CNCT The Social Network of Federal Government Workers
CNCT | Social Network
MySQL
Swift
Next.js
ASP.NET Core
Docker
AWS ECS
CNCT
The staff at the Capitol, White House, and Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., form a select and highly skilled group from diverse regions of the U.S. They pursue competitive and promising careers, but face unique challenges, such as the necessary caution in public exposure. The growing polarization between the Democratic and Republican parties makes the environment more complex, even influencing discussions on relevant national issues.
In this context, traditional social networks, whether personal (such as Facebook and Instagram) or professional (such as LinkedIn), do not fully meet the needs of this audience. This is where CNCT (Connect) comes in: a platform that offers personalized interaction between similar profiles. In addition to the digital environment, CNCT promotes local events, debates, and in-person meetings.
To overcome ideological divisions, the platform created "Purple Coffee"—purple symbolizes the union of the colors red (Republican) and blue (Democrat). In this space, people from different parties can discuss any topic, including politics. Even casual conversations help reduce the current polarization in the US.
Specialties
Project Management Officer
UI/UX Designer
Front End Developer
Back End Developer
Android Specialist
iOS Specialist
QA
Challenges
The biggest challenge was relaunching CNCT before the legislative sessions, since the app, which had previously been released with bugs, needed a stable and functional version. Furthermore, as a social network, it required an intuitive experience, aligned with the expectations set by popular platforms.
Our Approach
More than technological hurdles—effective strategies
Understanding the User Journey
Building a platform inspired by references like Facebook and Instagram required a deep understanding of user needs and expectations. Through Design Thinking processes, we mapped the user journey, identifying value drivers and daily demands to be addressed.
Crafting Solution Hypotheses
Based on these insights, our teams developed innovative solutions and features tailored to create meaningful impacts for users.
Prototyping and Testing
We created prototypes and shared them with potential users, enabling interactive feedback. This process revealed strengths, areas for improvement, and highly valued features. New ideas emerged to enhance the product’s relevance and appeal.
Development
Using agile methodologies, we structured development into two-week sprints. Leveraging Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) tools ensured organization and transparency. Active client involvement, represented by the Product Owner (PO), aligned outputs with expectations.
Launch
After six months, CNCT was launched on schedule, coinciding with the resumption of legislative sessions. The new features and improved user experience have solidified the platform's position in its niche.
New development cycles
To remain relevant, CNCT is constantly evolving with updates to the user experience, new features, and adaptations to its growth.
Impact
CNCT was well received by the media, boosting its expansion. More significant, however, is the advancement of the founder's vision: to promote dialogue between different political spectrums. Despite persistent polarization, conversations are already being observed between people of opposing ideologies, connected by empathy and a desire for mutual understanding.
