I really haven’t gotten a chance to share about the project that I’ve been working on for the past year, so here’s a start. I’d like to share with you the formative journey of SenseUs, a question-and-answer platform designed to provoke self-reflection and foster discussions on social topics in Singapore.

The initial spark behind SenseUs was to create a space that allowed for diverse perspectives to surface through thought-provoking questions. We started off with a bank of questions centered around social issues like mental health, race, and religion. The goal was simple: to use the power of questions and human curiosity to broaden our understanding of the world around us. Here’s how it roughly works:

The core functionality of SenseUs centers around the act of answering questions. Users can respond to these questions, measured on a binary, multiple choice, or 5-point Likert scale, expressing their views and preferences. Once they’ve shared their perspective, they can check out how others have responded, fostering a sense of community and social comparison.

There’s also a matching feature, allowing users to generate match reports with others based on their answers. This added another layer of interaction and facilitated deeper discussions. It’s like finding a conversation partner with just a click!

To cater to specific interests, we introduced “Question Decks”. These are sets of targeted questions users can answer and then match with their friends. I also made sure to add in-app notifications to alert users about responses to their comments, ensuring effective communication and engagement.

As the user base grew, so did the purpose of SenseUs. While my primary mission of providing new perspectives remained, I also recognized the potential of SenseUs as a platform for nurturing interpersonal connections. I observed how conversations sparked on our platform were spilling over into real life, facilitating deeper discussions among friends, partners, and families.

This led me to define three axioms that drive SenseUs as a social media platform: online social engagement, offline social engagement, and true anonymity. I envisioned online and offline spaces working in tandem with SenseUs to promote conversations and foster interpersonal relationships. We also wanted to create a space where users felt safe to be open and honest. So, we provided options for users to delete their accounts, change their display names, and select from a preset list of avatars. We also avoided collecting any personally identifiable information, opting to assign randomly-generated UIDs to users instead.

Developing SenseUs has been a journey of constant learning and adaptation. I’ve seen it grow from an idea to a platform that not only diversifies perspectives but also connects people in meaningful ways. It’s been gratifying to see users engage, converse, and connect through our platform.

The journey of building SenseUs has been as enriching as it has been challenging. I’ve learned a lot about user engagement, online communities, and the power of open dialogue. As I continue to develop and evolve, my aim remains the same: to create a platform that fosters understanding, connection, and dialogue.

I hope this provides a glimpse into my journey of developing SenseUs! I’m excited about the road ahead and look forward to seeing how SenseUs continues to evolve. Even if it doesn’t end up anywhere, the process definitely made everything worth it.