The Koko App Helps Fixes 'Bugs' in the Way People Think
Meghan Young — April 4, 2015 — Lifestyle
References: itskoko & fastcodesign
The Koko app attempts to address the way people think about themselves, especially when it comes to their actions in the world. It's often easy to go down a rabbit hole of harsh self-deprecation and criticism, and the Koko app aims to stop the cycle by crowdsourcing cognitive behavioral techniques to help them through it.
Developed by Robert Morris, the Koko app is essentially a social network for depression. Instead of asking 'what's on your mind' like Facebook, it asks 'what's wrong.' Fast Co Design writes, "The user is asked to describe what happened (for example, because she just lost her job) and then to try to quantify why that makes her upset (for example, because it means she has failed her family or worries she might never get hired again). The point is to articulate these morbid thoughts out loud, so that other people on Panoply can help the user iron out the "bugs" in her thinking."
Developed by Robert Morris, the Koko app is essentially a social network for depression. Instead of asking 'what's on your mind' like Facebook, it asks 'what's wrong.' Fast Co Design writes, "The user is asked to describe what happened (for example, because she just lost her job) and then to try to quantify why that makes her upset (for example, because it means she has failed her family or worries she might never get hired again). The point is to articulate these morbid thoughts out loud, so that other people on Panoply can help the user iron out the "bugs" in her thinking."
Trend Themes
1. Crowdsourced Well-being - Opportunity to leverage crowdsourcing and cognitive behavioral techniques to address mental health challenges.
2. Social Network for Depression - Potential to create a dedicated platform for individuals experiencing depression to connect and support each other.
3. Articulating Morbid Thoughts - Innovative approach of encouraging users to express negative thoughts to gain support and perspective.
Industry Implications
1. Mental Health - Disruptive innovation opportunity in the mental health sector by utilizing crowdsourcing and technology to provide support.
2. Social Networking - Opportunity to create a specialized social networking platform for individuals with mental health needs.
3. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Potential to integrate technology and crowdsourcing into existing therapy practices to improve outcomes.
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