Design decisions
Keep the school's own counsellor at the centre#
We didn't build a marketplace of outside therapists. Schools already pay a counsellor, students already half-know them, and a school can trust its own staff. Sibling makes that person reachable.
Trade-off: We depend on each school's counsellor being good and available.
Privacy first, even from us#
Chats and notes are encrypted on the device before they're stored, every role sees only what it needs, and administrators only ever see anonymised numbers.
Trade-off: It makes analytics and support harder to build. Worth it: one leak would end a school's trust for good.
Mentors before counsellors#
For many students, a counsellor feels like a big step. Trained college mentors give them a smaller first step that isn't clinical.
Trade-off: Mentors need training, supervision and a clear line on when to hand over to the counsellor.
Sell to the school, design for the student#
The school is the customer; the student is the user. The student side must never feel like a school system, and the school side must show value in numbers.
Trade-off: Two products to design, on one budget.
Under two minutes to book#
Every extra step is a chance to back out. Booking is a few taps: choose a counsellor, choose a slot, done.
Trade-off: Less information up front for the counsellor; they get it in the session instead.