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Show HN: Sparel – a problem solving tool on steroids for decision-makers

19 points by sparel 5y ago

staticautomatic 5y ago
The copy on the landing page is incoherent. The product is a smart core buddy on steroids who uses science to help me see things from 10,000 ft, which allows me to get unstuck, think laterally, and tell stories. It’s also simple and I’m not alone. Can you see what I mean?
- sparel 5y ago
  Thanks for the feedback! I really like flipping it more onto the core buddy side of things. I'm curious about the "I'm not alone" bit - there's something there, I wonder if people making decisions predominantly feel alone in making decisions - I bet they do!
  - staticautomatic 5y ago
    What does “flipping it onto the core buddy side of things” mean?
    - sparel 5y ago
      oh I was just curious about the "I'm not alone comment" whether that meant the buddy is there to help you, or the sharing capability in Sparel
      - deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
retreatguru 5y ago
Thinking straight while making decisions is hard. We have so many biases and bad mental habits.
- sparel 5y ago
  Yep! Personally, I think I have an underlying habit of going by gut and it has taken 20 years to use it only as one of many different decision making tools - so very hard to balance data, reality, heart, and keeping everyone happy!
keenans 5y ago
Pretty interesting! Reminds me of the opportunity solution tree framework in product development: https://www.producttalk.org/opportunity-solution-tree/ https://www.producttalk.org/opportunity-solution-tree/
- sparel 5y ago
  This is really cool! Thanks for sharing! Looks like I have quite a bit of reading tonight because it links out to cool articles like this: https://www.producttalk.org/2019/02/prioritize-opportunities/ https://www.producttalk.org/2019/02/prioritize-opportunities... A whole area of mapping!
ranguna 5y ago
Cookie consent on this site looks very borderline illegal, or maybe it's just me that couldn't read it fast enough to know that it's not using ad or tracking cookies.
- sparel 5y ago
  Ah thank you for mentioning that! I removed the consent timeout - so to close it you have to click the button. I wonder if I should mention that it's only on the landing pages only - I intentionally leave tracking out on the app itself...
  - ranguna 5y ago
    Cool thanks! > mention that it's only on the landing pages I think you should do whatever you can to make your consents more transparent, honest and humane, so go ahead.
97-109-107 5y ago
Are you positive that positioning this as a tool which has smart/automatic features or suggestions is more powerful of a promise than positioning this is a technique/framework? Reading the copy, I have the impression that the smart/automatic features are given too much credit and are being drawn to the spotlight but can't hold their own.
- sparel 5y ago
  You know what's funny is you're the second person to mention the technique/framework aspect of it as being the bigger thing here. I'm beginning to be convinced! I was thinking maybe if I dropped in more examples of different scenarios that it would be easier to show that aspect.
mechero 5y ago
Nice tool, congrats! One suggestion from my side: add a video showing the main features and how it compares with other (more rudimentary) tools. The GIFs are too short to get an idea of what is exactly the problem that the tool solves. People who are familiar with mindmaps probably understand the concept, but you might lose others in the signup screen.
- sparel 5y ago
  Thank you! I really like the video idea - I'm actually writing the script for an intro video so hopefully I can get that out soon. Were you able to understand the video clips at the bottom of the page? I'm thinking of zooming in a little more on the features they are trying to showcase
bastijn 5y ago
Seems there are gifs that explain the front page story but on my iPhone I just see static images. It makes it hard to follow the story. Since it does sound interesting I might visit on laptop tomorrow.
- sparel 5y ago
  Awesome, appreciate it! I'm going to play around more with different formats and the videos as well to make them clearer on smaller devices
sparel 5y ago
Whoa, hello everyone, founder here. I wasn't sure what would happen if I posted on HN but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone checking Sparel out and signing up, this means a lot to me, especially because I'm not funded, and I'm going at this alone but not really because everyone wants to help. This is just... incredible. Please keep the feedback coming. I'm also very curious to know what your job title is? I'm trying to dial in the target audience - it's jumped a few times but I think I might be getting closer. Sparel has been my passion project for the last few months. It started as a Notion doc, then a Miro doc... and then back to Notion, and then a web app. This is driven by my own need to expand how I solve problems. I'm fascinated with the type of problem-solving behind big projects like landing a rover on Mars... I would love to bring the magic that goes behind solving stuff like that to everyone regardless of background in problem-solving. To me, that would be amazing.

19 points by sparel 5y ago

The copy on the landing page is incoherent. The product is a smart core buddy on steroids who uses science to help me see things from 10,000 ft, which allows me to get unstuck, think laterally, and tell stories. It’s also simple and I’m not alone. Can you see what I mean?

sparel 5y ago
Thanks for the feedback! I really like flipping it more onto the core buddy side of things. I'm curious about the "I'm not alone" bit - there's something there, I wonder if people making decisions predominantly feel alone in making decisions - I bet they do!
- staticautomatic 5y ago
  What does “flipping it onto the core buddy side of things” mean?
  - sparel 5y ago
    oh I was just curious about the "I'm not alone comment" whether that meant the buddy is there to help you, or the sharing capability in Sparel
    - deleted 5y ago
      [deleted]

retreatguru 5y ago

Thinking straight while making decisions is hard. We have so many biases and bad mental habits.

sparel 5y ago
Yep! Personally, I think I have an underlying habit of going by gut and it has taken 20 years to use it only as one of many different decision making tools - so very hard to balance data, reality, heart, and keeping everyone happy!

keenans 5y ago

Pretty interesting! Reminds me of the opportunity solution tree framework in product development: https://www.producttalk.org/opportunity-solution-tree/ https://www.producttalk.org/opportunity-solution-tree/

sparel 5y ago
This is really cool! Thanks for sharing! Looks like I have quite a bit of reading tonight because it links out to cool articles like this: https://www.producttalk.org/2019/02/prioritize-opportunities/ https://www.producttalk.org/2019/02/prioritize-opportunities... A whole area of mapping!

ranguna 5y ago

Cookie consent on this site looks very borderline illegal, or maybe it's just me that couldn't read it fast enough to know that it's not using ad or tracking cookies.

sparel 5y ago
Ah thank you for mentioning that! I removed the consent timeout - so to close it you have to click the button. I wonder if I should mention that it's only on the landing pages only - I intentionally leave tracking out on the app itself...
- ranguna 5y ago
  Cool thanks! > mention that it's only on the landing pages I think you should do whatever you can to make your consents more transparent, honest and humane, so go ahead.

97-109-107 5y ago

Are you positive that positioning this as a tool which has smart/automatic features or suggestions is more powerful of a promise than positioning this is a technique/framework? Reading the copy, I have the impression that the smart/automatic features are given too much credit and are being drawn to the spotlight but can't hold their own.

sparel 5y ago
You know what's funny is you're the second person to mention the technique/framework aspect of it as being the bigger thing here. I'm beginning to be convinced! I was thinking maybe if I dropped in more examples of different scenarios that it would be easier to show that aspect.

mechero 5y ago

Nice tool, congrats! One suggestion from my side: add a video showing the main features and how it compares with other (more rudimentary) tools. The GIFs are too short to get an idea of what is exactly the problem that the tool solves. People who are familiar with mindmaps probably understand the concept, but you might lose others in the signup screen.

sparel 5y ago
Thank you! I really like the video idea - I'm actually writing the script for an intro video so hopefully I can get that out soon. Were you able to understand the video clips at the bottom of the page? I'm thinking of zooming in a little more on the features they are trying to showcase

bastijn 5y ago

Seems there are gifs that explain the front page story but on my iPhone I just see static images. It makes it hard to follow the story. Since it does sound interesting I might visit on laptop tomorrow.

sparel 5y ago
Awesome, appreciate it! I'm going to play around more with different formats and the videos as well to make them clearer on smaller devices

sparel 5y ago

Whoa, hello everyone, founder here. I wasn't sure what would happen if I posted on HN but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone checking Sparel out and signing up, this means a lot to me, especially because I'm not funded, and I'm going at this alone but not really because everyone wants to help. This is just... incredible. Please keep the feedback coming. I'm also very curious to know what your job title is? I'm trying to dial in the target audience - it's jumped a few times but I think I might be getting closer. Sparel has been my passion project for the last few months. It started as a Notion doc, then a Miro doc... and then back to Notion, and then a web app. This is driven by my own need to expand how I solve problems. I'm fascinated with the type of problem-solving behind big projects like landing a rover on Mars... I would love to bring the magic that goes behind solving stuff like that to everyone regardless of background in problem-solving. To me, that would be amazing.