Since we graduated from ETH Zurich’s Computer Science last summer, we, Alex Roque and Isaak Hanimann, have been working on developing an app to make the exchange of skills between students more spontaneous and convenient. But the current Corona crisis has forced us to be creative, and to quickly adapt the initial purpose of the app to focus instead on containing the spread of the virus.
Corona-compliant App Reframing
by Alex Roque & Isaak Hanimann, ETH Zurich alumni & entrepreneurs, 7 May 2020
Reframing an app whose initial purpose was meeting people into an app whose purpose is to avoid people due to Corona restrictions.
Initial purpose of the App – Skills Sharing
Have you ever been looking for immediate help before an exam? Have you ever passed an exam with the best grade, and wanted to share your knowledge with fellow students? Or do you wish to make new friends by simply sharing your skills of cooking, dancing salsa or bouldering? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just open an app to find these skilled people near you, text them and meet them in person? This spontaneous interaction is the vision we have for our App called Flowby.
Team: Alex Roque, Isaak Hanimann (photo credit: Flowby)
We were ready to launch the Flowby App in mid-March – but Corona crossed our vision…
Flowby says hello (image: Flowby)
Reframing the App as “Corona-compliant” – Help Sharing
Given the Corona safety measurements of staying home and social distancing, it was necessary to rapidly change the purpose of our Flowby App from personal skill sharing to a digital network only. Luckily, we found an easy way to re-use the code for this new objective. For the time being, Flowby can be used to connect people who are looking for help (such as grocery shopping, pharmacy visits or dog walks) with people who are offering help nearby. The idea of a sharing platform is maintained.
Corona-driven business opportunities
Despite the heavy impact the Coronavirus has on our lives, it even has some minor positive effects on our work as App developers. We learned how to adapt our App with agility, taking into account new external facts while still sticking to and believing in our initial idea. It might even offer us business and collaboration opportunities with public health institutions who are interested in using our App, as we can customize our App for various purposes.
Nevertheless, for our Flowby App, the new Corona slogan “Avoid people” isn’t as sexy as the initial Flowby slogan “Meet skillful people”, although the old slogan is still relevant.
About the authors
Distracted Team (photo credit: Flowby)
Alex Roque:
The thing that keeps me busiest at the moment is: Coding and working on Communicative Meditation
My favourite app is: Spotify
One book or movie I recommend: Ulysses by James Joyce and The Mahabarata by Peter Brook
And if all else fails, my instant pick-me-up is: Mozart (e.g. Violin Concerto No.3 In G Major, K. 216, 1.Allegro)
The thing that keeps me busiest at the moment is: Coding and working on Communicative Meditation
My favourite app is: Spotify
One book or movie I recommend: Ulysses by James Joyce and The Mahabarata by Peter Brook
And if all else fails, my instant pick-me-up is: Mozart (e.g. Violin Concerto No.3 In G Major, K. 216, 1.Allegro)
Isaak Hanimann:
The thing that keeps me busiest at the moment is: Coming up with innovative dinner ideas
My favourite app is: Needless to say..
One book or movie I recommend: Tropic Thunder
And if all else fails, my instant pick-me-up is: Cookies with milk
