Ask HN: what is our startup missing? | moodocity.com

[DaveWAlbert]

Hi, I am the technical co-founder and sole programmer/ "Graphic Designer" for moodocity.com this is a side project for both of us, for now.

Our goal is mapping the mood of the world while giving users the ability to track their emotional health and express themselves to other users.

I know the site is missing a graphical indignant, but I can't see it. As in I have a very limited ability to know what it is that's missing graphically, but I know when it isn't there.

I would love some constructive feedback.

Is it colors or specific graphical elements? Where can I hire out a reputable/reasonably priced person or service?

Thank you!

[metachris]

Interesting idea...

Definitely get help with the design and the communication of the concept on the homepage -- what it is all about, and why it is interesting and fun.

But apart from that it looks as if it will be a lot of work to make users want to share their mood and location on your service. How will they find your project? How will you keep users on the site? Sounds like it would need to become a social network of some sort.

Perhaps a better format would be an app for Android and iPhone.

[DaveWAlbert]

Thanks for the feedback. We are definitely planning to connect an app of some sort to the site.

I think/hope that as any social site the community will be somewhat organic. I do notice now however that the users private mood journal (an aspect that is one of the direct benefits to the end user) is not prominent from the main page and I will be correcting that shortly.

Thanks again!

[shibataism]

I love your idea!

I'd recommend to start designing what you expect users to do in your service. For instance, when I visit your site as a new user, what do you want me to do?

Also I'd recommend to start from paper prototyping before writing codes. Once you build strong user flows, then hire/order design issues.

There are many crowdsourcing service as http://www.elance.com/

[DaveWAlbert]

Thanks so much for the feed back! This is about the 5th or 6th iteration (2nd live web site)

> when I visit your site as a new user, what do you want me to do?

I knew this but lost track of it along the way, and have added a prominent prompt to login. I am aware of elance, but I had not thought of using it for this.

Thanks!

[scottkrager]

Check out 99designs.com or crowdspring.com

You'll get a good deal, and a significant upgrade to your current design.

[DaveWAlbert]

Thanks for that, we will definitely look in to those two options.

[metachris]

Link: http://moodocity.com/