Senior Audio Player: Research Plan
Business Goal
Validate whether there's a real, paying market for a simple audio device/service that delivers curated podcasts, audiobooks, and audio content to seniors (70+) who can't or won't use existing apps and smart speakers.
Research Goal
Before running customer development interviews, gather enough signal from existing online conversations to:
- Confirm (or challenge) our assumptions about the problem
- Identify language real people use to describe this pain
- Spot existing solutions that have been tried and failed (or succeeded)
- Surface unknown needs or objections we haven't thought of
- Build sharper hypotheses to test in live interviews
Learning Goals
- Current behavior: What do seniors actually do with their time? What media do they consume and how?
- Failed attempts: What have adult children and caregivers already tried? What broke?
- Willingness to pay: Any signals on price sensitivity, who pays, and what they'd pay for?
- Choice vs. curation: Do people want to pick content, or have it picked for them?
- Institutional demand: Do nursing homes and assisted living facilities actively budget for engagement tools?
- Competitive landscape: What products already exist in this space? Why did they succeed or fail?
Research Streams
Stream 1: Reddit Deep Dive
Point person: Vinny Sources: r/AgingParents, r/eldercare, r/CaregiverSupport, r/Alzheimers, r/aging, r/podcasts (search for senior-related threads), r/audiobooks (same) Tactics:
- Search each subreddit for: "podcast," "audiobook," "entertainment," "bored," "what does your parent do," "music," "radio," "lonely," "engagement," "stimulation," "simple," "technology," "frustrated"
- Read top posts and comment threads, not just titles
- Capture: direct quotes, recurring themes, product mentions, emotional language
Learning targets: Current behavior (#1), failed attempts (#2), choice vs. curation (#4)
Stream 2: Amazon Product Reviews
Point person: Vinny Sources: Reviews on:
- Simple MP3 players marketed to seniors (search "MP3 player elderly," "simple music player seniors")
- GrandPad tablet
- Alexa Echo Dot / Echo Show (filter for senior/elderly mentions)
- Any "audiobook player" or "dementia music player" devices
- Relish / MusicGlove / similar senior engagement products
Tactics:
- Focus on 1-star, 2-star, and 3-star reviews (where the pain lives)
- Also check 5-star reviews for "what finally worked" signals
- Capture: what they bought it for, what went wrong, what they wished it did
Learning targets: Failed attempts (#2), competitive landscape (#6), willingness to pay (#3)
Stream 3: Nursing Home / Activity Director Communities
Point person: Vinny (online research), Pete (cold calls, later) Sources: Facebook groups for activity directors, recreation therapists; ActivityConnection.com forums; NAAP (National Association of Activity Professionals) resources Tactics:
- Search Facebook for groups: "activity director," "recreation therapy," "senior living activities," "assisted living activities"
- Scan recent posts and discussions about entertainment, media, technology, engagement
- Look for vendor discussions: what products do facilities actually buy?
Learning targets: Institutional demand (#5), current behavior (#1), willingness to pay (#3)
Stream 4: YouTube Comments on Senior Tech Videos
Point person: Vinny Sources: YouTube videos reviewing:
- "Best tech gifts for seniors"
- "Simple tablet for elderly"
- "Alexa for seniors"
- "GrandPad review"
- "Audiobook player for elderly"
Tactics:
- Find 10-15 relevant videos, read the comment sections thoroughly
- Capture: frustrations, product recommendations, "I wish..." statements
Learning targets: Failed attempts (#2), current behavior (#1)
Stream 5: Library / Audiobook Communities
Point person: Vinny Sources: Libby/OverDrive community forums, library association publications (ALA), r/libraries, library blogs that discuss senior programs Tactics:
- Search for discussions about seniors struggling with digital audiobooks
- Look for library programs specifically designed to help seniors access audio content
- Identify what solutions librarians have tried
Learning targets: Current behavior (#1), failed attempts (#2), competitive landscape (#6)
Stream 6: AARP and Senior Advocacy Forums
Point person: Vinny Sources: AARP community forums, SeniorPlanet.org, AgingInPlace.org, senior-focused tech blogs Tactics:
- Search forums for technology frustration threads, entertainment discussions
- Look for product recommendation threads
- Note any surveys or data AARP has published on senior media consumption
Learning targets: Current behavior (#1), willingness to pay (#3), choice vs. curation (#4)
Stream 7: Nursing Home Cold Calls
Point person: Pete Status: On hold until online research is complete Tactics (to refine later):
- Call 5-10 assisted living facilities
- Ask for the activities coordinator or director
- 5-minute phone screen focused on: how residents spend downtime, what media/entertainment is provided, what's been tried, what budget exists
- Script to be developed after online research surfaces sharper questions
Deliverables
| Deliverable | Owner | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Research findings per stream | Vinny | One consolidated report with findings by stream, key quotes, and themes |
| Competitive landscape summary | Vinny | Section within the report listing products found, their approach, and why they succeeded/failed |
| Refined hypotheses for customer interviews | Vinny + Pete | List of updated assumptions to test |
| Cold call interview script | Pete + Vinny | Short script based on what online research surfaces |
| Updated problem statement | Pete + Vinny | Revised version incorporating research findings |
Timeline
- Online research (Streams 1-6): Vinny starts now, targets completion tonight
- Review findings together: After Vinny's research is done
- Cold call prep (Stream 7): After reviewing online research