Goal Hub (Design Conjecture)
Shared Interest by Priyanka Sippy (2024) discusses Vicobas (Village Community Banks), a popular banking model in subSaharan Africa where finances are owned and managed by its own members. One member of a Vicoba explains how community banking models go beyond finance and build community. The group members bond over their similar experiences, support each other, and, by learning about each other's financial goals, "become involved in each other's lives beyond money" (Sippy, 2024). Read more about my thoughts on this article here.
"Goal Hub" is an app designed to build community by incorporating elements of community banking models. The app allows users to write about their financial goals and post them to a social feed. Users can find other users near them, add friends, and see each other's goals. Users are encouraged to like and comment on each other's posts, and can reach out via direct messages. This social forum is designed for people to connect, bond, and support each other through their financial goals.
Other features of the app should be explored further. Can users do more than post and comment on each other's posts? How can banking be incorporated into this app? What can be added to promote deep connections between users and communities?
References.
Sippy, P. (2024). Shared Interest. RSA Journal, 170(4(5599)), 42–45. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48831912
A.I. was not used for this.
