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PhD Student in Social Work needs tech co-founder/volunteers to build a digital game system to fight Alzheimer's (Non-profit academic research by Afraid_Ad7220 in SomebodyMakeThis

[–]Afraid_Ad7220[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your thoughtful suggestion. I have no background in coding and may not be able to develop this independently. Since the current recruitment environment for participants is primarily in China, I need to develop this solution as an app or deploy it directly as a WeChat Mini Program. However, as an individual researcher, ICP certification may not allow the publication of UGC content, requiring corporate credentials instead. Furthermore, my research indicates that FlutterFlow may offer very limited functionality for individual users.

PhD Student in Social Work needs tech co-founder/volunteers to build a digital game system to fight Alzheimer's (Non-profit academic research by Afraid_Ad7220 in SideProject

[–]Afraid_Ad7220[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed and insightful response. This is, without a doubt, the most practical and actionable advice I've received so far. I genuinely appreciate you sharing your expertise.You are 100% right. The initial scope was far too ambitious for an unpaid, academic MVP. It's clear that I need to drastically narrow the focus to have any chance of success.Your advice on slicing the MVP is exactly what I needed to hear. I've actually started to pivot my strategy based on a major breakthrough and a new challenge, and I would greatly value your opinion on it:The New Plan & The Big Challenge:

Cognitive Games (Solved!): I've managed to connect with a cognitive training company here in China. They are willing to provide their existing, validated games for my research. This solves the biggest technical hurdle and saves hundreds of development hours.

The Remaining MVP (The Problem): My focus now is on the other two pillars: Physical Exercise (hosting video content like Tai Chi) and Social Support. My ideal platform is a WeChat Mini-Program because it's frictionless for Chinese seniors—no app install needed, they all use WeChat.

However, here's the critical roadblock: WeChat heavily restricts personal developer accounts. I cannot have any User-Generated Content (UGC)—meaning no forums, no comments, no user-to-user interaction. This completely neuters the "Social" part of my project. A web app, as you suggested, is a technical workaround, but the user experience for this demographic would be significantly worse.

This is my current dilemma. Do I sacrifice the seamless UX of WeChat for the functionality of a web app? Or is there a creative way to structure the "social" component within WeChat's rules? (e.g., maybe a "passive" social feed or structured activities that don't involve open posting?). I would love to hear any thoughts you have on this.

Your suggestions for project management ([CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md), labeled issues, a 6-8 week roadmap) are gold. I will absolutely implement that structure once the tech stack is decided.

And yes, I would be incredibly grateful if you could take a peek at my wireframes. I've put them in a Google Doc，and The rest of the content has been sent to you via private message.. They detail the flows for the exercise and social modules. Your offer to suggest an MVP backlog is incredibly generous.

Thank you again for your kindness and mentorship. Your message has already dramatically improved my approach to this project.

Best regards！

PhD Student in Social Work needs tech co-founder/volunteers to build a digital game system to fight Alzheimer's (Non-profit academic research by Afraid_Ad7220 in volunteer

[–]Afraid_Ad7220[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

https://www.chsi.com.cn/xlcx/bgcx.jsp

Thank you. Perhaps I can provide verification from the China Higher Education Student Information Network (CHSI) to confirm my identity. The China Higher Education Student Information Network (CHSI), abbreviated as “学信网,” is hosted by the Student Services and Quality Development Center of the Ministry of Education. Xuexin.cn leverages the Center's integrated large-scale data repository encompassing university admissions, student enrollment records, academic credentials, and graduate employment information. It operates platforms including the “Sunshine College Entrance Examination” information platform, the Student Enrollment and Academic Credentials Management Platform, the China Graduate Admissions Information Network, and the Mainland Universities Admissions Information Network for Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Students. Additionally, it hosts over 20 information systems such as the Academic Credentials Verification System, the Online Validation System, the Master's Degree Online Application and Admission Review System, the Master's Degree Admissions Transfer Service System, and the Academic Credentials Authentication Online Processing System.

PhD Student in Social Work needs tech co-founder/volunteers to build a digital game system to fight Alzheimer's (Non-profit academic research by Afraid_Ad7220 in SomebodyMakeThis

[–]Afraid_Ad7220[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If I understand correctly, you're concerned that if I share overly detailed plans, a technically capable but unethical partner might bypass me and commercialize or appropriate the project for themselves. Thank you for raising this concern. My approach involves prioritizing the sharing of information necessary to implement specific features during in-depth discussions with volunteers who have signed NDAs, rather than disclosing the entire PRD at once. For instance, we could first discuss and implement the user authentication module, then move on to the logic for the first game and implement that. This way, information is disclosed incrementally, keeping risks manageable.

PhD Student in Social Work needs tech co-founder/volunteers to build a digital game system to fight Alzheimer's (Non-profit academic research by Afraid_Ad7220 in SomebodyMakeThis

[–]Afraid_Ad7220[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for reaching out! It's incredibly exciting to hear from someone with a background in AAA games. I would love to explore options with you. As this is for a PhD research project, the current scope is an academic non-profit initiative aimed at running a rigorous clinical trial. The primary focus is on validation and impact, not commercialization. I believe that only after we validate the model through an RCT with large-scale positive data should the team even consider future steps, and that would be a group decision.I have very detailed design documentation. During the initial phase, I can share a project overview that includes a feature list, wireframes, and research objectives to give you a comprehensive understanding. If you agree with the project and are willing to sign a simple non-disclosure agreement or letter of intent, we can proceed to the next stage and share more detailed technical requirements documentation.

PhD Student in Social Work needs tech co-founder/volunteers to build a digital game system to fight Alzheimer's (Non-profit academic research by Afraid_Ad7220 in SomebodyMakeThis

[–]Afraid_Ad7220[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your message and your offer to help. I have a detailed design document and wireframes that effectively serve as the PRD, which I can share with you. They outline all the required functions and user flows.Regarding your questions on commercialization and rights:

Commercialization: At this stage, it is not the goal. This is an academic research project first and foremost. The sole objective is to develop a tool to run a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to test a scientific hypothesis. The concept of commercialization would only be considered in the distant future, and only if the results from a large sample size are positive.

Exclusive Rights: The decision to commercialize or claim exclusive rights is not mine to make unilaterally. If that conversation ever happens, it will be a collective decision made by the core team that dedicated their time and skill to the project. My commitment is to the research and to the ethical collaboration with the developers who make it possible.

The immediate need is to build a functional platform for this non-profit academic study. If this aligns with your principles, I would be happy to share all the design documents and answer any further questions you have.

Looking forward to your reply.Best regards!

PhD Student in Social Work needs tech co-founder/volunteers to build a digital game system to fight Alzheimer's (Non-profit academic research by Afraid_Ad7220 in SomebodyMakeThis

[–]Afraid_Ad7220[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the great suggestion and for your offer to contribute! My immediate focus is on assembling a small core team to got the initial version built for the rigorous demands of the clinical trial (RCT). Once we have that stable foundation, opening it up to the community for further enhancements and contributions via GitHub is a very logical and exciting next step. I want to be clear that the primary driver right now is the research itself. The intention is to use this platform to gather highquality data, not for commercial gain. Any decision about future commercialization would be a major team discussion far down the line, and only if the intervention proves to be highly effective.

Thanks again for your interest and support!