Should I Build It Should I Build It
02 May 2025
Artificial Intelligence

Build out your family tree through talking to a gpt

Confidence
Engagement
Net use signal
Net buy signal

Idea type: Pivot

Current solutions aren’t working well, but there might be a way to adjust your approach. This isn’t about starting over, but rather making thoughtful changes based on what you’re learning.

Should You Build It?

No. Think & pivot.

Your are here

The idea of building a family tree through a GPT interface places you in a 'Pivot' category, meaning current solutions aren't quite hitting the mark and there's room to adjust the approach. With about 3 similar products identified, we have medium confidence in the assessment. While the engagement (avg n_comments is 5) is there, it's important to note that the similar products have received criticisms regarding their long-term viability, lack of compelling features, and trust issues about data preservation. It seems people are skeptical about relying on a single internet company to safeguard their family's legacy for the long haul. Free alternatives like Wikitree are also a point of comparison for potential users. Given the discussion and criticisms from similar product launches, you're in a position to learn from their shortcomings and address unmet needs.

Recommendations

  1. Specifically address concerns about long-term data preservation. Explore decentralized storage solutions or partnerships with established archival institutions to ensure the longevity of user data. Communicate these strategies clearly to build user trust and alleviate fears of data loss.
  2. Identify and differentiate your GPT family tree builder by offering unique, compelling features that go beyond existing solutions. Focus on features that free alternatives might not offer, or that your target audience might benefit from more. This could include advanced AI-powered insights, interactive storytelling based on family history, or unique visualization options.
  3. In light of criticisms around the lack of compelling features, consider conducting a thorough user research phase. Understand what users truly want from a digital family tree experience. This could involve surveys, interviews, and prototype testing to identify unmet needs and prioritize feature development.
  4. Based on the discussion about marketing language, avoid any language that could be perceived as 'scammy' or misleading. Prioritize transparency and honesty in your messaging, and clearly articulate the value proposition of your GPT family tree builder. Establish trust by being upfront about data security measures and pricing policies.
  5. List the top 3 reasons people dislike similar family tree products. For instance, usability issues, data privacy concerns, or lack of engaging features are potential candidates to consider. Based on this understanding, sketch out how your solution could avoid these pitfalls. Focus on creating a user-friendly, secure, and engaging experience that addresses these pain points.
  6. Test your new approach with 5 potential customers before investing heavily in development. Gather feedback on your core features, value proposition, and overall user experience. This iterative approach will help you refine your product and ensure it meets the needs of your target audience.
  7. Set a 4-week deadline to see if the pivot shows promise. Track key metrics such as user engagement, retention, and feedback to assess the viability of your new approach. Be prepared to make further adjustments based on the data you collect.

Questions

  1. Given the concerns about long-term data preservation, what specific technologies or partnerships will you leverage to ensure the longevity of user data beyond the typical lifespan of an internet company?
  2. How will you differentiate your GPT-powered family tree builder from free alternatives like Wikitree, and what unique features will justify a paid subscription?
  3. Considering the feedback about 'scammy' marketing language, how will you ensure transparency and build trust with potential users, particularly regarding data security and pricing policies?

Your are here

The idea of building a family tree through a GPT interface places you in a 'Pivot' category, meaning current solutions aren't quite hitting the mark and there's room to adjust the approach. With about 3 similar products identified, we have medium confidence in the assessment. While the engagement (avg n_comments is 5) is there, it's important to note that the similar products have received criticisms regarding their long-term viability, lack of compelling features, and trust issues about data preservation. It seems people are skeptical about relying on a single internet company to safeguard their family's legacy for the long haul. Free alternatives like Wikitree are also a point of comparison for potential users. Given the discussion and criticisms from similar product launches, you're in a position to learn from their shortcomings and address unmet needs.

Recommendations

  1. Specifically address concerns about long-term data preservation. Explore decentralized storage solutions or partnerships with established archival institutions to ensure the longevity of user data. Communicate these strategies clearly to build user trust and alleviate fears of data loss.
  2. Identify and differentiate your GPT family tree builder by offering unique, compelling features that go beyond existing solutions. Focus on features that free alternatives might not offer, or that your target audience might benefit from more. This could include advanced AI-powered insights, interactive storytelling based on family history, or unique visualization options.
  3. In light of criticisms around the lack of compelling features, consider conducting a thorough user research phase. Understand what users truly want from a digital family tree experience. This could involve surveys, interviews, and prototype testing to identify unmet needs and prioritize feature development.
  4. Based on the discussion about marketing language, avoid any language that could be perceived as 'scammy' or misleading. Prioritize transparency and honesty in your messaging, and clearly articulate the value proposition of your GPT family tree builder. Establish trust by being upfront about data security measures and pricing policies.
  5. List the top 3 reasons people dislike similar family tree products. For instance, usability issues, data privacy concerns, or lack of engaging features are potential candidates to consider. Based on this understanding, sketch out how your solution could avoid these pitfalls. Focus on creating a user-friendly, secure, and engaging experience that addresses these pain points.
  6. Test your new approach with 5 potential customers before investing heavily in development. Gather feedback on your core features, value proposition, and overall user experience. This iterative approach will help you refine your product and ensure it meets the needs of your target audience.
  7. Set a 4-week deadline to see if the pivot shows promise. Track key metrics such as user engagement, retention, and feedback to assess the viability of your new approach. Be prepared to make further adjustments based on the data you collect.

Questions

  1. Given the concerns about long-term data preservation, what specific technologies or partnerships will you leverage to ensure the longevity of user data beyond the typical lifespan of an internet company?
  2. How will you differentiate your GPT-powered family tree builder from free alternatives like Wikitree, and what unique features will justify a paid subscription?
  3. Considering the feedback about 'scammy' marketing language, how will you ensure transparency and build trust with potential users, particularly regarding data security and pricing policies?

  • Confidence: Medium
    • Number of similar products: 3
  • Engagement: Medium
    • Average number of comments: 5
  • Net use signal: -8.6%
    • Positive use signal: 11.4%
    • Negative use signal: 20.0%
  • Net buy signal: -15.0%
    • Positive buy signal: 0.0%
    • Negative buy signal: 15.0%

This chart summarizes all the similar products we found for your idea in a single plot.

The x-axis represents the overall feedback each product received. This is calculated from the net use and buy signals that were expressed in the comments. The maximum is +1, which means all comments (across all similar products) were positive, expressed a willingness to use & buy said product. The minimum is -1 and it means the exact opposite.

The y-axis captures the strength of the signal, i.e. how many people commented and how does this rank against other products in this category. The maximum is +1, which means these products were the most liked, upvoted and talked about launches recently. The minimum is 0, meaning zero engagement or feedback was received.

The sizes of the product dots are determined by the relevance to your idea, where 10 is the maximum.

Your idea is the big blueish dot, which should lie somewhere in the polygon defined by these products. It can be off-center because we use custom weighting to summarize these metrics.

Similar products

Relevance

Family Tree Builder - Free family tree building tool

16 Sep 2023 Data Data & Analytics Analytics

Family tree builder is an free online tool for making genealogical family trees.

The Product Hunt launch received positive feedback, with users expressing excitement and congratulations. One user showed interest in family history data transfer, while another felt the product is universally needed. One user wished they had the product sooner, indicating a perceived high value and usefulness.

A user inquired about the ease of data transfer between family members within the product.

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Relevance

Preserve your families legacy for centuries

30 Aug 2023 Tech

Hey everyone, creator of clann.app here.I will try to keep this short but at the end of the day you will be forgotten one day. I know this feels sad and it really is. I mean ask yourself who your great-grandfather is, you don't know!Heck, we don't even know how they lived their life. Now their generation had very little access to computers let alone the internet. The problem isn't about the future knowing who you are but them understanding how your generation lived their life.Further we often tend to forget about our extended family. I am from India and after every single exam someone from my extended family who I met ONCE in my life would ask me my results. I would rarely know how they are related to me. This is a problem. Further dinner table discussions about how people are related to me are always a pain. Why? Sometimes even my parents don't know!The Solution? What if you could get your entire family into the digital world, Yes, it is possible! Upload images (feature name: memories) of your family today so that your future generations would truly appreciate how much their lives have improved. Clann is built for intergenerational use and has a robust invites system (feature name: groups, invites) so that you only allow your extended family members to see a certain family. If you have any queries you can contact me on @PottiVarun.Think of Clann as Figma for families. Get your entire family on there, Invite other families (relatives) and link each family by how they are related. Everything is in a clean flow char based UI.The link is https://clann.app.You and I need to be remembered for the coming centuries. We need to leave a mark on this world. Lets leave a small digital footprint so that the future understands and appreciates their world!Goodbye!

Users expressed skepticism about the product's long-term viability, noting that no internet company can guarantee data preservation for 100 years and highlighting the challenges of sustaining long-term projects. The app was criticized for lacking compelling features and visuals, and compared unfavorably to free, community-driven alternatives like Wikitree. Some users suggested keeping physical backups and using trusted solutions for digitizing photo albums. Comments also included feedback on marketing language, business feasibility, and the importance of using a main account with a real name. One user apologized for their tone but reaffirmed their critical stance.

Users criticized the Show HN product for lacking a compelling reason to use it, especially as a paid service compared to free alternatives like Wikitree. Trust issues were raised regarding the safety of valuable data with random services. Concerns about the sustainability of internet companies and projects over a long period, such as 100 years, were mentioned, along with the risk of shutdowns or recurring payments. The marketing language was also described as scammy, and there was an apology for the tone of criticism, noting the creator's young age.

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-30.0%
10
6
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