Introduction

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At Covenant Eyes, I lead the Innovation Department (CE Labs), where our mission is to explore and validate new ideas that extend the long-term value of the company. Using the Strategyzer framework, my team and I design experiments around fresh concepts, business models, and digital products.
While our core offering today centers on screen accountability to help people overcome pornography addiction, we’re also pushing into new directions: apps and services that not only address harmful behaviors, but also shape healthier digital habits in new ways.

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My Role

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As the leader of the Innovation Department, I:
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• Provide direction on design: app interfaces, landing pages, and marketing collateral.
• Define and prioritize tests: what experiments to run, how to measure them, and what success looks like.
• Lead data collection and analysis: interpreting metrics from user panels, ad campaigns, and interviews.
• Delegate effectively: ensuring colleagues contribute to research and execution, while I drive the overall strategy.

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Incubating Ideas

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One of the first ideas to emerge from CE Labs is the Instead app. Many people don’t only struggle with harmful content, but also with the pull of time-wasting apps like social media or games. These platforms can quietly consume hours every day, leaving people frustrated with how they’ve spent their time.
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• When a user taps on a social media or gaming app, Instead intercepts the action.
• Instead, presents a redirection screen offering healthier, pre-chosen alternatives — like opening the Bible app, practicing a language in Duolingo, or reading an article in Imprint.
• Users are gently nudged to invest their spare moments into something that matters more to them.
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The core premise:
Don’t just stop people from doing what they don’t want, help them do more of what they do want.

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Innovation Process

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At CE Labs, every idea goes through a structured series of tests to validate desirability before moving into feasibility or viability. For Instead, the process looked like this:

1. Lysnna Panel (Problem Validation)
   • We asked a panel of users to rank their preferences for avoiding distractions on their phone.
   • This gave us a first read on whether redirection resonated as a valuable approach.

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Landing Page Test (Value Clarity)
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• We created a simple landing page explaining Instead’s value proposition.
• Using a Lyssna panel, we tested if users understood the concept clearly.

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Paid Campaigns + Waitlist (Market Signal)

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• After validating messaging, we launched Meta Ads and Google Ads to drive traffic.
• The key metric: how many people would sign up for the waitlist after seeing the idea in the wild.

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Prototype Interviews

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• With enough sign-ups, we reached out for 30–50 minute interviews, walking participants through a prototype.
• We probed: Why did they sign up? Does the prototype match their expectations? Would they use it?

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Additional Validation

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• Next, we plan to test broader desirability signals through launches on Product Hunt or Kickstarter.
• If traction is confirmed, the idea moves into the Feasibility stage, where technical experts assess what it would take to build.

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Why This Matters

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The work of CE Labs ensures that Covenant Eyes continues to innovate beyond its core product, staying relevant while expanding its ability to help people build healthier digital lives. Instead is just one example of how structured experimentation allows us to test bold ideas quickly, cheaply, and with real users — before making significant investments.

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