@DROdio - CEO and @Erika Anderson - CCO of Storytell, together with Storytell users, discussed what users want virtual version of themselves to look like during Storytell’s bimonthly User Group. (Want to join next time? Click here: https://www.meetup.com/storytell-users-group/)
Connecting with people
"I want to be able to put myself out there for lots of different people" - Storytell user
One user expressed how having a "virtual self" would be a great idea because they have been struggling with catering to people who want to chat with them but are limited due to time constraints.
"I want to be able to send them to like a virtual version of myself so they could learn about me."
The ideal "virtual self" would have a lot of baseline knowledge about what they know. The virtual self would also serve as a secondary support to people wanting to ask basic questions about themselves.
While having the ability to chat with their virtual selves is an MVP, one user also suggested that it would also be great to have the ability to step into the chat, for people to talk to a real person when the virtual self cannot answer certain questions anymore.
A virtual self can be a powerful tool for fostering more inclusive and diverse communities by connecting people with overlapping knowledge and interests.
Virtual Self as a Form of Storytelling
One user shared how having a virtual self can be a tool for human interactions like sharing stories. Imagine having an area of expertise, something that a person is passionate about, then being able to click it, and it could expose some of the stories about that specific topic that you want to learn.
Ability to Ask Other People About Their Opinions on Certain Things
Another user shared the idea of having the ability to upload a piece of content as well about themselves and ask different people for opinions. What are their thoughts? Would they agree or disagree? This can also be a tool for bringing a couple of people with different views into the conversation so we’re always learning from multiple perspectives.
Possibility of Having Different Versions of Self
One user brought up the fact that we have different personas and that should be reflected virtually as well. Imagine having a professional colleague virtual self that can share all your knowledge about your area of expertise. You could also have a personal version that could be chattier and more personable, like who you would meet in a coffee shop. You could also have the ability to chat with yourself to ask something from the past that you don’t quite recall.