Bricks for Survival: a new way to be prepared!
A Start-Up focused on providing emergency prep and aided with AI technologies to make the intangible real
Around the world, millions of people face the catastrophic consequences of climate change and natural disasters as never before.
2023 was a record-breaking year, having particularly devastating effects on rural and developing nations, mainly:
“because of logistical issues, protection gaps, and difficulties in supplying basic needs due to water pollution and crop losses.” EOS Data Analytics
Thousands of people lost their homes every day, every year. After a catastrophe, there is a severe lack of food resources, refuge and basic medical aid.
There is a basic and understandable basic human need: to feel prepared!
Survival by Lego is a Star-Up focused on responding to our clients´ needs after a natural catastrophe. Drive by that idea, we created our product: Bricks For Survival.
Supported by Lego Group, we developed our service, a creative and innovative way of gathering all the resources humans need before an emergency.
Bringing to life Bricks for Survival under the LEAN method
My name is Ainhoa (Noa) Arroyo and I worked side by side with the best and most creative team I could imagine: Laura Alcaine, María Prego, and Iris Llinares.
We commenced our project under the LEAN methodology which helps designers and product designers improve their efficiency and participation across the process.
We asked ourselves, can we improve the user experience of people before and after a natural disaster?
In the initial phase, we wanted to develop a product to cover all the user´s needs. It is a hard task, almost impossible.
After a Brainstorming session, we conceived our idea: a shelter constructed with Lego bricks which contain different essential goods.
Assumptions
To validate our idea, we worked on the matrix of assumptions, with more and less impact on our venture. We also considered what was our comprehension level and knowledge about each assumption.
We noted the most important assumptions:
a) Our clients wish to feel safe and find refuge after a catastrophe.
b) Some products offer a wide range of Emergency Kits and refuge, but not all in one.
c) There is a current anxiety and concern about the impact of natural disasters.
Hypotheses
Assumptions are the starting point to deliver our hypotheses, the keystone of the LEAN methodology. This is how we validated those ideas so we could make agile decisions.
- Offering a refuge and service to feel prepared can enhance our clients´ safety feelings.
- Lego bricks can be containers and build a refuge in the face of a catastrophe.
- Feeling prepared can reduce concerns about impredactibility.
Bricks For Survival: Key features
This is how we address our client's needs:
- Our products are sustainable: we transform old Lego bricks into our “Bricks” for survival using a rotational moulding process.
- Our bricks must provide 4 essentials after a crisis/emergency: water, medical aid and medicines, food, and a stockpile of seeds to grow vegetables.
- Our bricks construct sturdy refuges. By using these units, clients can be self-sufficient and independent. They can easily assemble the bricks without specific tools.
You must be thinking, how can we make the intangible real?
Well! Our times are exciting, and Generative AI image tools are the answer.
After a laborious process of seeking the precious prompt, I achieved realistic images of our bricks and shelters.
Shelters can be personalised and we offer various plans for different needs.
Business to Consumer (B2C) Model
Bricks For Survival is a business-to-consumer or retail model where our products and services move directly from our business to the end user who purchases the services for their personal use.
Survival by Lego will collaborate with companies such as 3M which provides healthcare materials, Auara which supplies water and Smith Seed Services which is in charge of food and seeds.
Likewise, DJI Technology executes the delivery via drone.
Minimal Viable Product
We developed a landing page to validate our ideas and gather valuable feedback from potential users.
This first-hand feedback allows us to iterate rapidly and enhance the product based on the needs and preferences of our user community.
We developed our platform through WordPress, utilizing the Blocksy template and Elementor Pro for the layout.
Our product images have been generated through an iterative process with the Midjourney platform. This unique tool has enabled us to add real value to our product, making it possible. As the American artist John Dykstra would say:
“If you can imagine it, we can make it.”
Explore more about Bricks for Survival at:
METRICS
KPIs and how to measure our success ✔
Key Performance Indicators are essential for business, as they keep teams focused on what matters most to an organization’s success. They enable us to comprehend our users’ behaviour.
We paid close attention to metrics such as the number of visits, clicks and generated leads, or the sections that attract the most interest.
Metrics provide data, and Data-Driven decisions are essential to achieve innovation, reduce risks and unveil grown opportunities.
Google Analytics and Hotjar
Thanks to Google Analytics we obtained some more valuable insights from the metric analysis:
- The total number of visits reached 142 within the first month.
- However, the bounce rate reached 32%. This indicates that some visitors to the site have not taken any form of action, whether it’s clicking, scrolling, or other interactions. So we would research, understand and iterate to reduce the bounce rate.
Likewise, Hotjar provides valuable insights into user behaviour. By utilizing heatmaps and user recordings. Tracking scrolling and clicking patterns helped us validate some of our key performance indicators (KPIs).
Heatmaps
Hotjar generates these intuitive heatmaps, essential in detecting what does or doesn´t work on our website, and which parts and elements of a page users engage with.
Heatmaps make it easy to visualize complex data and understand it at a glance.
In our case, we take it as a complete success, as with our design, we have achieved more than 50% of users reaching the Contact Form in both Desktop and Mobile versions.
These insights allow us to make informed decisions to enhance the user experience and solve issues through iteration.
Conclusions and Learning
Our creative process with Bricks for Survival has been amazing, it was filled with lessons and valuable insights.
We learnt the core of our product success and the multiple tools which have nurtured our work.
However, I must highlight the potential and incredible work we have squeezed from Midjourney. Doubtlessly, it has added undeniable value to our website and made the intangible real.
Finally, this project has been deeply enriching for us as a creative team and we look forward to designing with outstanding AI tools that enhance efficiency and productivity.
Thanks for reading! 🖖
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