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Stichting Praatje

Reconnecting Communities

Services

Industry

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Project Background

Stichting Praatje is a Dutch social initiative dedicated to encouraging spontaneous interactions between people in everyday life. Operating on the belief that small, meaningful interactions between strangers can reduce loneliness and strengthen local communities, the organization strives to make society more connected. While starting as a focused social project, Praatje aims to grow into a nationwide movement through education, campaigns, and strategic partnerships.

Challenges

Despite living in a hyper-connected world, individuals in the Netherlands are increasingly experiencing social disconnection. Research indicated that while a majority of people enjoy spontaneous conversations with strangers, very few initiate them due to an underlying hesitation and the assumption that others are uninterested. Existing awareness campaigns highlighted the issues of loneliness and social isolation, yet lacked practical, actionable tools to encourage actual micro-behavioural change. The primary challenge was not technical, but psychological: creating an engaging, non-intimidating digital experience that could incrementally lower the barrier to starting conversations, motivate users to practice regularly, and build long-term confidence without feeling overly instructional or overwhelming.

Problem solving with design thinking workshop

Lizard Global designed and developed a cross-platform mobile application for iOS and Android that translates behavioural science into achievable daily steps. The platform guides users through a structured mini-course featuring bite-sized exercises, offers a curated library of conversation starters, and reinforces positive habits using gamification mechanics like points, badges, and streaks. Following each interaction, guided reflection prompts help users celebrate progress and build self-efficacy over time. Additionally, a custom content management system (CMS) was built to allow the client team to independently update content, publish new prompts, and roll out campaigns seamlessly, creating a scalable digital foundation for future expansion.

Key features

Behavioural Mini-Course

A structured learning journey with bite-sized exercises that gradually build users' confidence in starting spontaneous conversations.

Conversation Starters:

A curated library of practical conversation prompts designed to help users break the ice in everyday situations.

Gamified Habit Formation

Points, badges, achievements, and progression mechanics that motivate users to consistently practice and turn conversations into lasting habits.

Reflection & Personal Growth

Reflection moments after each conversation help users recognize their progress, reinforce positive experiences, and build self-confidence over time.

Scalable Content Platform

A custom CMS enables the Praatje team to independently manage and expand educational content, conversation starters, and future campaigns without requiring ongoing development support.

The impact

Lowered the Barrier to Starting Conversations

Transforms a complex psychological challenge into simple, actionable daily exercises, enabling users to overcome hesitation and build real-world confidence.

Built a Scalable Platform for Long-Term Growth

Delivers an adaptable digital infrastructure with a custom CMS, empowering the client to launch campaigns and expand educational content independently.

Established a Data-Driven Product Strategy

Embeds behavioural analytics into the core experience to monitor user patterns, ensuring future enhancements are continuously validated against real user needs.

Conclusion

Praatje’s vision extends beyond its initial digital launch, targeting growth into a widespread movement through educational partnerships, organizational initiatives, and public awareness campaigns. By continuously integrating behavioural analytics and validating upcoming features directly with its user base, the platform establishes a scalable, data-driven foundation dedicated to rebuilding everyday human connection.

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Markus Monnikendam
Amelia Lok

Markus Monnikendam

Global Commercial Director

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