After a challenging presentation, we refocused Civica on supporting women, driven by valuable insights from our instructor Darinka and user feedback.

Survey Results

This week, we finally received the results from the user survey we conducted. The feedback was incredibly insightful and aligned with our vision for Civica. A large percentage of our respondents highlighted workplace rights, family law issues, and navigating bureaucratic processes as major pain points in their legal journeys. These findings reinforced the need for a platform like Civica, which can guide users step-by-step through these challenging areas with ease and affordability.

Presentation Challenges

We were hit with a surprise presentation request this week, and unfortunately, it didn’t go as well as we had hoped. With the lack of preparedness and having two of our team members absent we were unable to deliver a presentation worthy of our and the instructors standards. Without adequate preparation, we struggled to effectively communicate our progress and vision for Civica. It was a tough moment for the group, and the disappointment was palpable. However, this experience served as a critical wake-up call. From that point on, we made a collective decision to be fully prepared for any presentation that could come our way. We used this setback as fuel to push ourselves harder in the coming weeks.

Meeting with Darinka

On a more positive note, we had the opportunity to meet with our Semester 2 instructor, Darinka, who shared valuable insights that transformed our approach. Darinka spoke passionately about women she knew personally who had faced legal troubles—women who would have greatly benefited from an app like Civica. This conversation was a pivotal moment for our team. It reminded us of our original vision from Week 1: creating a legal app specifically aimed at helping women navigate legal challenges. Her input inspired us to refocus on supporting women, particularly those who are vulnerable to legal exploitation or lack the resources to defend themselves.

Navneet’s Mom to the Rescue

After meeting with Darinka, one of our group members, Navneet, mentioned that her mother, a lawyer specializing in cases involving women, shared seven real-world cases that highlight common legal issues women face. One case involved a single mother, new to Canada, working at a public laundry where she was exploited due to her unfamiliarity with labor laws. Navneet’s mother’s insights were invaluable, offering us concrete examples of how women are taken advantage of in various industries, further strengthening our app’s focus on addressing these legal challenges.

Personas

This shift in focus also meant revisiting our personas to better align with the needs of women in legal trouble. By understanding their unique pain points and legal hurdles, we can create a more tailored, supportive experience through Civica.

Technology Environment

As we deepened our understanding of the target audience, we began considering the technological environment that would best serve their needs. Integrating AI tools like OpenAI and Langchain remained a priority, especially for streamlining the chatbot feature, which would provide instant legal guidance.

Wireframe Ideation

Another exciting development this week was the start of our wireframe ideation. We rapidly brainstormed and sketched different design ideas. The results were fascinating and gave us several new perspectives on how to structure Civica’s interface. We’re looking forward to refining these ideas further.

Color Palette

We also began curating a color palette inspired by photographs that evoke empowerment, confidence, and trustworthiness. Our goal is to design a user-friendly interface that feels supportive and welcoming.

App vs. Web App

Finally, we engaged in discussions about whether Civica should be developed as a native app or a web app. Each option has its pros and cons, and we’re still weighing the best approach based on the needs of our users and the resources available to us.