiety, I want to help people understand that they are not alone and there are ways to get better. My idea to create an app for people with anxiety would play into my life by providing me with an opportunity to educate society about this illness as well as help those who have this illness.

2) What am I offering to customers?

My anxiety-relieving app called MyCalm is designed to help those with anxiety manage their panic attacks and build strong connections that will ultimately help them though their illness. Once you open the app, there will be several options for the user, one of which is a 5 step calming process when one is having a panic attack. There is also a 24-hour help line for those who need a real person to talk to. The app also features nature scenes, classical music, and meditation techniques if one is feeling unusually anxious during that time. Game features allow the user to challenge their mind, which can be very therapeutic. The app also features a separate social media function that allows people to connect with others who have anxiety and build a support group. My biggest issue with my anxiety is that I feel like the people who are closest to me still don't fully understand anxiety and how to help. Therefore, I want to provide others with a chance to build supportive relationships through MyCalm.

3) Who am I offering it to?

I am offering this app not only to anyone who may have some kind of anxiety or depression disorder, but to anyone who feels as though their life is being ruled by the stress they bear. Everyone is expected to go to school, have a job, build a family, and worry about finances all the while being happy about it. This is not the reality, especially to those who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Even those customers who do not have this disorder still expressed to me that they would benefit from some kind of stress-relieving app. Essentially, this app is for everyone because everyone experiences stress in everyday life.

4) Why do they care?

Customers will pay to use my app because there really isn't another app out there with the same kind of services that I am providing. Anxiety is one of the most misunderstood mental illnesses out there, and because of that there has been a surprising lack of services available to people with anxiety who experience panic attacks. MyCalm provides this very opportunity to let people who have an anxiety disorder know that they aren't alone, and help is just a tap away.

5) What are my core competencies?

Even though there are a couple of apps out there that aim to help people relieve stress, MyCalm is created specifically for those who have been diagnosed with some kind of anxiety or depression disorder. No other app has a social media function that allows people with these illnesses to connect with others or a 5-step process that has proven to calm people down in the midst of a panic attack.

I think over all, these elements do fit together pretty well. Because of my background with having an anxiety disorder, I think I am able to connect with people about what they are experiencing. I also know that I can share my best tactics to manage my anxiety with others. Something I may need to work on, however, is expanding my app to cater to those who do not have an anxiety disorder. For example, I may want to include people who are just stressed in general. I can also expand it to include people who knows someone with an anxiety disorder, but may not know much about it and want to learn more. Other than this, I think my intentions and the effects on customers marry very well together because it will provide the assistance that people with anxiety need in order to manage their disorder.

Feedback Memo:
From my first Idea Napkin, over all I received pretty positive comments, so I really didn't change much in my second try. However, something that really stood out to me that I changed was to add a 24 hour help line for those who are really struggling and the 5 step process doesn't work. I really liked this idea because sometimes talking to a real person is the best therapy. 

I also decided to add games to the app because I have found that challenging my brain on a game during times of stress can distract me from my panic and calm me down in the process. 

After talking to customers, I also realized that I need to make my app applicable to anyone who experiences stress, not just people who have anxiety. Though I would essentially like to specifically target those with anxiety, I think expanding it to others would make my app more beneficial on a larger scale. In order to do this, I have changed the app so that when the user opens it, it doesn't automatically bring you through the 5 step process. Instead, it will bring up a menu page with the different options available to the user. I think this is more effective because if someone doesn't necessarily need the 5 step process, they can go straight to whatever function they need.