The Serendipitous Encounter at EquiTech: Crafting a Future with Storyverse AI

Hello, fellow UX enthusiasts! Today, I’m excited to share a story that perfectly encapsulates the whirlwind adventure that is working in UX during the age of AI. It all began at a recent EquiTech Tuesday event hosted by Upsurge Baltimore, where I met the dynamic team behind what I’ll call “Storyverse AI.”

The Unexpected Encounter at EquiTech Tuesday

EquiTech Tuesday events are a fantastic way to connect with local innovators, and this particular evening did not disappoint. Amidst the buzz of tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, I found myself in a conversation with (let’s call them) Ben and Sam, the visionary co-founders of Storyverse AI. They were eager to discuss their groundbreaking app, which generates personalized stories for children using advanced AI.

As we chatted, Ben and Sam shared their ambition to refine their current app and explore the creation of a new version tailored for adults, featuring more complex and engaging narratives. Intrigued by their vision, I knew this was an opportunity for Brady UX to shine.

Prepared and Ready: Our Pitch Deck

Olya (let’s call her “Olivia”) and I were well-prepared for such a moment. Armed with our pitch deck, we seized the opportunity to introduce Brady UX. Here’s a glimpse of our presentation:

Slide 1: Introduction

Brady: “Hi, we are Brady UX. We’re co-founders, and I’m head of product while Olivia heads our operations. My name is Brady Starr, and I’m the co-founder of Brady UX. We specialize in creating intuitive and engaging user experiences that resonate deeply with users. Our approach is grounded in extensive research and innovative design, much like the magic you bring to life through personalized storytelling for children.”

Slide 2: Introducing Olya

Brady: “Now, I’d like to introduce you to Olivia Androsik, my partner and co-founder. Olivia brings a wealth of experience in UI/UX design, having led major projects for companies like Wayfair and The Home Depot. Her expertise in crafting user-centric designs aligns perfectly with the mission of Storyverse AI — to create educational, adaptive, and captivating experiences for young readers. Olivia, take it away!”

Slide 3: Olya’s Introduction

Olya: “Thanks, Brady! Hi everyone, I’m Olivia Androsik. It’s an honor to be here with a company that’s redefining children’s education and entertainment. At Brady UX, our goal is to understand and enhance the user journey at every step, much like how Storyverse AI uses advanced AI to tailor stories that captivate and educate young minds. Together, we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire and inform, and we’re excited to explore potential collaborations that bring even more magic to the world of digital storytelling.”

Slide 4: Our Design Process

Olya: “Our mission is to improve people’s time with intuitive and delightful design. We combine masterful design with user research, technology, and empathy to create meaningful products. Our design process consists of six steps: Discover, Research, Analyze, Generate Ideas, Optimize, and Navigate.

• Discover: We start with interviews and competitive analysis.
• Research: We talk with real people to gather insights.
• Analyze: We identify pain points and problems users face.
• Generate Ideas: We come up with visionary solutions.
• Optimize: We test solutions with real people.
• Navigate: We hand off a product designed around your users and help implement it.”

Slide 5: Flagship Design: 1st90

Brady: “Our flagship design, 1st90, is a testament to our collaborative approach. Trusted and white-labeled for well-recognized brands like Uber, Nike, and Exxon, the app has seen significant engagement:

• 225,000+ actions completed by users.
• 120,000+ peer-to-peer insights shared.
• 350,000 steps completed, illustrating active participation.
• 75,000 habits successfully developed among users.
• Awards: The app has received several prestigious awards, including a 2023 Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Gold Award and a 2020 Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Technology Silver Award.”

Slide 6: Understanding Your Needs

Brady: “We aim to discover how we can help you with your challenges. Can you describe the current challenges Storyverse AI is facing in terms of user engagement and retention? We can start designing a solution today with a 10-minute interview, which is the first step in our process — getting to know more about how you personally feel about Storyverse AI.”

Slide 7: Closing

Brady and Olya: “Thank you! We look forward to exploring how we can elevate Storyverse AI’s user experience and drive your mission forward.”

The Follow-Up

After our pitch, Ben and Sam seemed intrigued and eager to continue the conversation. We agreed to meet again at the next EquiTech event to delve deeper into potential collaboration opportunities.

In the meantime, I sent them a follow-up email with our portfolios and details about our pro bono initiative. Here’s the content of that email:

Subject: Follow-Up and Next Steps from Our Meeting

Hi Ben and Sam,

Thank you for taking the time to meet with Olivia and me to discuss the exciting opportunities at Storyverse AI. We enjoyed learning about your current projects and future goals, and we’re enthusiastic about the potential for collaboration.

Meeting Recap:

• Storyverse AI App Refinement: We discussed ways to improve the user interface and experience based on user feedback.
• New Version for Adults: Explored the concept of longer stories tailored for an adult audience and potential design elements to enhance user engagement.
• Local Baltimore Connections: Discussed the importance of local collaboration and mutual support within the Baltimore tech community.
• Upcoming EquiTech Event: Agreed to continue our discussion at the EquiTech event on Tuesday, where we can explore collaboration opportunities in more detail.

Portfolios:

• Olivia’s Portfolio: olyaandrosik.com
• Brady’s Portfolio: bradyux.myportfolio.com

For more information about us and to connect on social media, you can visit our website at bradyux.com.

Pro Bono Initiative: We also wanted to share more details about our pro bono initiative. You can find the application and additional information here: Pro Bono Initiative Application.

We look forward to continuing our conversation at the EquiTech event and exploring how we can work together to bring your ideas to life.

Best regards,

Brady Starr and Olivia Androsik
Brady UX
bradyux.com

Reflections

Reflecting on this experience, it’s clear how critical it is to stay adaptable and creative in the UX field, especially when working with AI. The intersection of user experience and artificial intelligence presents unique challenges and exciting opportunities to innovate and enhance how users interact with technology.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to navigate this exciting project and explore the boundless possibilities of AI in UX design!

Until next time, Brady