Having aging parents is never easy and can be an extremely challenging dilemma of trying to find the right retirement community to place them into, but what if that did not have to be the route you had to go? Lacuna came to us looking to make a significant change in the approach to fixing this increasing issue by creating ADUs.
The market is in a 2nd to 3rd degree market saturation, so that means we already have competition promising low prices + convenience + permitting. In order to stay relevant, we will need to provide an additional layer of relevance that will factor in to consumer’s purchase decision.
Our approach is to help humans intentionally design environments to optimize their life and communities. We need a mindful approach to utilizing space. We know this will provide a greater brand promise that will set us apart in the market in a time when the world is very aware of mental health issues and are struggling with depression and spend much more time at home. By going beyond just delivering a set of plans, but giving them the tools they need to take control of their environment and enjoying a better life experience by creating the space they need for the future.
ADUs increase property value by 20-30%
Assisted living costs can swell upwards of $7,000 a month while building an ADU typically ranges between 10-20% of that cost.
50% of people under 30 plan to move back in with their parents once graduating college.
1 in 5 live in homes with adult children or aging parents
70% of the competition is doing some form of a pre-fab build which gives us an advantage in flexibility, but could cause a higher margin of error and price.
The competition does not have any certified blueprints approved through the cities adding additional costs.
Inconsistent branding on 80% of the competitors websites.
Website UX is difficult to navigate and understand when trying to purchase an expensive product.
Accountant
Give space to aging parents to allow freedom but close enough to see grandchildren.
Wants to make sure the value of his home is increased to make sense of the purchase.
Refinance his house at this time in order to place the adu purchase into his monthly payments and not have an extra payment.
Provide ample value on how ADUs add to the value of the home from day one.
Create external entrance to allow for freedom to ADU, but accessibility to the main home.
Connect with local banks to assure the purchase of the home can be done through a simple and easy to use refinance of the main home.
47 years old
$125,000/year
San Antonio, Texas
Accountant
Married with 3 kids
Children ages are 8, 12, 14
University of Texas at San Antonio
Martin’s father passed away several years ago and he has become nervous of his mother, 77 years old, living at home in Laredo, Texas. She is becoming less agile and not aware of things as she used too be. Putting her in a home to him seems irresponsible and not the way he wishes to show his kids how to treat their elders. He is looking for an alternative, but does not have a clue what that could be.
Now that we understand the user in more depth we can start thinking about the problems they might be trying to solve. Taking the insights and needs from the empathy map, we can start digging deeper to better understand. We create point of view statements & how might we questions that will help drive the brainstorming process.
People are searching for places to give their parents the best care once they begin to age
People trust what others are saying if they are close friends or co-workers
To know what options are available since this subject is not discussed heavily in the United States
To know what other people think about the subject in which they are searching
Gabriel needs to know what options are out their besides taking his parents to a retirement center
Gabriel needs to know what other people think about this subject because he trusts their insights.
How might we let Gabriel know these options even if he does not know that the option of an ADU exists?
How might we help expand the reach of customers’ recommendations to help reach Gabriel?
Now we create the best experience and work with the best ideas and opinions. In this stage we role through every possible idea with no interruptions in order to give the room a sense of inspiration and excitement.
Focusing on the prioritized solutions, I created a site map to help define the overall structure of the content on Lacuna’s website in a way that would be logically and easily accessible to its users. We needed to focus on two demographics the children of the aging parents and the aging parents themselves, so accessibility was a key component in our procedures.
After understanding the problem, creating the user we can now begin to design the brand how that user will perceive it.
One of the most important things to consider about branding is that it’s usually the first thing people see when they come across your business. Very much like when you first meet a person. The first impression is what often shapes their identity. Even subtle details on a subconscious level can make the difference in whether you feel a connection to that brand or person, or not.
Hence, every touchpoint that connects you with potential clients should voice your brand. The more they know and experience about who you are, the more trust and connection they’ll feel for what you offer. No matter if you offer a product or a service.
As the branding process is taking place we start to develop out the bare bones of the website with simple frameworks to understand the user flow of the product. Creating prototypes gives the client a true understanding of the product.
Once the prototype and branding has been completed it is time to let the product out into the environment. This is where we launch the brand for everyone to view and use. We always stay with our clients after this stage because branding is about always improving throughout the life of your company.
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