Naturalize is an immersive platform designed to help
Mexicans immigrate to the United States. Through each phase of the program,
users are guided through the legal, social, and economical components that will
help make the immigration process less-burdensome. The platform provides a
number of resources: mentorship programs, immigration modules, and job
preparation. While those are the three pillars that the platform is built on,
the model is such that a number of companies, community groups, or apps could
be built on top of the platform.
The targeted user is going to be one that is
highly-motivated – the decision to immigrate a serious life-changing one – yet will
likely be of low ability. One of the reasons Naturalize will be appealing to users
is its all-in-one comprehensive approach to immigration. Naturalize takes into
account not only the legal and logistic factors, but also emphasizes social and
economic preparation
In their analysis of various platforms, Greylock Partners found
the concept of a core action to be a common pattern across successful platforms.
For Facebook, connecting a user to 7 friends within 10 days led to long-term
retention. The key action in our platform to retain users will be immediate
pairing with a sponsor. As showcased in the Phase 1 timeline, Antonio is matted
with his sponsor within three days of downloading the app. The purpose of
immigration mentors is multifaceted. Mentors who have previously immigrated
will be able to provide a great deal of information and advice as well as
emotional support given the stress of such a monumental moment in one’s life.
Beyond these benefits, mentors will also be key motivators. A great deal of
research has shown that social pressure is highly influential; the hope is that
users will not want to disappoint their sponsor by failing to complete modules.
In addition to the core action, the platform has a number of other key features
to keep users motivated and on track. As shown in Day 6, Antonio’s entire
family downloads the app. This is done so to provide each family-member with
access to the language, legal, and social modules, as well as to inspire group
accountability. For example, on Day 14 of Phase 1, Antonio is notified that his
son is falling behind in his English module. The multi-factored reinforcement
framework – mentorship, family support, and reminder notifications – will provide
a sturdy scaffolding.
It is important to note that notifications won’t simply be a
means to track users falling behind, family members have the ability to
recognize achievement by sending encouraging notifications, providing key
positive reinforcement.
At the end of Phase 1, at which point the Garcia family
receives their approved travel documents, they will then be paired with their
next mentor, an American-born individual who lives at their place of
destination (El Paso, Texas). Research has shown that breaking down long-term
goals into a number of short-term goals is an effective way to increase the
likelihood of long-term success. By not setting user’s sights simply on
reaching the top of the mountain and instead having them focus on a number of
manageable checkpoints, it will help make the end-goal seem more attainable.
Additionally, the pairing with a new mentor will help incentivize and reward
strong performance. The method of constant reinforcement, social pressure, and rewards will drive strong user engagement and lead to user success in all phases of the program.
References:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adrianbridgwater/2015/03/17/whats-the-difference-between-a-software-product-and-a-platform/2/#449a58546aba
https://news.greylock.com/the-hierarchy-of-engagement-expanded-648329d60804#.xarnkqixn
