This life coach app incorporates gaming and storytelling that psychologically profiles users as they play. Currently seeking finances via crowdfunding site Kickstarter, the Karen app is from Blast Theory. The app contains a virtual woman that gets to know users by asking questions and taking data from their smartphones.
The in-development 'mobile storytelling experience' helps users through issues, but pulls possibly more information than they'd like from their phones. The life coach app serves as a commentary on big data and "how governments and large companies such as Facebook are collecting data on us secretly and using it without our consent."
Blast Theory performed research and built a prototype, but are looking to develop software to create a full version, film interactive videos and hire an actor to play Karen.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Game-based Life Coach App
- Gamifying life coaching creates a novel and engaging experience for users.
- Psychological Profiling Apps
- Using data from smartphones to create personalized psychological profiles offers opportunities for targeted advertising and marketing.
- Privacy-focused Apps
- Apps that prioritize user privacy are becoming increasingly popular as people become more aware of data collection and potential privacy breaches.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Personal Development Industry
- Incorporating game-like elements into life coaching could disrupt the traditional personal development industry by making it more accessible and engaging.
- Advertising Industry
- Psychological profiling based on smartphone data creates opportunities for targeted advertising and marketing, but also raises concerns about privacy and data security.
- Mobile App Development Industry
- The growing demand for privacy-focused apps, such as Karen, presents significant opportunities for developers to create innovative products that prioritize user privacy and security.
