CONTENTS

Vykarious: an Overview

The Human Connection

User Experience Map (video & still)

Preliminary Feedback

Potential Partnerships

Inside Scoop

A Brief Note

Acknowledgements

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VYKARIOUS: AN OVERVIEW

Vykarious is a platform allowing users to open their bucket list to the world.

It stirs up spontaneity in both the asker and the completer of a given action. Simply dancing in the rain, or doing yoga in the Rockies, or whatever the "ask" may be enriches the lives of both parties involved. 

Vykarious provides a way to meaningfully connect with other people and influence lives even from the hospital bed. For those registered as Vykings, it provides adventure and a powerful, living memory that transcends political and cultural borders. 

THE HUMAN CONNECTION

The driving force behind Vykarious is human connection. It has the potential to forge unexpected friendships, but also strengthen bonds between family members. In speaking to people whose parents were aging and less mobile, I realized that the "bucket list" or "if you could do one more thing" topic was somewhat unchartered. In other words, many sons and daughters do not really know what their parents or grandparents want (I learned about my father's desire to visit a woman who helped raise him in Calcutta just last week). Vykarious is a platform to not only open this dialogue, but allow these dreams to come to fruition. 

THE USER EXPERIENCE MAP

Video

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Still

PRELIMINARY FEEDBACK

Other feedback:

"Through my volunteer experience in the senior community I have a greater understanding than most of the difficulties seniors deal with in the later years of life. Senior homes can often be lonely and filled with repetition. Most of the seniors I’ve talked with are always intrigued by my travels. Unfortunately most seniors are limited in mobility and often talk to me about things they’ve either done in the past or things they should have done.  I feel Vykarious is able to tackle this notion of the "should have's” and “could have's." By offering that connection through the wonders of technology, Vykarious seems like something Seniors can get excited about."

-Kevin Gondres, Senior Graphic Designer, McCann Echo & Volunteer in senior living homes, New Jersey

"I can definitely see this working...consider senior living homes and palliative care centers, because there is sensitivity in hospice environments, since those are for the last few days of life."

-phone call with Morgan Meinel, RN, New York 

POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS

(Please note that these partners have been identified, not approved/contacted).

• AARP - useful for PR, media, and awareness
• The North Face - outdoors/adventure companies such as North Face, Patagonia, REI, etc. could provide gear and/or sponsorship to Vykings
• McCann Health - a health-oriented agency could pursue branding, development, media, distribution
• Twilio - development of in-app capability of live voice/video 
• Expedia - travel companies such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Kayak could help with funding or travel arrangements
• Southwest - airline companies could be interested in facilitating travel
• Amazon - distribution of platform partnerships
• Samsung - gear VR for virtual reality incorporation
• Apple - computer/iPad donation to assisted living homes
• dji - drone camera footage for adventure capture
• Theta 360 - lightweight, cheaper optionf or 360 images
• 360 fly - more rugged, weatherproof option for 360 capture in 4k

INSIDE SCOOP

just a little peek into the process

A BRIEF NOTE

I would like to note here that my grandmother, Mohini Teotia, who largely inspired this project, passed away on July 25th. As one of the first female pediatricians in her region of India, she touched many, many lives throughout her incredible time on Earth. Vykarious is dedicated to her.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The incredible team at McCann Echo, a McCann Health Agency listened to and believed in this idea, dedicating odd hours and lunch breaks to brainstorming sessions and whipping up work to breathe more life into Vykarious.