How Bram Became 2.0

A clearer purpose, a warmer companion, and more help with the words you want to say.

Finding a useful place to begin, illustrated.

When I started thinking about Bram, I was thinking broadly about confidence. Then, in real conversations, I found people using it for something more specific: self-advocacy. They wanted to figure out the right thing to say, how to say it, and then practice saying it with Bram.

That gave me a clearer direction. The product and the messaging hadn’t been aligned around what people were trying to do. Bram 2.0, arriving November 4, brings that purpose into the experience: a friend who has your back as you prepare to speak for yourself.

Finding the focus

Confidence gave Bram a broad starting point. Self-advocacy gave the work a clearer purpose. People were using Bram to prepare for conversations in which they needed to ask for something, explain a need, or find a way to speak up. The words they wanted to say were central to that preparation.

I needed the product and its messaging to reflect that use more clearly. It meant looking at what someone could do with Bram, how that help was introduced, and whether the experience gave them a useful way to move forward.

That became the direction for 2.0: help people work through a situation, find language that feels like their own, and practice using it. Their choices and their words needed to stay at the center of the experience.

Listening for what people were really trying to do.

A useful place to start

A clearer starting point, one small step at a time.

Getting started was one of the first things I worked on. An empty chat asks someone to figure out both what they need and how to ask for it. Guided activities, examples, and preparation steps could offer a useful starting point, especially when the conversation itself was still hard to put into words.

That carried into onboarding, which went from fifteen steps to five. I wanted a clearer next action and less work before someone could begin preparing.

Preparation also needed room for unfinished thoughts. A suggested opening could stay unsent and editable. Useful words could be saved. A draft could be something to return to rather than finish all at once. Someone could work on a smaller step, change a sentence, or decide they weren’t ready to use it yet.

Being honest about progress

I separated practice from real attempts in the way progress was recorded. Rehearsing a conversation is useful preparation. Actually trying something deserves its own place, along with reflection and whatever someone learns afterward. That distinction helps keep the history honest and useful.

Roleplay became a way to work on that preparation. Someone can try an opening and respond to what comes next. If they get stuck, “Bram, help me out” creates a coaching pause. “Keep my words” lets them save a useful line, edit it, and return to it.

Testing also exposed continuity issues. A good exchange was only part of the experience; people needed to find their preparation again and understand where to continue. That remains a practical part of the work, alongside making room for reflection and lessons from real conversations.

A place to practice before a real-world attempt.

Our dude, our pal

A recognizable companion in a warmer world.

As the purpose got clearer, I wanted Bram’s character to feel more present too. The phrase was “our dude, our pal”: a recognizable companion with enough warmth to belong beside someone working through a conversation.

That led to expressive full-body poses and a cozier world. Costumes help set the scene for roleplay with family, at work, with friends, or in everyday services. Bram can take part in the practice while still feeling like Bram.

The surrounding design moved toward soft peach and lavender, personal notes, speech bubbles, and readable replies. A chat invitation and a prepared activity have distinct places, so the next step is easier to understand. I also narrowed the challenge flow to one active challenge, with another available after completion. Together, those choices give someone more room to focus on the conversation in front of them.

A friend who has your back

Your words, your pace, and a friend for the road ahead.

Bram 2.0 arrives November 4. It brings together a more focused purpose and the practical details that support it: finding your words, practicing them, and learning from real attempts.

My aim is for Bram to feel like a friend who has your back while leaving the decisions with you. You choose the words, the pace, and when you’re ready.

Bram 2.0 arrives November 4