Every new habit starts small.
For fitness, it could be putting on your running shoes.
For meditation, just sitting down with your eyes closed.
For language development, especially when a child can’t speak, it’s modelling communication.
But what happens when the environment that supports the habit doesn’t exist?
This is the question we’ve been sitting with at Avaz, as we reflect on what the “Minimum Viable Habit” (MVH) looks like for families in regions where AAC adoption is still emerging.
AAC, Beyond the Basics
AAC apps like Avaz are tools that give a voice to people who cannot speak.
For many of us in the AAC community, this is familiar ground.
But AAC is not plug-and-play. The app alone doesn’t teach communication. Modelling, the act of a parent or caregiver using the app to communicate with the child, is the habit that enables success.
This is where things get complicated, depending on the maturity of the AAC ecosystem.
The AAC Ecosystem:
Structured vs. Self-Initiated
In mature AAC markets where therapy systems are well established, AAC is often introduced through formal assessments. Therapists guide families, devices are recommended, schools support implementation, and modelling happens across environments. So for a parent, the Minimum Viable Habit (MVH) might be:
“Use Avaz at dinner to reinforce the same words the therapist used at school today.”
They’re not starting from zero, they’re extending what’s already been designed.
In emerging AAC markets, that support system is still forming. AAC is usually introduced by the parent themselves, or by a therapist who may not have formal training in AAC. Schools may not use AAC at all. Families are often the sole driver of implementation.
So the Minimum Viable Habit (MVH) in these contexts becomes:
“Figure out which 5 words to start with. Create opportunities to use them. Keep modelling them daily. Explain the tool to grandparents. Convince skeptical family members. Repeat.”
That’s a tall ask for something that’s supposed to be “minimum.”
More Than Just Modelling
While modelling is the backbone of AAC success, even that looks different depending on the context.
In structured environments, MVH might also include:
- Checking therapist notes for the week’s goals
- Updating the vocabulary set based on school themes
- Syncing usage data with professionals
In self-driven contexts, MVH might look like:
- Keeping the device charged and visible
- Getting siblings or grandparents to model once a day
- Using the app during playtime, even if no word is tapped
In many homes, it’s not just communication habits we’re building, it’s awareness, access, and buy-in.
Cultural nuances also play a role. In some households, academic drills take priority over communication development. In others, caregiving may rest with grandparents unfamiliar with technology. These factors shape how habits are built, or don’t get built at all.
What If We Could Reimagine the MVH Framework for Emerging AAC Contexts?
At Avaz, we’re asking: what would it take to design a habit so simple, so compelling, that any family could start it?
What if Minimum Viabke Habit (MVH) didn’t begin with “model a sentence” but instead:
- Keep the device where your child can see it during one daily routine
- Add one word to a moment that already happens every day
- End the day with one small moment where you used Avaz together
What if we could make it easier to see success, faster?
Because the truth is: parents are willing. They just need a starting point that doesn’t feel like scaling a mountain.
What We’re Hoping to Learn With You
This blog isn’t just a reflection. It’s an invitation.
We’d love to hear from you, whether you’re in AAC, education, behavior design, product, or parenting.
- Have you seen Minimum Viable Habits work in other fields, where structure was missing at first?
- What design principles helped make those habits stick?
- If you’re an AAC professional or parent, what’s the smallest action that’s made the biggest difference in communication?
At Avaz, we’re rethinking what AAC success could look like in contexts where families are doing the heavy lifting. Your stories and analogies could help shape that future.
Let’s build the Minimum Viable Habit together.
