Guarden

Guarden CASE STUDY APPENDIX © Kelsey Jackson | September 1, 2024

ORIGINAL Compiled and cra昀琀ed in Secondary Research

Preserving legacies for future generations Family legacy preservation and transition planning Timing is crucial when it comes to legacy preservation and transition planning. Many are essential yet o昀琀en overlooked aspects of life. The emotional, legal, and logistical challenges users expressed regret over not starting the associated with these tasks can be overwhelming, process early enough, resulting in missed opportunities to capture important memories especially during times of grief. Insights from various Reddit threads reveal common challenges, or 昀椀nalize legal documents missed opportunities, and practical strategies that individuals have encountered when dealing with A signi昀椀cant challenge faced by genealogists is determining what to do a昀琀er building a the legacies of their ancestors and loved ones. This paper synthesizes these insights to provide a substantial family tree. Once users have gathered names, dates, and basic facts about comprehensive understanding of the needs and their ancestors, many feel uncertain about gaps in the market for tools like the Guarden app. the next steps. This sense of directionlessness is particularly evident among beginners One of the most striking themes in the Reddit who, a昀琀er compiling extensive family trees, threads is the emotional burden placed on family members when a loved one passes away without 昀椀nd themselves asking, “What next?”. The issue is compounded by the prevalence a clear or organized legacy plan. Many users of con昀氀icting or inaccurate information on expressed frustration and sorrow over being le昀琀 to sort through chaotic or incomplete documentation, popular genealogy platforms, which can dilute the value of well-researched trees. which exacerbates their grief. These experiences highlight the critical need for tools that not only In one Reddit discussion, a user who had help families organize important documents but spent 15 years meticulously researching their also facilitate di昀케cult conversations about end-of- family history expressed frustration over the life wishes. inaccuracies found in other family trees on Ancestry. Despite creating a comprehensive Family dynamics o昀琀en complicate the process of narrative history, complete with sources, the legacy planning and asset distribution. Several user struggled to 昀椀nd a platform that allowed users shared stories of con昀氀ict arising from unclear them to share their work in a meaningful wills or disputed inheritance. These con昀氀icts and accessible way. This highlights a critical can strain or even destroy family relationships, gap in the genealogy space: the need for underscoring the need for clear, legally sound platforms that enable users to present their documentation and communication. Reddit threads also underscore the importance research as coherent narratives, rather than just static lists of names and dates. of preserving family history, stories, and values. Many users regret not having recorded their loved ones’ voices or documented their family traditions before it was too late. This sentiment reveals a deep desire to maintain a connection with past generations and to pass down that heritage to future ones.

Legacy preservation and transition planning are providing them with more than just a collection deeply interconnected, and Guarden’s uni昀椀ed of names and dates—it o昀昀ers a living narrative approach ensures that family history is not only that imparts family values, traditions, and a documented but also securely passed down profound sense of identity. With Guarden, to future generations, creating a continuous the legacy le昀琀 behind is comprehensive narrative that connects past, present, and future. and enduring, ensuring that the stories and By integrating features like interactive family lessons of the past are cherished and built trees, narrative storytelling, and secure document upon, honoring the contributions of each storage, Guarden o昀昀ers a seamless experience generation and strengthening the bonds that where users can manage both the emotional and connect them. practical aspects of their legacy in one place. This holistic approach enriches future generations by CHALLENGES OPPORTUNTIES • Frustration with Disorganization: Families • Proactive Planning: Tools that prompt users to start the planning process early and provide are o昀琀en le昀琀 to deal with incomplete or poorly organized documents, leading to stress and reminders for regular updates can help ensure that nothing is le昀琀 to the last minute. con昀氀ict among survivors. • Exacerbated Grief: The lack of a clear plan • Con昀氀ict Prevention: Tools that help clarify and legally document the wishes of the deceased can intensify the grieving process, as family can prevent con昀氀icts among surviving family members are forced to make tough decisions members. Encouraging collaborative planning without guidance. • Missed Opportunities: Users frequently and open discussions among family members can expressed regret over not preserving important reduce misunderstandings and ensure everyone is on the same page. memories or family stories, highlighting a need • Legal Safeguards: There is a need for tools for tools that make it easier to capture and that integrate legal safeguards, such as secure store these elements. document storage and the ability to share • Emotional Connection: Legacy preservation and verify important documents with legal is not just about 昀椀nancial assets; it’s about maintaining a connection with loved ones and professionals. • Interactive and Engaging Tools: There is passing on cultural and personal values. • Lack of Direction A昀琀er Research: A昀琀er potential for tools that o昀昀er interactive ways to record and share family histories, such as completing a family tree, many genealogists voice recordings, digital scrapbooks, and feel uncertain about how to document and narrative timelines. There is a strong desire share their 昀椀ndings in a meaningful way. This among genealogists to share their research in a o昀琀en leads to a sense of unful昀椀llment, as the narrative form, providing context and depth to hard work of gathering data doesn’t naturally their 昀椀ndings. However, there is a lack of suitable translate into preserving a legacy. • Con昀氀icting Information: The abundance of platforms that cater to this need, leaving many users searching for ways to make their work inaccurate or con昀氀icting data on genealogy accessible and impactful. platforms frustrates users who have invested signi昀椀cant time in verifying their family history.

ORIGINAL Compiled and cra昀琀ed in Competitive Analysis

Competitive Analysis FUNCTION Geneology Storytelling Digital Storage Legal Documentation Extensive Database Ease of Use Lifetime Storage User-Friendly DNA Testing Personalization High Security Affordability STRENGTHS User Community Tangible Output User-Friendly Interface Legal Compliance Family Tree Builder Emotional Connection Family Sharing Customization Subscription Costs Limited Scope Cost Limited Scope WEAKNESSES Privacy Concerns Subscription Model Limited Features No In-Person Consultation Complex Interface Lack of Digital Interactivity Dependence on Dependence on Technology Company Longevity Enhanced Storytelling Features Multimedia Integration Expansion of Services Integration with Other Tools OPPORTUNITIES Integration with Other Tools Expanded Product Offerings Partnerships Educational Resources Competition from Other Competition from Other Emerging Competitors Competition from Traditional THREATS Genealogy Services Storytelling Platforms Legal Services Privacy Regulations Market Saturation Technological Advances Compliance with Law Changes

Ancestry.com is a leading online genealogy platform that helps users trace their family history, build family trees, and connect with distant relatives. It o昀昀ers access to a vast collection of historical records, DNA testing services, and a platform for sharing and discovering family stories. STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES • Extensive Database: Ancestry.com boasts • Subscription Costs: Ancestry.com operates on a subscription model, which can be expensive, one of the largest collections of genealogical particularly for users seeking access to premium records, making it a go-to resource for users records and features. interested in tracing their lineage. • DNA Testing: The integration of DNA • Privacy Concerns: DNA data storage and sharing have raised privacy concerns among users, testing with genealogical research o昀昀ers users personalized insights into their ethnic particularly regarding third-party access and data security. background and potential relatives. • User Community: Ancestry.com has a large, • Complex Interface: The vast array of features and data can be overwhelming for new users, making active user base, allowing for collaboration and the platform less accessible for beginners. connection with other family members and researchers. • Family Tree Builder: The platform’s intuitive family tree builder makes it easy for users to document their family history and explore connections. OPPORTUNITIES THREATS • Enhanced Storytelling Features: Expanding • Competition from Other Genealogy Services: beyond genealogy to include more robust tools The emergence of other genealogy platforms and DNA testing services could erode Ancestry.com’s for preserving and sharing family stories could appeal to users interested in more than just market share. records. • Privacy Regulations: Increasing scrutiny and • Integration with Other Legacy Tools: regulation of data privacy, particularly concerning genetic information, could impact the service’s Partnering with platforms that focus on legacy growth. preservation could o昀昀er a more comprehensive service to users.

StoryWorth is a subscription-based service that helps families preserve their stories by prompting users with weekly questions. Responses are compiled into a hardcover book at the end of the year, o昀昀ering a tangible keepsake of family memories. STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES • Ease of Use: StoryWorth is designed to be • Limited Scope: StoryWorth focuses primarily on storytelling and does not o昀昀er features related to simple and user-friendly, making it accessible genealogy, legal document storage, or 昀椀nancial to users of all ages. • Personalization: The service o昀昀ers a high legacy planning. • Subscription Model: The ongoing subscription degree of personalization, allowing users to fee might deter some users, especially those who choose questions and add photos to their are only interested in a one-time project. stories. • Tangible Output: The 昀椀nal product—a printed • Lack of Digital Interactivity: While the printed book is a valuable output, StoryWorth lacks digital book—is a cherished keepsake that appeals to interactivity and multimedia integration, which users who value physical memories. • Emotional Connection: StoryWorth fosters might appeal to a younger audience. deeper connections between family members by encouraging them to share personal stories and memories. OPPORTUNITIES THREATS • Multimedia Integration: Adding features for • Competition from Other Storytelling Platforms: video or audio storytelling could enhance the Other platforms that o昀昀er similar services, particularly those with more digital features, could service and attract a broader user base. • Expanded Product O昀昀erings: O昀昀ering draw users away from StoryWorth. • Market Saturation: As more apps and services di昀昀erent types of printed products, such as focus on family legacy preservation, StoryWorth digital scrapbooks or family history books, may need to innovate to stay competitive. could diversify revenue streams.

Forever Storage is a digital storage service that o昀昀ers permanent, secure storage for photos, videos, and documents. It is designed to help users preserve their family memories for future generations, with a promise of long-term accessibility and privacy. STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES • Lifetime Storage: Forever Storage o昀昀ers a • Cost: The lifetime storage model can be expensive upfront, which may deter users who are unique promise of lifetime storage, which looking for more a昀昀ordable options. appeals to users looking for a permanent solution to preserve their memories. • Limited Features: While it excels at storage, • High Security: The platform emphasizes Forever Storage lacks additional features like security and privacy, ensuring that users’ data genealogy tools, legacy planning, or storytelling capabilities. is protected from unauthorized access and potential data loss. • Dependence on Company Longevity: • User-Friendly Interface: The platform is Users must trust that the company will remain operational for the long term, as their data’s designed to be easy to navigate, with a focus preservation is tied to the company’s existence. on simplicity and usability. • Family Sharing: Forever Storage allows users to share their stored memories with family members, fostering connection across generations. OPPORTUNITIES THREATS • Expansion of Services: Adding features such • Emerging Competitors: Other digital storage providers, especially those o昀昀ering more 昀氀exible as family tree building or interactive storytelling pricing or additional features, could threaten could enhance the platform’s value proposition. • Partnerships: Collaborating with other Forever Storage’s market position. • Technological Advances: Rapid advancements legacy preservation or genealogy platforms in digital storage technology could lead to better, could provide a more comprehensive service more cost-e昀昀ective solutions, challenging Forever o昀昀ering. Storage’s unique selling proposition.

Trust & Will is a popular online platform that simpli昀椀es the process of creating legal documents for estate planning, including wills, trusts, and guardianships. It is designed to make estate planning accessible and a昀昀ordable for the average person, o昀昀ering a straightforward, guided process. STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES • User-Friendly: Trust & Will provides an • Limited Scope: While Trust & Will excels at legal document preparation, it does not o昀昀er features intuitive, step-by-step process that makes related to genealogy, storytelling, or digital legacy creating legal documents simple, even for preservation. users without legal expertise. • A昀昀ordability: The platform is signi昀椀cantly more • No In-Person Consultation: Users who prefer direct interaction with a legal professional may a昀昀ordable than traditional estate planning services, making it accessible to a wider 昀椀nd the online-only model lacking. audience. • Dependence on Technology: As with any • Legal Compliance: Trust & Will ensures that online service, users must rely on the platform’s documents are compliant with state laws, technological infrastructure and data security measures. providing peace of mind to users that their plans will be legally sound. • Customization: The platform allows for a high degree of customization, enabling users to tailor their documents to their speci昀椀c needs and circumstances. OPPORTUNITIES THREATS • Integration with Legacy Tools: Trust & Will • Competition from Traditional Legal Services: could expand its services by integrating with While Trust & Will o昀昀ers a昀昀ordability and convenience, some users may still prefer platforms that focus on legacy preservation, traditional legal services for complex estate providing a more holistic approach to end-of- planning needs. life planning. • Educational Resources: O昀昀ering more in- • Legal Challenges: Changes in state or federal depth educational content on estate planning laws could necessitate updates to the platform, and legacy preservation could attract users posing a potential challenge for maintaining interested in understanding the broader compliance and user trust. implications of their decisions.

User Personas Module 2 Unit 3: End-to-End Application Capstone Project Program Phase 2 Module 2: Capstone Projects Area DesignLab Empty Due Date Empty Action Date Project Deadline February 16, 2024 Status In Review 14 more properties Add Resources New Subtasks New ORIGINAL Compiled and cra昀琀ed in User Personas Module 2 Unit 3: End-to-End Application Capstone Project ALT Program Phase 2 Module 2: Capstone Projects Area DesignLab Margaret Johnson Empty Due Date Age: 73 Empty Occupation: Retired Teacher Action Date Location: Suburban Pennsylvania Project Deadline February 16, 2024 Tech Comfort Level: Moderate (Uses email, social media, and basic apps regularly) Status In Review Family Role: Matriarch, Keeper of Family History 14 more properties Marital Status: Widowed, 3 children, 7 grandchildren Add Resources Bio: Maggie is the family historian, having spent years collecting old family photos, letters, and New Subtasks documents that trace her family’s roots. She’s deeply invested in ensuring her family’s history is passed down, but with boxes of physical memorabilia and a mix of digital files, she’s worried that New these precious memories might get lost after she’s gone. Although she’s somewhat comfortable with technology, she prefers simple, intuitive platforms. Maggie is looking for a tool to organize her collection, securely store legal documents, and pass down family values, ensuring that future generations remember their heritage. Goals: Create a well-organized digital archive of family history. Ensure family traditions, values, and stories are passed down. Simplify and secure important legal and financial documents. Engage her children and grandchildren in preserving and continuing the family legacy. Frustrations: Overwhelmed by the amount of physical and digital content to organize. Struggles with understanding complex apps and digital tools. Worried that her legacy may not be valued or maintained after her time. Motivations: ALT Wants to leave a meaningful legacy and ensure her family’s roots are not forgotten. Desires simplicity and clarity in technology to make preserving her legacy easy. Margaret Johnson Age: 73 Occupation: Retired Teacher Location: Suburban Pennsylvania Tech Comfort Level: Moderate (Uses email, social media, and basic apps regularly) Family Role: Matriarch, Keeper of Family History Marital Status: Widowed, 3 children, 7 grandchildren Bio: Maggie is the family historian, having spent years collecting old family photos, letters, and User Personas documents that trace her family’s roots. She’s deeply invested in ensuring her family’s history is passed down, but with boxes of physical memorabilia and a mix of digital files, she’s worried that these precious memories might get lost after she’s gone. Although she’s somewhat comfortable with technology, she prefers simple, intuitive platforms. Maggie is looking for a tool to organize her collection, securely store legal documents, and pass down family values, ensuring that future generations remember their heritage. Goals: ALT Create a well-organized digital archive of family history. Ensure family traditions, values, and stories are passed down. Jordan Matthews Simplify and secure important legal and financial documents. Age: 32 Engage her children and grandchildren in preserving and continuing the family legacy. Occupation: Financial Analyst Location: Austin, Texas Frustrations: Tech Comfort Level: High (Regular user of apps and digital tools) Overwhelmed by the amount of physical and digital content to organize. Family Role: Son, Father of Two Struggles with understanding complex apps and digital tools. Marital Status: Married with 2 children Worried that her legacy may not be valued or maintained after her time. Bio: Motivations: Jordan is the busy father of two young children. He values family traditions but struggles to find Wants to leave a meaningful legacy and ensure her family’s roots are not forgotten. the time to help preserve the family’s legacy amidst his fast-paced lifestyle. He grew up listening Desires simplicity and clarity in technology to make preserving her legacy easy. to stories from his grandmother, Margaret, and wants to ensure those memories and traditions continue for his children. Jordan sees technology as a solution to streamline and modernize legacy preservation. He’s excited about tools that make documenting and sharing family history easy, and he’s keen to get his own children involved in learning about their heritage. He’s also mindful of planning for the future and ensuring that his family’s financial and legal affairs are in order. Goals: Digitally preserve family stories and photos for future generations. Engage his children with their family history in fun, interactive ways. Create a structured transition plan to protect his family’s future. Collaborate with family members to ensure everyone has access to important documents. Frustrations: Lack of time to dedicate to organizing and preserving family history. Feels disconnected from the older generation’s physical archives. Concerned about securely managing financial and legal documents. ALT Motivations: Wants to honor his grandmother’s dedication to family history and ensure his children have Jordan Matthews access to their heritage. Age: 32 Enjoys using technology to simplify complex tasks, like legacy planning and organization. Occupation: Financial Analyst Seeks a balance between honoring the past and securing the future for his children. Location: Austin, Texas Tech Comfort Level: High (Regular user of apps and digital tools) Family Role: Son, Father of Two Marital Status: Married with 2 children Bio: Jordan is the busy father of two young children. He values family traditions but struggles to find the time to help preserve the family’s legacy amidst his fast-paced lifestyle. He grew up listening to stories from his grandmother, Margaret, and wants to ensure those memories and traditions continue for his children. Jordan sees technology as a solution to streamline and modernize legacy preservation. He’s excited about tools that make documenting and sharing family history easy, and he’s keen to get his own children involved in learning about their heritage. He’s also mindful of planning for the future and ensuring that his family’s financial and legal affairs are in order. Goals: Digitally preserve family stories and photos for future generations. Engage his children with their family history in fun, interactive ways. Create a structured transition plan to protect his family’s future. Collaborate with family members to ensure everyone has access to important documents. Frustrations: Lack of time to dedicate to organizing and preserving family history. Feels disconnected from the older generation’s physical archives. Concerned about securely managing financial and legal documents. Motivations: Wants to honor his grandmother’s dedication to family history and ensure his children have access to their heritage. Enjoys using technology to simplify complex tasks, like legacy planning and organization. Seeks a balance between honoring the past and securing the future for his children.

Margaret Jordan Johnson Matthews Matriarch & Keeper of Family History Financial Analyst & Family Man BIOGRAPHY BIOGRAPHY Maggie, 73, is the family historian, having spent years Jordan, 32, is the busy father of two young children. collecting old family photos, letters, and documents He values family traditions but struggles to 昀椀nd the that trace her family’s roots. She’s deeply invested in time to help preserve the family’s legacy amidst his ensuring her family’s history is passed down, but with fast-paced lifestyle. He grew up listening to stories boxes of physical memorabilia and a mix of digital from his grandmother, Margaret, and wants to 昀椀les, she’s worried that these precious memories ensure those memories and traditions continue for might get lost a昀琀er she’s gone. Although she’s his children. Jordan sees technology as a solution somewhat comfortable with technology, she prefers to streamline and modernize legacy preservation. simple, intuitive platforms. Maggie is looking for a He’s excited about tools that make documenting and tool to organize her collection, securely store legal sharing family history easy, and he’s keen to get his documents, and pass down family values, ensuring own children involved in learning about their heritage. QUOTE that future generations remember their heritage. QUOTE He’s also mindful of planning for the future and “I have so much to share but no ensuring that his family’s 昀椀nancial and legal a昀昀airs are “Life is short, and I want to my easy way to share it.” in order. children to grow up knowing where we came from.” NEEDS & GOALS CHALLENGES & CONSIDERATIONS NEEDS & GOALS CHALLENGES & CONSIDERATIONS • Create a well-organized digital archive of family • Overwhelmed by the amount of physical and • Digitally preserve family stories and photos for • Lack of time to dedicate to organizing and history. digital content to organize. future generations. preserving family history. • Ensure family traditions, values, and stories are • Struggles with understanding complex apps and • Engage his children with their family history in fun, • Feels disconnected from the older generation’s passed down. digital tools. interactive ways. physical archives. • Simplify and secure important legal and 昀椀nancial • Worried that her legacy may not be valued or • Create a structured transition plan to protect his • Concerned about securely managing 昀椀nancial documents. maintained a昀琀er her time. family’s future. and legal documents. • Engage her children and grandchildren in • Collaborate with family members to ensure preserving and continuing the family legacy. everyone has access to important documents. • Wants to leave a meaningful legacy and ensure • Wants to honor his grandmother’s dedication to her family’s roots are not forgotten. family history and ensure his children have access • Desires simplicity and clarity in technology to make to their heritage. preserving her legacy easy. • Enjoys using technology to simplify complex tasks, like legacy planning and organization. • Seeks a balance between honoring the past and securing the future for his children.

ORIGINAL Compiled and cra昀琀ed in Feature Prioritization

Feature Prioritization MUST HAVE NICE TO HAVE FEATURE DESCRIPTION SUPPORTING RESEARCH FEATURE DESCRIPTION SUPPORTING RESEARCH Secondary research: Reducing con昀氀icts Secondary research: Families need a dedicated Heirloom A marketplace-like experience to between family members with collaborative Legal Document A shared library of will, trust, estate platform to generate, store, and share their 1 Management assign bene昀椀ciaries to speci昀椀c and transparent systems to disposition loved 1 Storage management, and living will heirlooms wishes in end-of-life documents ones valuables a昀琀er they pass A storytelling feature where Secondary research: Geneaology and 2 Storytelling descendents intentionally help their family trees only go so far and leave many Secondary research: Families are protected previous generations document their feeling unsure how to proceed once they’ve 2 Document A昀昀ected family members can stay in from surprises during already emotionally- life’s memories completed research Collaboration the know by reviewing changes charged events An event management feature to Family Meeting & foster in-person connection and a Secondary research: When a large family A collaborative family tree builder Secondary research: Family trees and the 3 Event Coordination meeting feature to keep transition loses a matriarch or patriach, families lose Family Tree that connects with transition geneaology work need a platform that planning transparent for all family touch with their extended family 3 Builder planning tools can ensure it is advocates for family sharing so there’s less members handed o昀昀 to the next generation starting from scratch Memory User survey: Photos and videos need to be 4 Preservation Photos and video library actively shared from generation to generation in order for them to be properly preserved. SURPRISE & DELIGHT FEATURE DESCRIPTION SUPPORTING RESEARCH Pro昀椀les have regular tasks Automated Tasks associated with them that notify User survey: Records and documents aren’t Password Releasing passwords access a昀琀er Secondary research: Accessing loved ones legal 1 a loved one passes to disposition 5 and Reminders when documents and records need updated o昀琀en enough because there’s not an Management assets documents a昀琀er they passed causes more grief to be updated available system to keep them top of mind Integrate with common storage Competitive analysis: Reduce user reliance of 2 Integrations tools or social media company performance to store their 昀椀les long term

Sources 1. u/Graymatter_13. “Posting family history in narrative form.” Reddit, r/Genealogy, 30 Aug. 2023, www.reddit.com/r/ Genealogy/comments/1f4absk/posting_family_history_in_narrative_form/. 2. u/Miserable-Deer-2002. “What to do a昀琀er research?” Reddit, r/Genealogy, 30 Aug. 2023, www.reddit.com/r/ Genealogy/comments/1f41udj/what_to_do_a昀琀er_research/. 3. u/runorfalldown. “What do you wish you did?” Reddit, r/GriefSupport, 10 Aug. 2023, www.reddit.com/r/ GriefSupport/comments/176o1uj/what_do_you_wish_you_did/. 4. u/Majestic-Mu昀케n-8955. “Parent has le昀琀 a colossal mess to sort out a昀琀er death.” Reddit, r/GriefSupport, 21 Jul. 2023, www.reddit.com/r/GriefSupport/comments/15ufann/parent_has_le昀琀_a_colossal_mess_to_sort_out_a昀琀er/. 5. Trust & Will, 2024, www.trustandwill.com. 6. Ancestry, 2024, www.ancestry.com. 7. Storyworth, 2024, www.storyworth.com. 8. Forever Storage, 2024, www.forever.com.