Design WhatsApp for students.

Introduction

Designing WhatsApp for students presents an exciting opportunity to tailor a widely-used communication platform to the specific needs of the academic community. We'll focus on enhancing WhatsApp's core functionality to better serve students' unique requirements, potentially revolutionizing how they collaborate, share information, and manage their academic lives.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Based on the problem description, I'm thinking this might be an extension of WhatsApp's existing product rather than a standalone app. Is that correct?

Why it matters: Helps frame the solution within existing constraints and leverage current user base. Expected answer: Yes, it's an extension of the existing WhatsApp platform. Impact on approach: We'd focus on integrating student-specific features seamlessly into the current app.

• I'm assuming we're working with WhatsApp's considerable resources as part of Meta. Is that the case, or should we approach this as a startup with limited resources?

Why it matters: Determines the scale and scope of potential solutions. Expected answer: We have access to WhatsApp's resources. Impact on approach: We can consider more ambitious, data-driven solutions.

• Has any user research been conducted specifically on student usage of WhatsApp?

Why it matters: Informs our understanding of current pain points and usage patterns. Expected answer: Some preliminary research exists, but it's not comprehensive. Impact on approach: We'd need to supplement existing data with additional targeted research.

Propose the Goal

Given WhatsApp's focus on connecting people globally, I believe our goal is to enhance academic collaboration and information sharing among students while maintaining the app's simplicity and privacy features. Does this align with your vision?

Define the Scope

Should we focus on features that support both individual studying and group project work for this product design challenge?

Based on the answers, I'll assume we're designing an extension of the existing WhatsApp platform, leveraging Meta's resources, and focusing on features that support both individual and collaborative student work.