SoundMind
SoundMind is a company founded by Andy Kropa, in 2016, through his “Hacking Alzheimer’s” presentation which he presented at the 2015 Creative Capital Retreat. It developed into two applications: Memory Lane and Connect the Dots. Memory Lane is an app on the Amazon Alexa suite. It is an augmented memory service that documents memories, personal and historical. Currently, the Memory Lane database only has records from 1906 – 2017, obtained through public domains. The client’s vision is to create a platform in which users will have access to search, catalog, tag, and play public memories. SoundMind is in need of a technological platform in which their target audience can collect and disseminate public memories. They are in search of a way for clients to identify, catalog, playback, and tag memories in an easy and efficient manner.
Expected Goals:
- The prototype satisfies stakeholder requirements
- Develop the technology enabled web and mobile tools for the collection and dissemination of public memories
- A platform that enables the users to search, play, tag, and catalog memories
The project was an overall success, but every project has its fluctuations which you learn from. My takeaway would be that communication is a crucial factor, especially between many team members. In the beginning, there was little to no communication between PMs and BAs due to no kickoff meeting because of schedule conflicts. Once that was situated, we were able to better prepare/assist our BA’s with their part of the project. Our main source of contact became GroupMe. We kept our BAs updated about their documentation, prototype, and meeting times. With this, our project headed in the right direction. Work was evenly distributed between members and made the process all the more easier. Teamwork and communication were key factors for the conclusion of this project.