BUILDER.IN
PROCESS BOOK GROUP 1 (ANNA CALDERON, CHARESE ALLEN, MARYBETH CAMPEAU, SUSAN BERNARD) | DMGT 720 | SPRING 2013
CONTENTS
3.... 3.... 3....
Introduction Detailed Findings Mission Statement
4.... 6.... 7.... 7.... 9.... 9.... 9.... 10.... 12.... 15.... 38.... 39.... 40.... 41.... 42....
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Part 1: Research Project Challenges Competitors Overview Competitor Analysis Network Overview Network Goals Building Social Network Project Challenges
48.... 50.... 50.... 50.... 50.... 51.... 52.... 54.... 56.... 58.... 62....
Part 3: Business Development Creative Brief Five Questions Onliness Statement Value Proposition SWOT Analysis Business Model Canvases for Competitors (Climbfind) Business Model Canvases for Competitors (Boulder Problems) Business Model Canvas for Builder.In ZAG Steps ABC-Q Presentation
Part 2: Users Demographics Profiles of persons interviewed User Group Personas: Climbers User Group Personas: Promoters User Group Personas: Trainers User Group Personas: Non-Participatory Enthusiasts Empathy Maps
68.... 70.... 71.... 72.... 73.... 74.... 76.... 78....
Part 4: Brand Development Network Activity: Description of Touch Points Journey Mapping: Climbers Journey Mapping: Promoters Journey Mapping: Trainers Journey Mapping: Non-Participatory Enthusiasts Prototyping: Presentation Prototyping: Sketches & Mockups
84....
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION Detailed Findings While most people are familiar with rock climbing, there is a new trend called “Urban Climbing” or “Buildering”. Climbers who are stuck in cities have started climbing the sides of buildings and other man-made structures to create the urban equivalents of “boulder problems”. Rock climbers use various social networks to communicate with each other. Many sponsored and unsponsored climbers have personal blogs documenting their experiences. Three websites are most used for social networking in the rock climbing category:
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Climbfind.com Cragnotes.com Boulderproblems.com
The niche sport of buildering is a “white space” for us to explore. A social network could serve a function in an urban capacity in the way that other sites serve for natural or indoor rock climbers. Users would be able to sign in, photo document a bouldering problem, give it a name and a difficulty ranking, have an option for posting videos, and comment on their climbs. A map function that will allow the member to see potential climbs in your area, show how many people have done them successfully, provide tips etc. Users would have their successful climbs listed on their profile page, building credibility for the most frequent users.
Mission Statement This Urban Climbing Social Network will provide an engaging forum for new and experienced climbers to share their experiences with buildering, connect with other climbers, and discover new places to climb. The buildering social resource will establish a groundwork for the largely underground urban climbing movement to expand and discover new places to climb. The building social resource will establish a groundwork for the largely underground urban climbing movement to expand and gamer legitamacy. They social network will be a platform for shared climbing-related information, and it will encourage climbers to seek permissions and training before climbing.
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PART
ONE
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RESEARCH 5
RESEARCH Project Challenges
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How can we make it work ?
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How will we fund the online presence ?
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How do we identify legal issues regarding climbing in public places?
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How do we integrate a map function into our site ?
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How do we provide a forum for training new climbers ?
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How do we stay current, new, and interesting ?
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How do we integrate this with other social media platforms, like Facebook (as an app) ?
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How do we get the first wave of builderers to post information ?
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How do we reach our audience through marketing ?
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How do we encourage climbers to seek permission to climb on private property ?
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If a climber posts information and pictures on a climb that he/she hasn’t obtained permission to climb that he/she hasn’t obtained permission to climb, how do we regulate it ?
Can we do this in nine weeks ?
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Competitors Overview After conducting preliminary research on the available social networks, we have found minimal overlap in objectives and execution. There are sites, such as buildering.net, that provide a forum for users to share videos, photos, and comments about their adventures of others. Other networks like ClimbFind allow users to find climbing partners and local climbing opportunities. These networks have features and objectives that overlap with our network. However, the opportunity exists for an all-inclusive network that encompasses these features and introduces others to encourage social interaction. Our network intends to fill this gap for a buildering social network.
Competitor Analysis We have not identified any social networks as direct competitors; however, we have identified the following social networks as indirect competitors: Climbfind.com, CragNotes.com, and BoulderProblems.com. We have classified them as indirect competitors after analyzing the objectives, approach, membership, and homepage of each, finding that they have similar frameworks for the braoder athletic endeavor of rock climbing, both indoors and outdoors. CragNotes was identified as a way to keep up with fellow climbers. Users have the ability to build their social network of climbing partners and share notes on climbs, letting people know that you stay up to date on your climbing plans. Climbers let other climbers know where they are headed so that they can meet up at the designated location. ClimbFind was identified as the most popular rock climbing social network, with active members in the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Australia, Germany, and others. Climbfind helps users find indoor and outdoor climbing partners, and it allows you to become familiar with other climbers who frequent the same climbing areas as you. Climbing history is recorded in your Logbook, and the platform suggests climbers to a user based upon information entered into the Logbook. BoulderProblems allows for the most social integration of our three indirect competitors. It allows you to record your climbs, track your bouldering projects (climbs that you’re still attempting), and follow your friends. It helps you visualize your climbing history by date or difficulty through charts and graphs. Interestingly, it allows you to import your tick list of climbs from other major apps. Finally, it allows easy Facebook Timeline integration and publishes your climbs there.
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RESEARCH Allows for social interaction Sports Buddies
ClimbFind Idealist
VolunteerMatch
Infrequent
Habitual Task Rabbit All for good
Urban Climb
United we serve Fixr
Get involved Assured Labor
Information - sharing
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Network Overview Users create profiles with their Buildering accomplishments, along with videos and pictures of their adventures. Other users have the ability to comment on the photo and videos, as well s build connections with other climbers. Real-time social interaction is possible through chats and forums, differentiating the network from competitors. The network taps into the wealth of knowledge of users, allowing them to share locations, tips, and details of climbs. Consistent user input and an ever-expanding user base contribute to the sustainability of the network.
Network Goals •
An easy access, one-stop shop for user groups available at any time through multiple devices
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Create a sustainable platform that is conductive to knowledge sharing and networking
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Create a platform that is fun and meaningful
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Increase awareness of Buildering amoung non-users
Buildering Social Network Project Challenges •
How can we create a secure network for sharing of often-illegal activities ?
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How can we make the network all-inclusive, yet user friendly ?
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How to effectively build an online presence ?
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How to increase visibility and interaction amoung non-participatory enthusiasts ?
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PART TWO
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USERS 11
USERS Demographics AVERAGE INCOME: AVERAGE AGE: PERCENT MALE: GENERAL DESCRIPTORS:
$70,985 24 79 % Men, Active Lifestyles, Sports Fans
Based on Urban Climber Magazine, which is the only climbing magazine able to offer advertisers and marketers a key demographic - the youth market is the largest and fastest growing segment of the climbing population. OCCUPATION OR INDUSTRY: Climbing enthusiasts (Students, Stunt persons, Activists, photographers) Promoters (Building owners or Read Estate Developers Non-participatory Enthusiasts Sports Trainers CURRENT COMMUNICATION METHODS: Word of mouth, magazines, other social networks, existing networking strategies and Industry STANDARDS FOR INFORMATION NEEDS: A forum for users to share videos, photos, and comments about their adventures as well as findings for climbing opportunities. Ability to visualize history of climbs by date or difficulty using charts and graphs. Allows for import of a checklist of climbs from other apps as well as Facebook timeline integration, publishing climbs so that others can comment.
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USERS
Profiles of Persons Interviewed
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Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Ben Tsui 25 Atlanta, GA Works part time in a medical office Climbing, music, photography and gymnastics
Connections: Notes:
Friends with John and Brion Loves climbing, just graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age, job, hobbies, place of residence, etc). My name is Ben Tsui, and I am 25 years old. I recently graduated from Georgia Tech with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. I like to play music (guitar) and climb. I live in Atlanta, GA, but I’m in Chattanooga visiting my family. Is climbing usually a social or solo activity for you? Is this something you would like to change? It’s definitely a social activity. What online social networks are you currently involved in and why? Is there anything you would like to see that is currently not offered through these? I’m on Facebook and I use Last.FM. I use Twitter infrequently. I post climbing photos on Facbook. How do you normally share your climbing experiences with others (verbal, photos, videos, blogs, etc)? Photo, mostly. Verbal with my climbing friends. I like to take videos, but I rarely get around to editing them into something I could present to others. A lot of other people make videos and set them to music, and those are posted to Facebook or to personal blogs. I like to check where I’m about to climb by searching the name of a boulder problem on YouTube to see if I can learn from others. Sometimes I can find them, and sometimes not. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues (indoor and outdoor)? Word of mouth.
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USERS Ben Tsui Interview, cont’d What publications or websites do you read that relate to climbing? Climbing Magazine (print and online), blogs of friends, www.seclimbers.org Who would you consider to be the most influential climbers? Jimmy Webb is my favorite climber, and I’m always happy to run into him. How familiar are you with buildering? (or What do you know about buildering?) I’m familiar with it, and I know a few people who do it. I’ve done it a few times. Who or what influenced you to climb buildings? I was at a climbing gym in Atlanta and ran into some guys who said that they did it around Atlanta. I joined them a few times. What is the most dangerous urban climb you’ve had so far? Were you injured? Arrested? I’ve never done anything too dangerous, and I always made sure that it was in a secluded area. Do you seek permission when you climb buildings or in other urban spaces? No Were you a sports enthusiast prior to urban climbing? If so, what sports were of interest to you and which ones did you actually do? I was a gymnast, and I also did Karate as a child. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues? Tagging along with more experienced friends.
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Ben Tsui Interview, cont’d How would you rate your skill level as an urban climber? What would give you satisfaction as you moved ahead (what rating system would work for you)? If you’re good at bouldering on rock. you’ll be good at bouldering on buildings. It would be nice if there was an official rating system, but I think most people just use the Hueco “V” grades, like they do for regular bouldering. If you climb for a while, the ranking system makes total sense—there’s not a reason to change that. What do you take with you when you go rock climbing/urban climbing and why? Chalk bag, climbing shoes. When I climb on regular rock, I bring a crash pad, but that’s too unwieldy to bring while walking around a city.
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USERS Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Brion Voges 26 Knoxville, Tennessee Works at a pharmacy Climbing, blogging, and photography
Connections: Notes:
Friends with John and Ben Likes to set outdoor boulder problems
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age, job, hobbies, place of residence, etc). My name is Brion Voges. I just turned 26. I was married last year, and I just got a job at a pharmacy. I went to University of Tennessee at Knoxville, mostly because of the access to great outdoor climbing. Is climbing usually a social or solo activity for you? Is this something you would like to change? I like to go with friends, but sometimes I’ll go alone. I’ll go alone when I’m working on a project—like getting an outdoor boulder ready to climb. That’s pretty boring for other people—I take alone a toothbrush and a rope, and I’ll clean out the holds. I work on pretty hard projects, and after I get them ready, I spend a lot of time making the first ascent and then naming it. What online social networks are you currently involved in and why? Is there anything you would like to see that is currently not offered through these? I’m on Facebook, but Facebook is stupid. I have a blog where I record in journal-form my climbing adventures, and it actually gets a lot of hits. How do you normally share your climbing experiences with others (verbal, photos, videos, blogs, etc)? I’ll talk with my friends, and I take a lot of pictures. My friends take videos and I’ll edit them.
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Brian Voges Interview, cont’d What methods do you use to find new climbing venues (indoor and outdoor)? Talking with other people at boulder fields. What publications or websites do you read that relate to climbing? I read a lot of blogs. Who would you consider to be the most influential climbers? Sharma’s obviously the best climber in the world, but I think he’s overrated. Daniel Woods is really cool. How familiar are you with buildering? (or What do you know about buildering?) I know about it, but I’m not an expert. I’d rather by outside in the woods. Who or what influenced you to climb buildings? Friends. What is the most dangerous urban climb you’ve had so far? Were you injured? Arrested? I haven’t done anything dangerous. Not to brag, but I’m a pretty good climber. I wouldn’t risk getting injured climbing a dumb building. Do you seek permission when you climb buildings or in other urban spaces? No, you have to do it when no one is watching. Were you a sports enthusiast prior to urban climbing? If so, what sports were of interest to you and which ones did you actually do? I played baseball as a kid. I like Ultimate Frisbee, but climbing’s more my speed. My wife is a yoga instructor, so I’m learning more about that.
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USERS Brian Voges Interview, cont’d What methods do you use to find new climbing venues? Just talking to people and looking at their picture albums on Facebook or blogs. How would you rate your skill level as an urban climber? What would give you satisfaction as you moved ahead (what rating system would work for you)? I’m a good boulder, so when I tried it, I was a good climber. What do you take with you when you go rock climbing/urban climbing and why? Outdoors, woods: toothbrush (for cleaning), chalk bag, extra chalk, crash pad, climbing shoes Buildering: Climbing shoes and maybe chalk.
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Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
John Gass 24 Charlotte, NC Works as a sandwich artist at Subway Climbing, Videography
Connections: Notes:
Friends with Ben and Brion Travels with friends to make climbing videos, well connected online
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age, job, hobbies, place of residence, etc). John Gass, 24. Hobbies: climbing. Charlotte, NC. In town visiting friends. I grew up here. Is climbing usually a social or solo activity for you? Is this something you would like to change? It’s always social. I don’t want to change that. What online social networks are you currently involved in and why? Is there anything you would like to see that is currently not offered through these? I’m on Blogspot, and I post my videos on iClimb and Vimeo. YouTube isn’t good enough quality. How do you normally share your climbing experiences with others (verbal, photos, videos, blogs, etc)? I actually make a lot of videos. My friends all take pictures, but I’d rather share with video. I just got back from Colorado from doing alpine bouldering. I was filming with my friend Ivelin Penchev—it’s posted online as “Alpine Fever.” What methods do you use to find new climbing venues (indoor and outdoor)? Talking with other climbers. What publications or websites do you read that relate to climbing? There are so many websites: lovechclimbing, iClimb, rockclimbing.com, videoclimb, climbing.com, inspiredclimbing.com, climbingnarc.com. I even have a pinterest page about climbing, but I don’t like to tell my friends that because it looks weak.
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USERS John Gass Interview, cont’d Who would you consider to be the most influential climbers? My buddy Jimmy Webb is the best boulderer that I know personally. I love how Dmitry Sharafutdinov climbs. How familiar are you with buildering? (or What do you know about buildering?) I’m familiar with buildering, mostly because when I’m in big cities, I want to go climbing and I think that indoor climbing gyms are too crowded and I want to be outside. Who or what influenced you to climb buildings? Boredom with indoor gyms. Too many yuppies. What is the most dangerous urban climb you’ve had so far? Were you injured? Arrested? I was in Charlotte with some buddies, and we tried to climb all the way up a 3-story building. There was some chimney-ing ing involved (feet on one wall and leaning back with my back on another wall, shuffling up), and it was a little scary because the two walls were farther apart. When I finally got to the roof, my back was scraped up a little. Do you seek permission when you climb buildings or in other urban spaces? No Were you a sports enthusiast prior to urban climbing? If so, what sports were of interest to you and which ones did you actually do? I played Ultimate in college. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues? Checking out where my friends climb. How would you rate your skill level as an urban climber? What would give you satisfaction as you moved ahead (what rating system would work for you)? I was alright, but I prefer climbing outside more. The V system works just fine. What do you take with you when you go rock climbing/urban climbing and why? Camera, shoes, and some chalk. Crash pads are too expensive and my friends usually bring those along
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Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Rachel Williams 21 Greensboro,NC Full-time Student, Associate at Outdoor Adventures Outdoor sports an biology
Connections: Notes:
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin Hates traditional sports
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age, job, hobbies, place of residence, etc). I’m Rachel. I’m 21 years old, from Saxapahaw, NC and an environmental biology major. Is climbing usually a social or solo activity for you? Is this something you would like to change? For me it’s always a group because it’s easier logistically to have partners for belaying, for climbing and backup in case someone needs to run and get an ambulance. I climb with friends I’ve met through working at Outdoor Adventures. I didn’t know anybody who climbed before that. What online social networks are you currently involved in and why? Is there anything you would like to see that is currently not offered through these? Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Does LinkedIn count? That too. How do you normally share your climbing experiences with others (verbal, photos, videos, blogs, etc)? I love taking photos… if I don’t take a photo of it, to me it doesn’t exist. I won’t remember it. I love videos and photos. A lot of people just go out and climb, but I like photographing what people are doing. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues (indoor and outdoor)? My friend Jenn or the other people I work with… by word of mouth.
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USERS Rachel Williams Interview, cont’d What publications or websites do you read that relate to climbing? There aren’t any things that I read consistently. I may check out an interesting article or something like that though, but nothing on a consistent basis. How familiar are you with buildering? (or What do you know about buildering?) Like Parkour? I’ve never even heard of that. Who or what influenced you to climb buildings? I had never done it before coming to Greensboro, then they had this amazing wall and I hate traditional sports. So I tried rock climbing as exercise and it just kind of clicked. What is the most dangerous urban climb you’ve had so far? Were you injured? Arrested? Highest climb has been about 60 feet at Pilot Mountain. Were you a sports enthusiast prior to urban climbing? If so, what sports were of interest to you and which ones did you actually do? Now I do rock climbing, sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking, whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, all kinds of things. What do you take with you when you go rock climbing/urban climbing and why? I take chalk, shoes, rope and my camera. Like I said, I like to take a lot of pictures so that I can remember the climb.
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Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Brandon Jones 20 Greensboro,NC Full-time Student, Associate at Outdoor Adventures Loves travelling and the outdoors
Connections: Notes:
Facebook Has had exposure to urban climbing in Germany
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age, job, hobbies, place of residence, etc). Brandon – 20 years old, from Greensboro, NC, German major Is climbing usually a social or solo activity for you? Is this something you would like to change? Usually I bring a couple friends out there to go climbing. These are people I met through climbing and Outdoor Adventures. What online social networks are you currently involved in and why? Is there anything you would like to see that is currently not offered through these? I’m not that into social networks, but Facebook if anything. How do you normally share your climbing experiences with others (verbal, photos, videos, blogs, etc)? I don’t take too many photos, but I talk to people all the time about climbing and working at outdoor adventures. It’s all I talk about because it’s not something you do every day and I love my job. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues (indoor and outdoor)? Word of mouth… hearing about other cool places to try or tagging along with friends.
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USERS Brandon Jones Interview, cont’d What publications or websites do you read that relate to climbing? There aren’t any things that I read consistently. I may check out an interesting article or something like that though, but nothing on a consistent basis. How familiar are you with buildering? (or What do you know about buildering?) I’ve seen it on the internet before. It looks pretty cool... like the way they have the overpasses with rock holds put in that. I don’t know anywhere around here to do it. There’s this place I was at in Germany that had it, but it cost money so I didn’t do it. Who or what influenced you to climb? I actually hated heights before I started working at Outdoor Adventures, then I started working at the wall and I got over it. Now I rock climb a lot. I just had to get up there and not be a scaredy-cat I guess. I’m up there so much changing routes and stuff that I had to get over it. I can’t operate a wrench while I’m shaking. What is the most dangerous urban climb you’ve had so far? Were you injured? Arrested? When we all went to Pilot Mountain, about 60 feet high. Were you a sports enthusiast prior to urban climbing? If so, what sports were of interest to you and which ones did you actually do? At Outdoor Adventures we do rock climbing, sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking, whitewater rafting, biking, hiking, pretty much everything. What do you take with you when you go rock climbing/urban climbing and why? I always take a chalk bag, lots of rope… I think that’s pretty much it. And friends of course.
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Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Randy Wild 52 Maryland Computer IT Fine Dining, Hiking and Camping
Connections: Notes:
Facebook Learned how to builder in Hawaii, experienced climber (30 + years), survey conducted by email
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age, job, hobbies, place of residence, etc). I’m 52 and have been climbing for 30+ years. I live in Maryland now and enjoy fine dining, hiking, camping and climbing. I work in computer IT. Is climbing usually a social or solo activity for you? Is this something you would like to change? Climbing is not a big social event for me nor is it a solo activity. My enjoyment is in the middle and consists of sharing a good time with a friend. What online social networks are you currently involved in and why? Is there anything you would like to see that is currently not offered through these? I am involved with Climbfind to help find climbing partners when my regular partners are unavailable. Facebook is the largest social network I participate in and it’s mostly to keep up with friends and family that I no longer live near. I do also participate in some forums for work and a marriage forum. How do you normally share your climbing experiences with others (verbal, photos, videos, blogs, etc)? I share them verbally mostly but I do post pictures and write people about them as well. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues (indoor and outdoor)? I use word of mouth mostly. My most fun trip last year was to a spot that is unpublished where I was able to do a couple of second ascents. After that I use Mountain project to find areas near places I visit because it has the best collection of routes and descriptions.
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USERS Randy Wild Interview, cont’d What publications or websites do you read that relate to climbing? Climbing, Rock & Ice and a few blogs. Who would you consider to be the most influential climbers? I think the most influential climbers are the ones that teach climbing to others. They are the ones who enable most to climb and inspire them to learn and love climbing. After that it’s a matter of taste and time. For me the most influential that are also well known are, Reinhold Messner, John Bachar, Tony Yaniro, Lynn Hill, Pat Ament and John Gill. Most climbers today won’t recognize but one or two of those names. They were very influential in their day. How familiar are you with buildering? (or What do you know about buildering?) I am very familiar with it. I learned climbing in Hawaii where there was not very much good rock to climb so I used buildering to augment it. It’s the step child to bouldering and is really bouldering on man made structures. Who or what influenced you to climb buildings? The desire to climb and solve climbing problems led to it for me along with a lack of real rock when I started to climb. To a certain extent George Willig who climbed one of the Trade towers in 1977 showed it was possible to climb tall buildings. What is the most dangerous urban climb you’ve had so far? Were you injured? Arrested? I have free soloed a few buildings over three stories tall but the most dangerous was also the easiest. It was a short section of decorative cinder blocks in a strip that rose three stories. It was so easy it was deceptive. While hanging out just before topping out I noticed the entire section of blocks I was on was moving. I was on a stack whose mortar was loose and was swaying out by an inch. I imagined falling backwards while maintaining a solid grip on the blocks. I quickly squashed those thoughts and topped out swearing. I did this with a partner who was on another section twenty feet to my right. He wanted to know what had freaked me out. I demonstrated by using my finger to pull the block section out. We were stuck on a roof section that did not have a door or window. So we had to find a corner of the building where we could hang down and drop to the roof of the second story section. That jump was really high and painful.
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Randy Wild Interview, cont’d We were not noticed on that building. However on a building in Honolulu my friend and I were detained by the police after a cop who was leaning back on a three wheel motor cycle staring upwards noticed is on the top of a 12 story building and started using the radio. We decided it was time to leave and we were caught going down the stairs. The manager of the building refused to press charges as long as we promised not to climb it again. Do you seek permission when you climb buildings or in other urban spaces? No, we never did. I have also been detained by police at a University when we were caught climbing a seven story building that had a real nice section that we could use chimney techniques on. That was the hardest climb I did on a building where a fall would have been deadly. A janitor cleaning a bathroom saw us and called the campus cops. Were you a sports enthusiast prior to urban climbing? If so, what sports were of interest to you and which ones did you actually do? Not really. I like water skiing, Judo and Soccer and I practiced each. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues? I find out what areas are being developed by locals and find someone to introduce me to the area. That is the way do discover high quality little known spots. After that I use Mountain project and guide books. How would you rate your skill level as an urban climber? What would give you satisfaction as you moved ahead (what rating system would work for you)? I don’t builder or boulder anymore mostly because of my knees. After the three story building I mentioned earlier I only climb on a good building where the exterior is solid I can climb at my limit. When i still buildered frequently the routes were v2-v4. Though I prefer the Yosemite decimal system. What do you take with you when you go rock climbing/urban climbing and why? When I go climbing today I take my trad rack and a day pack and a trusted friend. But when I still would solo it was just my shoes. I stopped soloing after grad school about the time I got married and while my wife was pregnant I gave up climbing for many years. Now I always take my wedding ring though I don’t wear it, I have it in my pocket.
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USERS Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Tim Johnson 26 Alexandria, VA Chemist Outdoors activities and sports
Connections: Notes:
Facebook One experience urban climbing, prefers outdoors
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age, job, hobbies, place of residence, etc). My name is Tim Johnson and I’m 26 years old. I’m a chemist and love the outdoors and sports. I’m from Minnesota but currently live in Washington DC. Is climbing usually a social or solo activity for you? Is this something you would like to change? I like to go with friends and my wife who is also very active, this is not something I would change. What online social networks are you currently involved in and why? Is there anything you would like to see that is currently not offered through these? I’m on Facebook to keep in touch with all my friends back home. That’s pretty much all I use really. How do you normally share your climbing experiences with others (verbal, photos, videos, blogs, etc)? Mostly verbal – by word of mouth. But a lot of my friends post videos on youtube or vimeo. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues (indoor and outdoor)? Mostly word of mouth from my friends. What publications or websites do you read that relate to climbing? I read random blogs from time to time, that’s about it. Who would you consider to be the most influential climbers? Chris Sharm 30
Tim Johnson Interview, cont’d How familiar are you with buildering? (or What do you know about buildering?) I know about it, but I’m not an expert at it. I much rather be outdoors. Who or what influenced you to climb buildings? One of my friends that lives in NYC told me about it, so I tried it once. What is the most dangerous urban climb you’ve had so far? Were you injured? Arrested? I climbed a small building in Brooklyn, NY with my friend but it was not dangerous and there was no one else around. That’s the only experience I’ve had. Do you seek permission when you climb buildings or in other urban spaces? Nope. Were you a sports enthusiast prior to urban climbing? If so, what sports were of interest to you and which ones did you actually do? Yea, I love sports and any physical activity. I always played baseball but I also love running. I enjoy kayaking and fishing/boating a lot too. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues? Mostly word of mouth or from the blogs I read every now and then. How would you rate your skill level as an urban climber? What would give you satisfaction as you moved ahead (what rating system would work for you)? I would say novice urban climber since I’ve only had one experience with it. What do you take with you when you go rock climbing/urban climbing and why? Shoes and chalk..and most importantly my wife (big smile).
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USERS Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Greg Duhart 26 Bethesda, Maryland Cyber Security Analyst Travel and sports
Connections: Notes:
Facebook, customer built websites Has two experiences with urban climbing
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age, job, hobbies, place of residence, etc). My name is Greg Duhart and I work for the government in the CyberSecurity sector. I’m 25 years old and live in Maryland. I enjoy travelling and sports. Is climbing usually a social or solo activity for you? Is this something you would like to change? I mostly like going with friends, but if they are not available I am comfortable going alone. What online social networks are you currently involved in and why? Is there anything you would like to see that is currently not offered through these? Just Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. How do you normally share your climbing experiences with others (verbal, photos, videos, blogs, etc)? I’ll put up my pictures on FB or my personal website that I built myself for my friends and family to see. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues (indoor and outdoor)? I’ll read up a lot online on different blogs and get good venue ideas from there. What publications or websites do you read that relate to climbing? iClimb.
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Greg Duhart Interview, cont’d Who would you consider to be the most influential climbers? Chris Sharma of course! How familiar are you with buildering? (or What do you know about buildering?) Oh yeah, I’ve heard a lot about that. I’ve only done it like two times though because I much rather be outdoors. Who or what influenced you to climb buildings? I think curiosity mostly and the thrill. What is the most dangerous urban climb you’ve had so far? Were you injured? Arrested? I haven’t climbed any dangerous buildings..no injuries or arrests. Do you seek permission when you climb buildings or in other urban spaces? No Were you a sports enthusiast prior to urban climbing? If so, what sports were of interest to you and which ones did you actually do? Yes, I played football and love running. I do not play football anymore but I still run almost every day. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues? Word of mouth and blogs. How would you rate your skill level as an urban climber? What would give you satisfaction as you moved ahead (what rating system would work for you)? I would say beginner since I have only done two buildings. What do you take with you when you go rock climbing/urban climbing and why? Shoes, chalk, camera and sometimes a mat.
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USERS Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
TJ Jansma 31 Adams Morgan, Washington DC IT Tech Travel and camping
Connections: Notes:
Facebook, Twitter, Pininterest and YouTube Has heard about urban climbing but has never tried it
Tell me a little about yourself (name, age, job, hobbies, place of residence, etc). My name is TJ Jansma and I work as an IT tech for a private company. I’m 31 years old and live in Washington DC. I enjoy travelling and camping. I’m from Michigan. Is climbing usually a social or solo activity for you? Is this something you would like to change? I like to go with friends, I don’t think I would enjoy alone – but I’ve never done that. What online social networks are you currently involved in and why? Is there anything you would like to see that is currently not offered through these? I’m on Facebook to keep in touch with all my friends back home. I also am on Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube (if that counts as a social network). How do you normally share your climbing experiences with others (verbal, photos, videos, blogs, etc)? I post pictures on Facebook for my friends to see. I haven’t posted any videos yet but some of my friends have on youtube or vimeo. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues (indoor and outdoor)? I hear about things from friends of people we meet at climbing venues. I also read blogs and get info that way. What publications or websites do you read that relate to climbing? No publications really, just some blogs.
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TJ Jansma Interview, cont’d Who would you consider to be the most influential climbers? Ummm.. I don’t know. How familiar are you with buildering? (or What do you know about buildering?) I’m familiar with it, I know it means that you climb buildings in the city. That is big hard in Washington DC since it is monitored and there are so many cameras though..and you don’t want to go climb in some of the shady neigherhoods… I don’t remember how or when I learned about buildering though. Who or what influenced you to climb buildings? I have never actually done it, just heard about it. Were you a sports enthusiast prior to urban climbing? If so, what sports were of interest to you and which ones did you actually do? I played soccer growing up and grew up in Michigan with a lot of outdoorsy activities and playes to climb outdoors. What methods do you use to find new climbing venues? From friends or from blogs. How would you rate your skill level as an urban climber? What would give you satisfaction as you moved ahead (what rating system would work for you)? Non existent, but I like to think I’d be good at it since I’m a good climber outdoors & indoors. What do you take with you when you go rock climbing/urban climbing and why? My camera, shoes, chalk
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USERS Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Brittney Woodfolk 23 Greensboro, NC Full-time Student, Associate at Outdoor Adventures Loves the outdoors
Connections: Notes:
Facebook, and Instagram Into all types of outdoor sports, likes to boulder when possible
Tell me a little bit about yourself. Brittney 23 years old Graduating from UNCG in May 2013 From Pine Knoll Shores, NC Biology Major Loves the outdoors What got you into rock climbing? I didn’t really know anything about rock climbing until a friend of mine told me that UNCG Outdoor Adventures offered a rock climbing trip and she asked if I would sign up with her and I said sure. I had no idea what to expect. We went out and I had never been on a rock wall or anything before. And we went out to Pilot Mountain and it was really hard, but it was nice being out there, and it was invigorating and something different. Now I’m kind of addicted to it, so now I do it as often as I can. Do you do other sports besides rock climbing? Does a little bit of everything, mainly rock climbing, a little bit of trail running, some biking, trail biking.
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Brittney Woodfolk Interview, cont’d Highest climb? Not very high or crazy, maybe 40 or 50 feet? How do you share your experience about climbing? Talk to friends about it, they see pictures on Facebook and they’re excited and interested. Have had friends come up to me who have never rock climbed before, but see our pictures and want us to take them out there with us Is rock climbing solo or social for you? Yes social, but not a team sport, so you can get out there and do what your comfortable with and you’re challenging yourself No pressure to perform for someone else, and I think that’s one reason why a lot of people like rock climbing. What methods do you use to find out about new climbs? Jenn! We have a friend that we work with that has been involved longer and has been more places and has connections that she spreads to us Usually word of mouth first, then look it up on the internet What do you know about urban climbing and buildering? I know about bouldering, but not too much about urban climbing. Are you talking about Parkour and stuff like that? I don’t know too much about that. I think it’s interesting to watch. We do a little bit of bouldering. not too many places in greenboro, but there are some nice places about 40 minutes away that we will go visit, out near Hanging Rock Sometimes we’ll go out to Asheville to Rumbling Bald out there Sounds scary
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USERS User Group Personas Climbers
38
Name:
Kathryn
Age: Location:
22
Profession:
Knoxville, TN Full-time college student
Areas of Interest:
Outdoor sports, music and videography
Connections: Notes:
Friends, family, fellow climbers, social networks and classmates Kathryn frequently engages in indoor and outdoor rock climbing, and occassionally bouldering. She has heard about urban climbing. Although she has friends who have limited experience with it, she has never participated herself.
Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Grayson 36 Atlanta, GA IT Analyst Fine dining, fashion, hiking and camping
Connections: Notes:
Friends, family and professional peers Grayson is very experiences with urban climbing. He has been on numerous climbs and has developed a network of fellow climbers. He reads climbing publications and websites on a regular basis.
User Group Personas
Promoters
Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Alonzo 62 Washington, DC Developer Traveling, photography and cooking
Connections: Notes:
Friends, family and industry peers Alonzo enjoys the opportunity to take breath-taking photos, and often takes trips specifically for this purpose. He has developed high-rise buildings around the country and often uses these for his photos.
Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest: Connections: Notes:
Brad 45 Charlotte, NC Building Manager Baseball, body-building and classic cars Friends, family, tenants and professional peers Brad is not very tech-savvy, but instead prefers to communicate the “old-fashioned� way. He is an avid reader and likes to stay up on current events and anything that piques his interest.
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USERS User Group Personas Trainers
Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest:
Bristol 27
Connections: Notes:
Friends, fellow climbers, professional peers and community members Bristol is very involved with outdoor sports and dislikes traditional sports. She goes bouldering and urban climbing frequently throughout
Greensboro, NC Climber instructor at indoor gym Running marathons, biology and volunteering at the animal shelter
North Carolina. The furthest she has traveled for a climb is five hours.
Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest: Connections: Notes:
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Thomas 58 Charleston, SC Retired newspaper editor Swimming, blogging, painting, playing and watching golf Friends, family, climbing community and online blog community Thomas no longer climbs due to medical issues, but provides tips and strategies for active climbers. He operates a personal blog to share his many years of urban climbing experiences.
User Group Personas Non-Participatory Enthusiasts
Name: Age: Location:
Jeanette
Profession: Areas of Interest:
54 Lexington, KY Retired teacher Arts and crafts, live theater and music
Connections: Notes:
Friends and family Jeanette has a natural curiosity about the world and is always looking to learn something new. Although she would not try these things herself, she enjoys living vicariously through the adventurous spirits of the world.
Name: Age: Location: Profession: Areas of Interest: Connections: Notes:
Drew 16 Tampa, FL High school student Extreme sports, girls and hanging out with friends Friends, family and classmates Drew is tech savvy and well connected through social networks. He is very active and follows extreme sports closely. His mother won’t allow him to participate, but once he leaves for college he plans to fully engage in sports like urban climbing.
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USERS
Empathy Map Alonzo
What does he or she really
What does he or she
HEAR?
He hears talk about an underground movement that is growing called “urban climbing”
THINK AND FEEL? He thinks any kind of publicity is good and feels that increasing awareness of his building will get his name out
SEE?
He sees hi-rise buildings as a commodity product in urban cities and wants a way to differentiate his developments
What is the customer’s
What does the customer
That his high-rise buildings will not get the recognition they deserve
Promoting his building (development) thus gaining recognition and increasing profit
PAIN?
GAIN?
What does he or she
SAY AND DO? He says he likes traveling, photography and cooking and goes out to take breath-taking photos, and often takes trips specifically for this purpose
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What does he or she
Empathy Map Brad
What does he or she really
What does he or she
HEAR?
He hears residents in his building talking about how there are many vacant apartments which are creating a bad reputation for the building
THINK AND FEEL? He thinks he can create good publicity for the building by attracting urban climbers, he feels satisfaction in helping the building restore its image
What does he or she
SEE?
He sees people climbing urban structures (bridges, walls, buildlings) around the city
What is the customer’s
What does the customer
That he will be a bad building manager and possibly lose his job
Promoting his building by attracting and retaining residents, gaining recognition and possibly getting a rasie
PAIN?
GAIN?
What does he or she
SAY AND DO? He says he likes baseball, body building and classic cars. He is an avid reader and likes to stay up on current events and anything that piques his interest.
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USERS
Empathy Map Bristol
What does he or she really
What does he or she
HEAR?
As a climbing instructor at an indoor gym, Bristol is surrounded by “in the know” employees and clients who have been exposed to urban climbing.
THINK AND FEEL? Bristol dislikes traditional sports, so she thinks buildering is another fun opportunity and feels open to the idea of climbing on buildings and structures.
SEE?
Bristol lives in Greensboro, NC, so she sees urban areas that are not too crowded where she explores buildering.
What is the customer’s
What does the customer
Bristol has a solid network of experienced indoor climbers and outdoor climbers, but she wants to meet new people that she can mentor, since she’s a teacher at heart. She wants to share her knowledge about the sport but doesn’t know how to connect with new builderers.
Bristol gains a thrill of partaking in a non-traditional sport and applying her rock climbing knowlege in a new venue.
PAIN?
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What does he or she
GAIN?
What does he or she
SAY AND DO? Bristol says she enjoys new sporting experiences, and she acts on her word by constantly trying out activities with her peers.
Empathy Map Thomas
What does he or she really
What does he or she
HEAR?
As a retired newspaper editor, past climber, and an avid climbing blogger, Thomas hears all the developments in the regional and national climbing community.
THINK AND FEEL? Thomas thinks that buildering is an innovative new sport, and he feels disappointed that his physical injuries prevent him from undertaking impact sports.
What does he or she
SEE?
Thomas sees posts from younger and more able-bodied climbers experimenting with buildering in many cities around the US.
What is the customer’s
What does the customer
Thomas yearns for his younger days, and remembers that climbing is a social sport. He remembers the mentors that helped him develop his climbing skills, and he wants to provide that for a new generation of climbers.
Thomas gains a sense of belonging in a community in which he used to be actively involved in as a climber. As a trainer, he can provide tips and advice to builderers.
PAIN?
GAIN?
What does he or she
SAY AND DO? Thomas says that he would be participate in buildering if he could, and as a substitute, he remains active in the social network.
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USERS
Empathy Map Jeanette
What does he or she really
What does he or she
HEAR?
She loves music
THINK AND FEEL? Jeanette has a natural curiosity about the world and is always looking to learn something new. She is too nervous to try these things herself
What is the customer’s
SEE?
She loves the theater and arts She likes to stay in contact with her family and friends online and in person
What does the customer
PAIN?
GAIN?
Jeanette is bored but nervous
What does he or she
SAY AND DO?
Jeanette lives vicariously through the adventurous spirits of the world She enjoys arts and crafts (sewing, painting etc) She is a retired teacher and voluteers at times but is also an avid reader
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What does he or she
excitment and insight into the reasons and from the actions of others
Empathy Map
Drew
What does he or she really
What does he or she
HEAR?
He hears lots of exciting and new things about the sport and looks forward to getting more involved
THINK AND FEEL? Drew is a techie and extremely adventurous He feels as though he’s being held back because his mother fears he may hurt himself with extreme sports and has a tight reign on his activities
What is the customer’s
SEE?
He is well connected through social networks is very active and follows sports closely.
What does the customer
PAIN?
He is under age and has to wait to be able to participate in certain activities such as urban climbing
What does he or she
GAIN?
What does he or she
He gains a great deal of knowledge and alliances through the networks
SAY AND DO? He keeps up on new apps and new websites and anything that excites him and makes life a bit more exciting for him on the computer
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PART THREE
48
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 49
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Creative Brief
Onliness Statement
With Builder.in, users create profiles with their Buildering accomplishments, along with videos and pictures of their adventures. Other users have the ability to comment on the photos and videos, as well as build connections with other climbers. Real-time social interaction is possible through chats and forums, differentiating the network from competitors. The network taps into the wealth of knowledge of users, allowing them to share locations, tips, and details of climbs. Consistent user input and an ever-expanding user base contribute to the sustainability of the network.
Builder.In is the only urban climbing social network, thus attracting the niche group of climbers to an engaging forum for new and experienced climbers to share their experiences with buildering, connect with other climbers, and discover new places to climb.
Five Questions WHO? Active climbers, promoters, trainers, and/or non-participatory enthusiasts who are interested in finding a place to climb in their urban environment WHAT? A user-friendly, easily accessible social networking platform WHY? The purpose of the social networking platform is to allow users to build connections with others climbers in the area as well as to find safe/approved urban climbing areas WHERE? An open, customizable online platform WHEN? Once the social network platform is launched, it will be available 24/7
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Value Proposition FOR active climbers, promoters, trainers and/or non-participatory enthusiasts WHO are interested in finding a place to climb in their urban environment, OUR urban climbing social networking platform will allow users to create their profiles with buildering accomplishments and connect with other climbers in the area. WE DO THIS BY creating a platform where users have the ability to post and comment on photos and videos, as well as build connections with other climbers. A chat/forum feature allows users to communicate in real time to learn about each other and potential climbs in their area. A map feature provides the chance to share locations, tips, and details about local climbs. UNLIKE traditional rock climbing social networking sites our platform is geared towards the white space of “urban climbing� an up and coming activity.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities And Threats (Swot) Analysis
51
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Business model canvases for competitors Our research includes an analysis of two of our closest competitors, ClimbFind and Boulder Problems. Both sites are social networks that allow the climbing community to engage with fellow climbers and share their experiences. CLIMBFIND “Climbfind introduces you to climbers in your local climbing community & around the world. It makes it easy to become familiar with and follow other climbers who climb where you climb. Use Climbfind to explore new climbing around you and find climbing partners to team up with.” -www.climbfind.com
52
SWOT
CLIMBFIND SOCIAL NETWORK •strong local, global and corporate partners
•allows for identification of climbing locations and partners as well as a general feed that photos videos, etc can be placed •proposes to break down barriers worldwide for climbers •visual logbook •allows for a phone app, emails, rss •community based (worldwide community)
STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES •provide a clearer and more dynamic layout •stronger branding •improved interaction on the network between users •more detail for areas such as about me •location for presentation of photos and videos that climbers may want to post for general viewing as well as private •revenue from teaming with climbing magazines and suppliers/stores •complaints from users are: regarding the profile, inability to used the embedded code on a mac (it’s Microsoft OS only) •items such as in messages include date sent instead of the min/hrs it was sent and separating the twitter formatted messages from the other feed (organization of page content and introduction of a means to make page user friendly) •could form a better connection to facebook (more visible presence)
•website layout and content presentation poor and not user friendly •does not maximize the opportunity for further interaction between climbers online as well as in person •does not maximize on the potential for revenue •does not seem to address or respond to complaints (responses are not visibly noted to assure that the complaints are being taken seriously) • does not consider both mac and PC requirements •only caters to climbers •doesn’t identify a standard for rating climbs
WEAKNESSES THREATS •large following
Business Model Canvas
Business Development / ClimbFind Social Network Key Partners
Key Activites
strong local partners
space for finding climbing locations
space for finding climbing partners
space for posting climbing feed (photos, videos, etc)
space to log the places you climb and receive suggetsions of other climbers who have climbed there
strong global partners
Value Propositions
Breaking down barriers
user data
Customer Segments
seekers
explorers
networkers global
Informational and entertaining
visual logbook tool
Cost Structure
personalized access and information
global capabilities if moving or traveling
climbing worldwide
database servers
technology development costs
community based
online space (photos, videos, locations)
Key Resources
corporate partners
promoting social climbing
Customer Relationships
Channels
email/rss
website and blog
curious
phone app (iphon and android)
word of mouth
community
promoters
Revenue Streams
content creation
content management
web instrastructure
online ads
53
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Business model canvases for competitors Our research includes an analysis of two of our closest competitors, ClimbFind and Boulder Problems. Both sites are social networks that allow the climbing community to engage with fellow climbers and share their experiences. BOULDER PROBLEMS Boulder Problems is a “Simple, powerful online bouldering tick list manager. Whether you’re projecting V0 or flashing V10, Boulder Problems is the best way to track your progress.” With Boulder Problems, you can record your climbs, follow your friends, track your projects, visualize everything, import/export and post to Facebook.” -boulderproblems.com
54
SWOT
BOULDER PROBLEMS SOCIAL NETWORK •community based
•co-creative •Personal commitment to platform •Integrates with other networks including an account with Twitter •allows for an online blog •allows you to keep a formatted list of problems encountered on a climb • site allows for friend requests and notation of the friends that you are following • has embedded mapping tools • allows you to track you projects and progress •key partners are local as well as global •dependent on ads promoted on their service •allows user to breakdown climbs by date, difficulty •allows for worldwide networking as well as local •website is very simple and easy to understand •The site indicates a privacy policy and terms of use •Clear explaination of how to use the site
STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES •provide a more dynamic layout •stronger branding •improved interaction on the network between users •more detail for areas such as about me •location for presentation of photos and videos that climbers may want to post for general viewing as well as private •revenue from teaming with climbing magazines and suppliers/stores
•does not maximize the opportunity for further interaction between climbers online as well as in person •does not maximize on the potential for revenue •does not show interaction between climbers and non climbers
WEAKNESSES THREATS •large following •direct signin with facebook (which has an app) is avail •Boulderproblems blog is very informative. It shows insightful photos and charts
Business Model Canvas
Business Development / BoulderProblems.com Key Partners
Key Activites
Value Propositions
keep a tick personalized “following” list of the list to keep problems tabs on you climb friends
local partners
global partners
track your projects
Key Resources
other “tick-list” networks
user data
embedded mapping tools
database servers
visualize everything: export data breakdowns at any time of your climbing history by date, networking difficulty, with and more climbers around the world networking with local climbers publishes data to other social networks online space to track progress
Cost Structure
branding & promotional material
Customer Relationships
communitybased based upon personal commitment to platform
Customer Segments
seekers co-creation explorers curious
Channels
word of mouth
active Twitter account
RSS feeds integrates with other social networks online blog
local networkers
global networkers
Revenue Streams
infrastructure creation
content management
graph & visualization development
online ads
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Business model canvas for Builder.In Based on our overall research and analysis of user groups and competitors, we developed a business model canvas for Builder.In and completed a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat chart for the proposed social network.
SWOT
URBANCLIMBING SOCIAL NETWORK •co-creative •personalized and customizable •global or local community based (optional) •provides entertainment as well as being informative •platform to share experiences •easily accessible •user friendly •multi platform use (Mac and PC) •Virtual logbook •ability to track climbs •promotes climbing (locally and globally) •provides personalized email address/RSS feeds •smart/iphone/ipad app available •personalized blog with customizable skins •connects automatically to networks if desired and updates automatically (eg update to the Urban Climbing network automatically updates facebook feed •will have ads as a source of revenue •offers climbing lessons and bootcamp at cost globally •provides a newsletter to members •no membership fee
STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES •provide dynamic layouts and give members an option to adjust theeir skins (limited amounts free with others at cost) •use the value statement to create a strong brand •interaction between other networks readily available •increased areas on the blog eg about me, where have I climbed, interactive maps, specific location for photos and videos of climbs with the option to make it private •revenue from teaming with climbing magazines and suppliers/stores as well as climbing lessons, bootcamps and skins of the blogs •get feedback from customers often to ensure that we are giving the best to the customer and make changes where we can to improve the site quickly •keep up with trends, ensure that a member of the team is a climber and that persons we employ are skilled (whether administrative or otherwise) •establish a method of rating for the climbs and show the translation to other rating systems secondarily
56
•similar sites established with large audience •formulating a plan that satisfyies authorities as well as attracts and excites urbanclimbers
WEAKNESSES THREATS •the competition is always a threat
Business Model Canvas
Business Development / Urban Climbing Network Key Partners
Key Activites
global enthusiasts
local instructors
communicate with climbers
publish data
local climbers other social networks
Value Propositions
global climbers
local enthusiasts
follow climbers
track climbs
track climbs
upload phorecord experience tos/videos
share photos and videos
Key Resources
global instructors
user knowledge + data
database servers
promote climbing worldwide promote climbing locally
platform to share experientertainences ment and information accessibility
localize
urban other types climbers - all of climbers levels
promoters
non-participatory enthusiasts
Channels
email/RSS feeds
word of mouth
trainers/ instructors community
social networks virtual logook
Cost Structure
global when desired
Customer Segments
personalized co-creation and customizable
user-friendly
other climbing networks
website infrastructure
Customer Relationships
smart/iPad phone app online blogs
Revenue Streams
content development
content management
technical support
online newsletter with ads
57
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ZAG Steps
Business Development / Urban Climbers Network
THE 17-STEP PROCESS
1
2
3
4
WHO ARE YOU?
WHAT DO YOU DO?
WHAT’S YOUR VISION?
WHAT WAVE ARE YOU RIDING?
We are an urban climbing social networking site
58
We provide a platform for urban climbers to engage with fellow climbers, find urban climbing locations, track progress, follow friends, and share experiences
Our vision is to be a one-stop shop for urban climbers
The urban climbing wave and social networking wave
ZAG Steps
Business Development / Urban Climbers Network
5
6
7
8
9
WHO SHARES THE BRANDSCAPE?
WHAT MAKES YOU THE “ONLY”?
WHAT SHOULD YOU ADD OR SUBTRACT?
WHO LOVES YOU?
WHO’S THE ENEMY?
ClimbFind, Boulder Problems, Cragnotes, and RockClimbing share the brandscape
We are the first and only social network platform that caters to urban climbers
Add: functional interface and components, members, urban climbing locations, connect to FB and other social platforms, system to keep track of all your climbs, photos and videos, ability to fllow your urban climbing friends
People that love climbing but live in urban cities and do not have easy access to rock or indoor climbing
ClimbFind, Boulder Problems, Cragnotes, and RockClimbing are our primary enemies
Subtract: clutter, ads, non-intuitive interface
59
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ZAG Steps
Business Development / Urban Climbers Network
10
11
12
13
14
WHAT DO THEY CALL YOU?
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN YOURSELF?
HOW DO YOU SPREAD THE WORD?
HOW DO PEOPLE ENGAGE WITH YOU?
WHAT DO THEY EXPERIENCE?
The world’s first urban climbing social network
We spread the word through online blogs of those that currently participate in urban climbing, word of mouth, and through ads in urban cities
Urban Climbers
60
Through our online portal
Users experience an easy to use platform, a reliable place to store and share their climbing experiences, and an enjoyable place to find and connect with other urban climbers in their area or worldwide (if travelling)
ZAG Steps
Business Development / Urban Climbing Network
15
16
17
HOW DO YOU EARN THEIR LOYALTY?
HOW DO YOU EXTEND YOUR SUCCESS?
HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOUR PORTFOLIO?
By providing a safe and easy to use space, reliable information, authentic experiences, a platform to connect with others and track their climbs, and never cluttering the site with ads or monthly subscription fees
By continually adding more cities around the world and later expanding and/or partnering with rock and indoor climbing
By basing all decisions from our vision, sharing our whole portfolio and constantly innovating
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ABC-Q Presentation Our ABC-Q Presentation aims to first meet expectations. After that initial idea, we create confidence by pushing the design idea a little further. We then create anticipation by presenting an even more refined idea, and we finally recontextualize by reframing the proposition altogether. VIDEO PRESENTATION NARRATION Introduction Urban climbing is also called Buildering, and it describes the act of climbing on the outside of buildings and other artificial structures. There are two forms to the practice: the first is dangerous, usually undertaken at night, and is largely illegal. The stunts by these daredevil “free solo� climbers often result in arrests and sometimes injury. However, we will be focusing on the second form, which is a more harmless version more akin to bouldering, which encompasses the practice of climbing short sections of outdoor buildings and structures. The buildering movement is gaining traction with climbers who do not have access to outdoor rock climbing or who simply like to explore new climbing opportunities with friends and are turned off by climbing gyms. Our group would like to exploit the market gap created by the introduction of this new niche sport by designing a social network catered specifically toward urban climbers.
62
ABC-Q Presentation
A. Meet Expectations: Online Logbook and Social Element At the most basic level, a social network for climbers would consist of a method to create a personal profile and record climbs--either a list of the most memorable sends or a detailed journal or attempts with a to-do list of future projects. With this information, charts and graphs will be incorporated on personal profiles with useful and interesting statistics, with breakdown of climbing history by date and difficulty. Users will be able to search for other climbers and connect with the goal of sharing information, arranging meet-up or climbing times, or just simply to mutually track progress between members. This online logbook aspect will be a central element of our urban climbing social network.
63
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ABC-Q Presentation
B. Create Confidence: Photo and Video Sharing Through personal market research, we have discovered that climbers prioritize sharing photos and videos with their climbing and non-climbing friends. When climbers pack their bag to head out for their adventure, a camera or video recorder is almost always listed as a “must-have� item. Based on this need, we will have easy-to-use photo and video upload capabilities integrated into our website design. Photos and videos and can tagged with user profiles, linked to specific cities, and pinpointed even more specifically with mapping. Users can search for and learn about climbing areas by browsing and searching through the ever-growing photo and video archive. Like competitor site BoulderProblems.org, we will connect to Facebook through an app so that it is easy to share your photos and videos with non-climbing friends. Bridging these social network will also advertise for our help our site and help grow our audience.
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ABC-Q Presentation
C. Create Anticipation: Partnerships Between Key Segments Our urban climbing network will improve upon past iterations because it will have portals and content for a variety of customer segments: urban climbers, promoters (who areBuilding owners or Real Estate Developers), trainers (who are volunteer experienced climbers who are available to join trips to give advice), and non-participatory enthusiasts. By explicitly partnering these key customer segments, we will provide the framework for a blossoming social trend to continue to gain traction and grow. For example, a beginner climber would be able to search for a “trainer” in the area who has indicated a willingness to share knowledge about the largely underground sport. We’ve learned that these mentor/mentee relationships are often key to someone’s introduction into rock climbing, and we will foster ability for these advisory relationships to occur within the urban climbing sphere. Profiles created by all these of these customer segments will be able to personally connect through “friend requests.”
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ABC-Q Presentation
Q. Recontextualize: Mapping Unlike other general climbing social networks, our social network will cater specifically to populations within urban environments. That means that we will have the opportunity to integrate a unique tool to give our climbers access to extremely specific mapping knowledge through GoogleMaps street view. Network users will be able to not only tag the image of the building, but also tag the “holds� that are to be used on a specific boulder problem, creating an atlas not unlike other published guides for rock climbing and standardizing the routes.
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ABC-Q Presentation
Conclusion In summary, we will provide the premier platform for urban climbers to engage with fellow climbers, find urban climbing locations, track progress, follow friends, and share experiences. We will earn customer loyalty By providing a safe and easy to use space, access reliable information, record authentic experiences, and connect with others and track their climbs.
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PART FOUR
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BRAND DEVELOPMENT 69
BRAND DEVELOPMENT NETWORK ACTIVITY: DESCRIPTION OF TOUCH POINTS Network wants to: MEET EXPECTATIONS ( Marybeth )
Network’s Objective What does the touch point do ?
Network’s Activities What is the company doing during the touch point?
Member Does the Member experience fear, doubt or not much emotion at all?
How does the Network interact with the customer at each touch point, and how would they prefer to interact?
Performance indicators and standards What is the Network attempting to accomplish?
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CREATE ANTICIPATION ( Charese )
RECONTEXTUALIZE ( Susan )
Create a network that consists of creating a personal profile and a method to record and evaluate climbing history. Users can connect with and track progress of other users.
Make the users comfortable and interested in participating on the platform
Ensure that the sport and site become familiar and accepted by the public.
This is to provide a channel or channels in order to change the image of urban climbing to a more positive one
Building a framework for intercommunity interaction and develloping the basic guideposts for social networking among urban climbers
Creating easy to use platforms for the following sections: about me, personalized email address, virtual log book, photo & video feeds, etc.
Increasing public exposure through articles in newsletters and magazines; becoming involved in the community through public events; capitalizing on sources of revenue.
Educating the public and their members and ensuring that they are keeping as safe as is possible
At this most preliminary stage, the member will experience a sense of happiness after discovering that there is a blossoming online network dedicated to the niche sport.
The members have a positive experience and a sense of relief and ease of use to know that they can link to other social sites, promote and track their climbs, post videos and photos to the feed, and even register for bootcamp or training.
Members will have a more positive outlook on urban climbing as a sport. The fear and uncertainty about the sport will be alleviated as they become more educated on urban climbing and the associated laws.
The network interacts with the customer by simply providing access to previously mysterious and inaccessible information. This information is provided through inter-community knowledge sharing, not from the creators of the platform.
The networks interaction at these touchpoints are not felt or visible, the network merely provides an easy to use platform.
The network provides sources of information for customers. It also is visible through community events to promote a positive image of the sport.
The network is attempting to accomplish show that we provide the tangible and recognizable structure for social networking: profiles, linking between profiles, and an online logbook.
The network is attempting to show that we are reliable, easy to use, and fun - an all in one inclusive urban climbing social site.
What emotions do we want the Memberto experience at the end of the touch point?
Stakeholders
CREATE CONFIDENCE ( Anna )
The member will feel far more isn’t information shown they will easily be directed.
The Stakeholder will not need to interinformation needed will be available on the pages assigned to their need. There will be surveys however done to ensure that the stakeholders needs are being can be done for them. Immediate connection to tech support
To establish urban climbing as a reputable and recognized sport among the general public; to elicit the involvement of developers, building owners and the public; to ensure the site is fully funded by multiple sources of revenue.
To ensure a safe, reliable means to climb in to ensure that the member enjoys and climbing social site with the ability to stand alone without the need for multiple memberships yet connect to all
Journey Mapping: Climbers FRAMEWORK FOR CUSTOMER JOURNEY DESCRIPTION OF TOUCH POINTS
KATHRYN
22 YEARS OLD
TOUCHPOINTS
1
FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENT
LOGIN •Word of mouth
CUSTOMER ACTIVITIES
CUSTOMER MOTIVATIONS
•Climbing Magazines
•Site offerings •Visual Appeal •Offers site translation and site available in various languages
KNOXVILLE, TN
2
OUTDOOR SPORTS MUSIC AND VIDEOGRAPHY
SETUP PAGE/WELCOME
3
•Imports a photo for ID •Identifies with a name •Fills out sections of the about area as it relates to the state they are from age interests, activities, Climbing Level, Where have I climbed, Where do I want to Climb
•Offers a variety of skins •Clarity of layout •ease in navigation •user friendly
KATHRYN FREQUENTLY ENGAGES IN INDOOR AND OUT DOOR ROCK CLIMBING AND BOULDERING
CONNECTIONS: FRIENDS, FAMILY FELLOW CLIMBERS, SOCIAL NETWORKS AND CLASSMATES
FRIENDS
4
•Sends out friends requests •Suggests to other climbers using different networks the use of site to stay connected
•Wants to find out more about what the site has to offer and who they are connected to
APPS
•meets with friends at gyms •arranges climbs with climbing club •puts info on calender •meets new pple with similar interests on facebook •has a blog that she uses as a diary for climbs with area for photos •Loves to travel
•Wants convenience and efficiency
5
SHE HAS HEARD ABOUT URBAN CLIMBING HAS FRIENDS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED BUT HAS NEVER PARTICIPATED HERSELF
NEWSLETTER
6
PHOTOS/MOVIES
•Looks through for latest climbs •Clothing and equipment •News on Legislature •Trainers and locations •Indoor gyms for practice and membership •articles on climbers that have made a difference around the world
•Creates a diary for notes and photos with movies
•Wants to get in touch with a climbing gym and learn about trainer
•Creates a diary for notes and photos with movies
7
CLASSES
•Want to have classes from time to time as refreshers
8
MAPPING
9
PROMOTERS
•Locate climbs
•finding a way to make quick money doing something they love
•To locate climbs •To show places already climbed •To give directions and information about the location with any specific rules
•To find a way to earn money climbing in order to promote building developers or manufacturers products or building
•Would also like to teach other climbers as another source of income
•Want to have classes from time to time as refreshers •Would also like to teach other climbers as another source of income
R
J O U R N E Y
INTERESTS:
CUSTOMER’S QUESTIONS (Thinking through each touchpoint)
•Keep intouch with events •Mapping for areas climbed people •location and street mapping of techniques proposed locations new climbing gyms •Identification on map for areas new locations that are desired to climb as it relates to warnings special consideration for the climb based on previous experience and reports
C U
BARRIERS What structural, process,costs, implementation,, or other barriers stand in the way of moving on to the next stage ?
•Wants to meet new people around the world and in different communities •Wants to learn about different climbs and climbers •Wants to learn about techniques that have or have not worked
•Will this site be more beneficial than the others ?
•Where can I post my experiences ? • Will I be able to connect with my friends on other •What does the site allow for ? networks ? Video, Audio, Phot ? •How can I connect this site •Can I make some of the informawith my Facebook and •If I have a non-climber that tion I post private ? Twitter accounts? wants to be a part of the •How do I post and link directly to network how can they conFacebook ? nect with me ? •How and where will my twitter feeds show ?
S
T
O
M
E
CUSTOMER WANTS
Could be: •Technology support •Insufficient apps •Maps don’t work in my area •Safe connection to other members •Activity illegal and site closed down
•Difference in climbing rating techniques
• The site might not be accepted by other networks •The site might have negative feedback from non climbers and those that dont agree with urban climbing
• Find gyms within a 5 to 10 mile radius •wants to log in quick notes on a climb she has just done with photos •wants a calander app to arrange and confirm a time and place w other climbers
•will this work on all devices ?
•To learn more about her’s and other environments and the events •wants to learn about new equipment and clothing suitable for urban climbs
•Creates a diary for notes and photos with movies
•Will I be able to post photos and videos with brief notes below on a section of my site dedicated to videos and photos ? •I’d like to be able to share only that page with certain people and have the feed vsible to a specified group
•incompatibility of devices for the apps (phone or other)
•Content of photo
•Want to be taught by certified climbers with certain qualifications that should be made available to me on either the newsletter or reffered in the newsletter to their website in the form of an ad
•How do I know that these are reputable teachers ? •I’d like to take classes outside of the indoor climbing gym do they also offer that?
•To coordinate future and past climbs
•To earn money
•Will I get in trouble doing this climb ? •How will they protect me ? •What type of money will I earn ?
•Legal and health risks
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BRAND DEVELOPMENT Journey Mapping: Promoters FRAMEWORK FOR CUSTOMER JOURNEY DESCRIPTION OF TOUCH POINTS (for promoters)
INTERESTS: Brad
45 years old
Building Manager
Alonzo
62 years old
Developer
Charlotte, NC
Baseball, body-building, and classic cars
TOUCHPOINTS
1
LOGIN •Word of mouth
CUSTOMER ACTIVITIES
•Climbing Magazines •Blogs
CUSTOMER MOTIVATIONS
2
Traveling, photography, and cooking
SETUP PAGE/WELCOME
•Imports a photo for ID •Identifies with a name •Fills out sections of the about area as it relates to the state they are from and what building they want to promote
•Increased revenue •Offers a variety of skins •Clarity of layout •ease in navigation •user friendly • promoting his building
3
CONNECTIONS: friends, family, and industry peers
FRIENDS
•Sends out friends requests •Suggests to other climbers using different networks the use of site to stay connected
•Wants to find out more about what the site has to offer and who they can reach
4
Brad is not very tech-savvy, but instead prefers to communicate the old fashioned way.
He is an avid reader and likes to stay up on current events and anything that piques his interest.
Alonzo enjoys the opportunity to take breath-taking photos, and often takes trips specifically for htis purpose.
He has developed high-rise buildings around the country and often uses these for his photos.
APPS
•puts info on calender •meets new pple with similar interests on facebook •has a blog that she uses as a diary for climbs with area for photos •Show location of all his building(s) accross the country
5
NEWSLETTER •Post his building(s) on the newsletter •News on Legislature
•Increased revenue
6
PHOTOS/MOVIES •Creates a diary for his buildings for notes and photos with movies
•Increased revenue
7
CLASSES
8
MAPPING
9
PROMOTERS
•Promote his building for teachers to take the students for their first “urban climb”
•Locate buildings
•finding a way to make quick money doing something they love
•Increased revenue
•To locate his buildings accross the country •To show how many times his building has already been climbed •To give directions and information about the location with any specific rules
•To find a way to earn money climbing in order to promote building developers or manufacturers products or building •Increased revenue
•Wants convenience and efficiency so that users can find his buildings easily and quickly
R
J O U R N E Y
INTERESTS: Washington, DC
CONNECTIONS: friends, family, tenants, and professional peers
•Wants to promote his buildings
CUSTOMER’S QUESTIONS (Thinking through each touchpoint)
•Mapping for his building •Identification on map for areas that are desired to climb as it relates to warnings special consideration for the climb based on previous experience and reports
•Will this site be more beneficial than the others ? •How can I connect this site with my Facebook and Twitter accounts? • How can I measure the efficiency of this non-traditional publicity
•What does the site allow for ? Video, Audio, Photo ? •How do I post and link directly to Facebook ? •How and where will my twitter feeds show ?
Could be: •Technology support •Insufficient apps •Maps don’t work in my area •Activity illegal and site closed down
•Difference in climbing rating techniques
•Wants to meet new people around the world and in different communities thus promoting his buildings
• Will I be able to connect with my friends on other networks ?
• Find buildings within a 5 to 10 mile radius •wants to log in quick notes on a climb with photos and videos •wants to create momentume around his buildings
•will this work on all devices ?
•Wants to promote his buildings
•How can I get my building(s) featured in the newsletter ?
•If I have a non-climber that wants to be a part of the network how can they connect with me ?
C U
BARRIERS
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What structural, process,costs, implementation,, or other barriers stand in the way of moving on to the next stage ?
• The site might not be accepted by other networks •The site might have negative feedback from non climbers and those that dont agree with urban climbing
•Wants to promote his buildings
•Will I be able to post photos and videos with brief notes below on a section of my site dedicated to videos and photos ?
•Wants to promote his buildings
•How do I reach out to teachers and have them teach at my building?
•Wants to promote his buildings
•Increased revenue •Wants to promote his buildings
•How can I make my building come up first?
•Will I get in trouble doing this climb ? •How will they protect me ? •What type of money will I earn ?
•competition with other buildings
•Legal and health risks
•Is there a maximum amount of photos/videos I can upload?
S
T
O
M
E
CUSTOMER WANTS
•incompatibility of devices for the apps (phone or other)
•competition with other buildings • activity illegal and site closed down
•Content of photo
•competition with other buildings • activity illegal and site closed down
Journey Mapping: Trainers FRAMEWORK FOR CUSTOMER JOURNEY DESCRIPTION OF TOUCH POINTS (for trainers)
INTERESTS: Bristol
27 years old
Climbing Instructor
Greensboro, NC
Running marathons, biology, and volunteering at the animal shelter
Thomas
58 years old
TOUCHPOINTS
1
Retired Newspaper Editor
LOGIN •Word of mouth
CUSTOMER ACTIVITIES
CUSTOMER MOTIVATIONS
•Blogs
Charleston, SC
2
Swimming, blogging, painting, and playing/ watching golf
SETUP PAGE/WELCOME
•Imports a photo for ID •Identifies with a name •Fills out sections of the about area as it relates to the state they are from •Fills out sections stating their experience and abilities
•Goodwill toward fellow climbers •Warm feelings of connection with other locals with mutual interests
•Offers incentives for filling out information •Page guides through process of setting up a profile, which is primary portal for connection
3
CONNECTIONS: friends, family, climbing community, and online blog community
FRIENDS
•Sends out friends requests to fellow climbers, trainers, and others •Accepts friend requests from other users
•Wants to connect with likeminded individuals for mentorship or for comraderie.
4
Thomas no longer climbs due to medical issues, but he provides tips and strategies for active climbers.
APPS
•puts info on calender •meets new pple with similar interests on facebook •has a blog that is used to keep up with news
5
She goes bouldering and buildering frequently throughout North Carolina. The furthest she has traveled to climb is five hours.
He operates a personal blog to share his knowledge and past experiences.
NEWSLETTER
6
PHOTOS/MOVIES
•Reads and contributes to with blog-like stories
•Documents and searches climbing in local area
•Sharing knowledge with beginner climbers.
7
CLASSES
8
MAPPING
9
PROMOTERS
•Trainers promote themselves as knowledgable experts
•Locate buildings and best places for classes/training sessions
•Connect with others who are committed to the buildering movement
•Sharing knowledge with beginner climbers.
•Comraderie and clout
•To locate buildings accross the country •To show where trainers have climbed •To publicize and share directions and information about the locations
•To find a way to increase the publicity and legitimacy of builderers
•Wants to build reputation by tagging experiences at different structures
•More publicity
•How can I show which buildings I’ve climbed?
•What is the best way to connect with promoters?
•Wants to be able to connect with others and share knowledge
R
J O U R N E Y
INTERESTS:
Bristol is very involved with outdoor sports and dislikes traditional sports.
CONNECTIONS: friends, fellow climbers, professional peers, and community members
•Wants to meet other climbers
E
CUSTOMER WANTS
CUSTOMER’S QUESTIONS (Thinking through each touchpoint)
•Will I be able to reach a wider audience through this network as opposed to my blog? •Will I be able to connect with local climbers as a trainer?
•Wants to meet new people around the world and in different communities thus paving the way to fulfilling the desire to mentor other climbers (locally meeting or through general questions online)
•How can climbers with questions or concerns contact me?
• Will I be able to message people I connect with online?
•Is there a discussion board that I can contribute to?
•Will the other climbers know that I’m available for mentorship?
•Web development and coding for setting up profiles
•Framework for messaging could be confusing to code internally
• Wants to find local climbing areas •Wants to have an easy-to-use internal messaging system on an app
•Wants to share knowledge and mentor beginner climbers.
•Wants to share knowledge and mentor beginner climbers.
•Wants to spread joy of climbing to others
•Will this work on all devices ?
•How can I get published and gain attention as a mentor?
•Will I be able to post photos and videos with brief notes below on a section of my site dedicated to videos and photos ?
•Is there a way to monetize these transactions?
•Is there a maximum amount of photos/videos I can upload?
S
T
O
M
•Wants to pay forward the help that they received from more experienced climbers
•Profile identification as a trainer •Ways to list past experience and location
C U
BARRIERS What structural, process,costs, implementation,, or other barriers stand in the way of moving on to the next stage ?
Could be: •Technology support •Activity illegal and site closed down
•Incompatibility of devices for the apps (phone or other)
•Content of photo • Newsletter calls attention of authorities and activity will be judged illegal
•What’s in it for me?
•How can I differentiate the experience of climbing with friends from climbing with novices?
•Compensation demands •Informal meetings result in activity that cause legal issues
•Designing a system in which a list of structure “experts” can be listed
•Legal and health risks
•Security of providing external contact information
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BRAND DEVELOPMENT Journey Mapping: Non-participatory Enthusiasts FRAMEWORK FOR CUSTOMER JOURNEY DESCRIPTION OF TOUCH POINTS
54 YEARS OLD
TOUCHPOINTS
1
RETIRED TEACHER
LOGIN •Word of mouth
CUSTOMER ACTIVITIES
CUSTOMER MOTIVATIONS
•Newspapers and magazines
•Site offerings •Visual Appeal •Offers site translation and site available in various languages
LEXINGTON, KY
2
•THEATER AND ARTS •KEEP IN CONTACT WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS •MUSIC
SETUP PAGE/WELCOME
3
•Imports a photo for ID •Identifies with a name •Fills out sections of the about area as it relates to the state they are from age interests, activities, Climbing Level, Where have I climbed, What she wants to accomplish by joining the net-
CONNECTIONS: FRIENDS, FAMILY SOCIAL NETWORKS , PAST STUDENTS AND COLLEGUES FROM THE SCHOOL SHE WORKED FOR
FRIENDS
4
•Sends out friends requests •Suggests to climbing friends using different networks the use of site to get connected on this new network
•Wants to find out more •Offers a variety of skins about what the site has to •Clarity of layout offer and who they are •ease in navigation connected to •user friendly •Lots of apps for convenience that are related to climbs as well as other social needs
SHE LIVES VICARIOUSLY THROUGH OTHERS THOUGH SHE’S FREE SPIRITED AND SOMEWHAT ADVENTUROUS WOUNT VENTURE INTO URBAN CLIMBING
APPS
CUSTOMER’S QUESTIONS (Thinking through each touchpoint)
•To keep in touch with •information about trainers family and friends through her previous social network •detailed information showing but would like to meet new the pros and cons of the sport people and learn more •contact information and location of gyms in her areas about climbing and urban climbing. She may even take lessons
•How will I get the best information ? •If this sport is illegal what makes it worthwhile to join this network ?
S
T
O
M
E
CUSTOMER WANTS
C U
BARRIERS
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What structural, process,costs, implementation,, or other barriers stand in the way of moving on to the next stage ?
Could be: •Technology support •Insufficient apps •Activity illegal and site closed down •Insufficient updates and legal information •Insuffcient connections to society in order to get laws reverse or flexible
•Where can I see other’s experiences ? •What does the site allow for ? Video, Audio, Photo? •Can I make some of the information I post private ? •How do I post and link directly to Facebook ? •How and where will my twitter feeds show ?
5
•meets with friends at gyms •meets with reading clubs •puts info on calender •meets new pple with similar interests on facebook •has a blog that she uses as a diary for her general routine and any adventures she has or new things she may do and see
•Wants convenience and efficiency
R
J O U R N E Y
INTERESTS: JEANETTE
• The site might not be ac•not being able to coonnect cepted by other networks easily with other climbers. Other •The site might have negaclimbers may feel uncomfortable tive feedback from non with the fact that she is not an climbers and those that urban climber dont agree with urban climbing and this might cause the sertvice to be terminated
•will this work on all devices ?
NEWSLETTER
6
PHOTOS/MOVIES
•Looks through for latest climbs •Clothing and equipment •News on Legislature •Trainers and locations •Indoor gyms for practice and membership •articles on climbers that have made a difference around the world
•Creates a diary for notes and photos with movies of her family, friends and new experiences
•Wants to get in touch with a climbing gym and learn about trainer •Wants to learn more and research about climbing from experienced sources in one location •Wants this site to provide everything that she will need sot hat she is well informed
•To log notes and photos with movies
• Find gyms within a 5 to 10 mile •Wants to meet new people radius around the world and in •wants to log in quick notes on a different communities climb she has just done with •Wants to learn about difphotos (if she chooses to climb) ferent climbs and climbers •wants a calander app to arrange •Wants to learn about tech- and confirm a time and place w niques that have or have other climbers not worked •Wants to be able to see when and where climbers may be participating just to observe • Will I be able to connect with my friends on other networks ?
SHE IS AN AVID READER AND VOLUTEERS AS A TEACHER IN HER COMMUNITY •EVEN WITH ALL HER ACTIVITIES SHE DOES GET BORED. SHE HAS HEARD ABOUT URBAN CLIMBING AMOUNG HER STUDENTS AND READ ARTICLES
•To learn more about her’s and other environments and the events •wants to learn about new equipment and clothing suitable for urban climbs
•Can I really do this ? •Its nothing I’ve ever attempted to do
•Illegality of climbing buildings
CLASSES
•Want to have classes to learn from the very beginning and gain confidence before I actually do a climb •Would like to see experts climbs (videos and in person) and see tutorial videos
•Wants to learn
8
MAPPING
•To log notes and photos with movies
•Will I be able to post photos and videos with brief notes below on a section of my site dedicated to videos and photos ?
•Want to be taught by certified climbers with certain qualifications that should be made available to me on either the newsletter or reffered in the newsletter to their website in the form of an ad
•How do I know that these are reputable teachers ? •I’d like to take classes outside of the indoor climbing gym do they also offer that?
•False advertising by the tutor •Poor safety techniques •Lack of verification for person adverising on the site from administrators
9
PROMOTERS
•Locate climbs •Locate gyms
Curious about the benefits a promoter will get
•To locate climbs
To see what legal issues they may have
•To give directions and information about the location with any specific rules and difficulties as well as difficulty rating
•I’d like to be able to share only that page with certain people and have the feed vsible to a specified group
•incompatibility of devices for the apps (phone or other)
7
•To coordinate future and past climbs •Perhaps flag other peoples climbs that interest her or are significant to her leraning process
Will this directions be clear? Are the areas I’m being guided to safe ? How do they look before I arrive? Are the photos and information consistently updated ?
Maps and information is not up-to-date Loading is very slow
•To ensure that she is doing something that, though might be exhilerating is not illegal
•Do people get in trouble ? •How do these promoters benefit? •What are they giving to the community in exchange for these climbers risking their lives?
•Legal and health risks
Journey Mapping: Non-participatory Enthusiasts FRAMEWORK FOR CUSTOMER JOURNEY
DREW
16 YEARS OLD
TOUCHPOINTS
CUSTOMER ACTIVITIES
CUSTOMER MOTIVATIONS
1
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
LOGIN
INTERESTS:
CONNECTIONS:
EXTREME SPORTS, GIRLS, HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS
FRIENDS, FAMILY, CLASSMATES
2
SETUP PAGE/WELCOME
3
TECH SAVVY AND WELL-CONNECTED THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKS
FRIENDS
4
FOLLOWS EXTREME SPORTS CLOSELY, BUT NOT ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE
APPS
E
5
NEWSLETTER
6
PHOTOS/MOVIES
7
CLASSES
8
MAPPING
9
PROMOTERS
- Imports photo for profile - Creates username - Completes demographic information - Completes interest and experience questionnaire
- Send out friend requests - Talks about the site to friends at school
- Downloads mobile app for iPhone and iPad
- Reads fairly regularly for industry updates and latest equipment and apparel
- Views and comments on users’ photos and videos - Has no climbing photos or videos of his own
- Is very interested in classes to learn the basics
- View locations of climbs done by other users
- No real interaction with promoters
- Wants to be a part of this new site to stay connected`
- Be on the cutting edge of urban climbing - Allow fellow climbers to learn about him and vice versa
- Expand social network - Establish connections with climbers - Gain inside knowledge from climbers
- Gain access to the network at any given time - View real-time updates
- Follow the latest industry trends and innovations - Increase knowledge of urban climbing - Learn about famous climbers
- View experiences of other climbers - Connect with other climbers to shoot photos or videos for their climbs
- Wants to learn how to climb - Ability to climb safely
- Track location of users’ climbs - Learn about popular places to visit - Hope to catch a climb spontaneously
- Could possibly learn about upcoming climbs for promotional purposes
- A one-click login for instant access without having to enter password each time - Security against unauthorized use of account
- Clutter-free profile and user interface - Easy-to-navigate webpage - Clean design that is visually appealing
- Safe method to meet new people - Learn knowledge and tips from experienced climbers - Real-time communication
- App that is compatible with all devices - Syncs with computer profile - Mobile app with all capabilities of computer network - Simple, clean interface - Sync with other social networks
- Relevant articles for users of all experience levels - Exciting and engaging content and photos - Articles by reputable and knowledgeable writers - Info about famous urban climbers
- Easy uploads - Ability to comment on and like others’ photos - High resolution uploads - Unlimited upload capacity
- Beginner classes to learn basic techniques - Safety tips - Classes taught by experienced instructors - Low cost
- Climbing schedule to watch users complete times in his area - Easy-to-read climbing map - Track physical locations of climbs - View difficulty level of climbs
- Be a spectator at scheduled climbs
- How will my account be protected? - What makes this site different from others?
- How can I connect to other social networks? - How will this site benefit me? - What will this information be used for?
- How can I invite my friends to this site? - Can non-climbers join the network? - How can I find new friends to connect with? - How can I connect with climbers?
- Where can I download the mobile app? - Will the mobile app run as quickly as on the computer? - Are there any limitations with the mobile app?
- Where can I view the newsletter? - Who writes these articles? - Where can I find more information about the articles? - What forms does the newsletter come in?
- Who can view my photos? - How do I upload them? - Is there a limit to the number of photos/videos I can upload? - Can I edit my photos, add captions, or tag friends? - How can I report inappropriate photos? - Is there a limit to the length of my video?
- Where and when are classes offered? - How are the instructors certified? - How much do classes cost? - What is the minimum age requirement to take a class? - Do I have to buy my own equipment?
- How do I view climbs on the map? - How do I view details of the climbs?
- How can I find out about upcoming climbs?
- Lack of readership - Poorly written/irrelevant articles
- Small storage capacity for photos and videos - Excessive upload time for videos
- Lack of certified teachers - Difficulty securing locations - High cost for classes - Lack of interest
- Incompatible mapping feature - Climbs in uncharted regions
- Lack of cooperation with promoters
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CUSTOMER WANTS
PLANS TO FULLY ENGAGE IN SPORTS LIKE URBAN CLIMBING ONCE HE GOES TO COLLEGE
- Creates username and password to reflect interests
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DESCRIPTION OF TOUCH POINTS
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CUSTOMER’S QUESTIONS (Thinking through each touchpoint)
BARRIERS What structural, process,costs, implementation,, or other barriers stand in the way of moving on to the next stage ?
- Technological support - Insufficient data
- Insufficient funding - Insufficient bandwidth - Lack of effective marketing and branding
- No access to other social networks - Negative feedback from users
- Incompatibility with mobile devices
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BRAND DEVELOPMENT Prototyping: Presentation Urban climbing, also known as buildering, is an up-and-coming sport in the extreme sports world. Buildering is the act of climbing on the outside of buildings and other manmade structures. The movement has been gaining traction as climbers seek to explore their urban environments in a new way. Builder.In provides the perfect platform to facilitate that exploration. We are an online network created for the urban community. We are the only network of its kind, providing an all-inclusive experience for our users. Everyone from novice climbers to buildering experts, instructors to non-participatory enthusiasts can find their niche within our network. Our network intends to provide a platform for all members of the urban climbing community to share experiences, learn about the sport, and explore opportunities for new climbs locally and abroad. Users will gain a new sense of community and build connections with others of similar interests, ultimately adding a new source enrichment and fulfillment to their lives.
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BRAND DEVELOPMENT Prototyping: Sketches & Mock Ups Builder In is a modern, relevant brand that appeals to people in urban environments. The typeface evokes the condensed feel often associated with the city. The neutral color scheme with pops of color and clean lines mimics what our users often see when navigating their cities. Our intention is to create an online environment that reflects the urban climbing world. The bold, graphic photos draw the user into not just the webpage, but into the experience of urban climbing. The offer a dynamic glimpse into the essence of urban climbing: a fresh viewpoint and mode of interaction with manmade environments. These striking images, at the very least, spark curiosity and intrigue among those unfamiliar with the sport. As we appeal to the senses of our users, we also ensure that the network meets their needs. We seek to meet our users’ needs, both current and unrealized by remaining in tune with our customer base and evolving alongside our users and the sport of urban climbing.
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BRAND DEVELOPMENT Prototyping: Sketches & Mock Ups Need 1: User-friendly interface Builder In relies on the knowledge base of our users. Therefore, it is our top priority to provide a user-friendly interface that encourages interaction. Inspired by the urban environments that are so familiar to our users, our design features clean lines and a clean feel. Page components are arranged on a grid to reduce clutter and increase ease of navigation. Page components are clearly labeled to avoid confusion. Need 2: Platform to share experiences Our network provides the opportunity for each user to create a profile and provide as much or as little information as desired to the online community. In addition to showcasing demographic information, photos and videos can be quickly uploaded using our easy uploader. There is no limit to the number of uploads per user. Need 3: Forum to communicate with fellow users Builder In encourages users to communicate and provides just the right tools. Messages and a chat feature allow users to correspond directly and in real time. Users have a dashboard that displays relevant notifications in one place. The newsfeed directly below keeps the user in tune with their own notifications and the actions of others within the community, all simultaneously.
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BRAND DEVELOPMENT Prototyping: Sketches & Mock Ups Need 4: Track climbing experiences Our innovative mapping feature allows climbers to pinpoint locations of past climbs. They can tag details, ratings and tips for others interested in that location. Access to Google Earth and Google Maps leaves virtually no location uncharted. Users can view others’ maps or search by location to see which users have climbed in the area. Need 5: A self-sustaining network Our primary revenue source is online advertisements, which enables us to provide our network free of charge. Rather than bombard users with ads, they are contained within our newsletter. The newsletter also serves the purpose of keeping users informed of industry trends, new techniques and climbs, the latest equipment, and classes or camps that are offered.
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CONCLUSION
Conclusion Builder In is a platform that is a one-stop shop for the urban climbing community. We provide opportunities to connect, interact and engage with fellow climbers and enthusiasts. Moving forward, our intention is to further refine our site layout to ensure it is as intuitive as possible. We will also consider whether there are user needs that are not met, or future needs that we can anticipate. Our goal is to remain a step ahead of our users by meeting current and future needs. Builder In has enormous market potential and we will ensure that we maximize our niche.
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THANK YOU