Process
A social map built around short audio-only reviews of places called “takes”
Timeline
Scope of work
Tools
Team
In big cities like New York, an abundance of thrilling experiences awaits, yet the current platforms that aim to unearth these gems have fallen behind in embracing AI technology. Consequently, Users are left with the task of comparing multiple platforms or relying on friends' recommendations marked on platforms like Google Maps.Hot Takes is the revolutionary solution for young adults exploring the city.
Hot Takes offers a social map featuring short audio-only reviews, known as "takes," shared among friends. Leveraging AI and cutting-edge tools, Hot Takes not only provides friends' recommendations but also delivers personalized suggestions tailored to users' specific needs and preferences. It's a game-changer in urban exploration.
As the co-founder and product designer of Hot Takes, I drive all design areas, prioritizing on delivering exceptional user experiences. We adopt an agile methodology, rapidly developing and refining designs based on applied, experimental, and validated research data.
· For consumers, reviews help guide behavior.
· For businesses, review platforms are the main avenue for feedback and an essential marketing channel.
· Texting friends for recommendations (most trustworthy)
· Checking what's nearby on Google Maps
· Browsing expert recommendations on the Infatuation, Michelin, or the New York Times
· Occasionally cross referencing Yelp or Google Maps reviews as a last
Existing platforms have struggled to motivate young people to leave reviews. While they focus on presenting maps filled with friends' recommendations, they overlook the crucial aspect of incentivizing reviews. The problem lies in crowdsourced platforms that require users to sift through a large volume of content to find quality recommendations.
Other new entrants help you track where your friends have gone but don't collect rich reviews. Therefore, these apps are filled with voyeurs: no one actually posts reviews, which is how value gets created.
Solution 1 —
No one wants to read boring reviews written by strangers.On Hot Takes, users exchange opinions, stories, and recommendations for places in their city with the people they trust—their friends.Sharing takes feels warm and natural, like hanging out with friends in real life.
Solution 2 —
Solution 3 —
We can leverage LLMs with our rich data to build the best AI concierge.
OpenAI's transcription software has made it much more feasible to leverage audio data at scale. Fine-tuning GPT empowers us to unlock intuitive search with custom embeddings, giving us a competitive edge by collecting reviews from young people. This new data we are collecting combined with cutting edge LLMs will change the search game.
We initiated the design process by designing user flows, information architecture, and wireframes. Once these fundamental structure was finalized, we developed a high-fidelity prototype for the initial MVP app. After launching MVP v01, we consistently updated the app, reaching MVP 03. We are now in the process of launching the app on the App Store, based on the iterative improvements made.
