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For aspiring entrepreneurs, the initial steps of launching a startup can feel like building a rocket ship from scratch - daunting, complex, and potentially expensive. The fear of extensive coding or hefty upfront investments often leaves many innovative ideas trapped in the realm of "what ifs." However, the no-code revolution has opened a new chapter, empowering individuals to turn their visions into tangible realities, all without needing to write a single line of code.
This article dives into the world of no-code validation, guiding you through the process of finding the 3 Pre-Launch Fits Towards Product-Market Fit; inspired by the Design Thinking.
A few concepts that we will talk about are:
We'll explore how eight powerful app creator no-code tools which are also the top no code platforms - Adalo, Airtable, Bubble, Glide, Make, Notion, Webflow, and Zapier - can be integrated to streamline your idea validation journey.
Navigating the Product-Market Fit Journey
with the 7 Fits Framework
Before we start talking about the no-code tools and how startup founders can use them to build MVPs, let's first explain the 7 Fits in a startup's journey towards Product-Market Fit.
The 7 Fits Framework that we developed here is a roadmap for startups aiming to achieve the elusive yet crucial Product-Market Fit (PMF). It structures the journey into two distinct stages: Pre-Launch and Post-Launch, each with its own set of "Fits" to establish.
Pre-Launch: Laying the Foundation for Value Creation
The pre-launch phase focuses on validating your value proposition through three critical fits:
Customer-Problem Fit a.k.a Idea Validation: Do you truly understand the problems and needs of your target audience?
Problem-Solution Fit: Does your product offer a viable solution to those problems, aligning with their needs?
Customer-Solution Fit: Do your ideal customers resonate with your solution and see it as valuable?
By achieving these fits, you ensure the foundation of your product aligns with customer value creation.
Post-Launch: Refining the Fit for Sustainable Growth
Once launched, the focus shifts to refining your product-market fit through four additional fits:
Product-Channel Fit: Are you reaching your target audience through the right channels and effectively communicating your value proposition?
Channel-Model Fit: Does your business model work within the chosen channels, ensuring profitability and sustainability?
Model-Market Fit: Does your overall business model, including pricing, revenue streams, and cost structure, align with the market demands and ensure long-term viability?
Finally, you arrive at the ultimate goal: Product-Market Fit. This stage signifies a product that not only solves customer problems but also achieves sustainable business growth through a well-aligned business model and effective market reach.
The 7 Fits Framework as Your Guide
With this comprehensive framework, we aim to equip startups with a structured approach to navigate the Product-Market Fit journey. By focusing on each fit at the appropriate stage, you can ensure your product aligns with both customer needs and market demands, ultimately leading to a successful and sustainable business.
Finding Customer-Problem Fit: The Foundation of Startup Idea Validation
There is a famous saying in the startup world; "People do not buy products, they buy solutions to their problems."
While lowcode no code platforms offer amazing capabilities, they shouldn't replace the crucial step of validating your idplaea. Remember, these tools are meant to build solutions, but rushing into full development without first confirming the customer's problem can lead to wasted time and resources.
Having said that, before diving into the lowcode no-code tools, it's crucial to understand the basics of Customer-Problem Fit or in other words Idea Validation.
Identifying a genuine problem faced by a target customer segment is the first step in venture building. This is what we call Customer-Problem Fit and it is the foundation of any successful product or service. It's about understanding the real problems and needs of your target audience before you even begin developing a solution. This crucial step involves in-depth customer research through interviews, surveys, and market analysis.platform
By actively listening to your potential customers and asking open-ended questions, you can unlock valuable insights into their unaddressed needs and pain points. This understanding allows you to craft a solution that resonates on a deeper level, directly addressing their specific challenges.
Remember, customer-problem fit isn't just a one-time step; it's an ongoing process that fuels innovation and guides your product development journey. By iteratively refining your concept based on user feedback, you can ensure your product aligns perfectly with their needs, paving the way for a successful venture.
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Closest Companions of Customer Problem Fit: Problem-Solution Fit
Once the problem is clearly defined, the next step is to ideate and develop a solution that addresses it effectively. Here, the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework can be invaluable, focusing on the job or task the customer is trying to accomplish rather than on the customer's demographic profile.
Closest Companions of Customer Problem Fit: Customer-Solution Fit
Validating that your solution not only solves the problem but is also something customers are willing to use and pay for is critical. This is where MVPs come into play, allowing founders to test their hypotheses with real users and gather feedback.
MVP Building: The Bridge Between Idea Validation and The Full-Fledged Product
If you have validated your idea, or in other words if you have proven that there is a big enough problem for a big enough audience that you can feasibly solve, then it is time for you to start seeking for Customer-Solution Fit. This is where the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) concept comes into play. It serves as a crucial bridge between idea validation and full-fledged product development.
What Can Startup Founders Test with an MVP?
With an MVP, the (startup or product) team is,
Creating a basic version of a product with just enough features to:
Demonstrate the core value proposition of the idea.
Gather user feedback and iterate based on their needs and preferences.
Test the feasibility of the product concept in a real-world setting.
The Relationship Between Idea Validation and MVP Development:
Imagine a two-way street where the MVP building process and idea validation are intertwined:
Validation Drives MVP Development:
Early-stage validation efforts, such as market research and user interviews, provide valuable insights that help define the essential features for the MVP.
Focusing on the core functionalities reduces development time and resources, allowing for quicker feedback from potential users.
MVP Fuels Further Validation:
By placing the MVP in the hands of real users, you can:
Observe their behavior and interactions with the product.
Collect direct feedback through surveys, interviews, and user testing sessions.
Gain valuable insights into their needs, preferences, and pain points.
Benefits of the Relationship Between Idea Validation and an MVP:
Reduced Risk: By starting with an MVP, you can test your idea at a lower cost and minimize potential losses if the idea doesn't resonate with the target audience.
Faster Learning: The iterative nature of MVP development allows you to learn quickly from user feedback and adapt your product accordingly, increasing the chances of success in the long run.
Resource Efficiency: Focusing on essential functionalities in the MVP avoids wasting resources on features that might not be valuable to users.
A note to remember on Idea Validation and MVP
The MVP is not the final product. It's a stepping stone to gather crucial feedback and inform future iterations.
Validation is an ongoing process. Even after launching the MVP, continuously collect user feedback and adapt your product to maintain its relevance and address evolving needs.
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Leveraging App Creator No-Code Platforms for MVP Development
No-code platforms have democratized technology, making it accessible for non-technical founders to bring their ideas to life and build MVPs to see if their early customers are willing to pay for their early product.
In our 7 Fits Framework, we put a great emphasis on MVP creation as we believe it is a great tool to be used in the Pre-Launch Phase towards Product-Market Fit.
Here’s how each lowcode no code platform can be utilized for MVP creation.
How can No-Code Founders Use Adalo to Develop an MVP?
Adalo is an app creator no code dev platform, enabling founders to create and launch powerful apps without coding. Use Adalo to quickly prototype your app idea, allowing for hands-on user testing and feedback collectionsoftwar to validate customer-solution fit.
Here is how Adalo can help with no-code MVP creation with an example:
Busines Idea: A mobile app for a local food delivery service that allows users to browse menus, place orders, and track delivery in real-time.
With Adalo, a founder can design a user-friendly interface, set up a database for restaurants and their menus, and incorporate features such as push notifications for order updates.
Adalo in Action: How to Use an App Creator No-Code Tool
App Design: Adalo's user-friendly interface allows you to visually design your app's layout, including screens for:
Restaurant list: Display restaurants with their ratings, cuisines, and delivery fees.
Menu screen: Showcase each restaurant's menu with detailed descriptions, pictures, and pricing.
Cart and checkout: Allow users to add items to their cart, choose a payment method, and review their order before placing it.
Order tracking: Integrate a real-time map view that updates with the delivery driver's location.
Data Management: Create collections in Adalo for:
Restaurants: Store information like name, cuisine, location, and menu items.
Users: Capture user profiles with information for delivery and payment.
Orders: Manage user orders, including items, prices, and delivery status.
Integrations: Take advantage of Adalo's integration capabilities to:
Connect to a map service: Enable real-time order tracking on a map.
Payment gateway integration: Allow users to pay securely through the app.
Push notifications: Send updates to users about order confirmation and estimated delivery time.
Benefits of using No Code App Builder Adalo for building an MVP:
Drag-and-drop Interface: Build your app's interface visually, with no coding knowledge needed.
Rapid Prototyping: Quickly iterate on your design based on user feedback and refine your MVP efficiently.
Native App Experience: Adalo allows you to publish your app as both iOS and Android versions, reaching a wider audience.
This MVP can validate the Customer-Solution Fit by testing whether users find the app convenient for ordering food and if the real-time tracking enhances their delivery experience.
How can No-Code Founders Use Airtable to Develop an MVP?
Airtable acts as a hybrid between a spreadsheet and a database, perfect for managing data, workflows, and automation. It's ideal for creating a back-end for your MVP or for organizing customer discovery interview data to identify patterns and insights.
See how Airtable makes building a no-code MVP easy, with a quick example:
Business Idea: A project management tool tailored for freelance graphic designers. Using Airtable, the MVP can include features like project tracking, client communication logs, and a scheduling calendar.
Airtable in Action: How to Use an App Creator No-Code Tool
Database Design: Set up a base in Airtable and name it "Project Hub." Create separate tables for:
Clients: Store client information like contact details, project briefs, and communication history.
Projects: Include columns for project name, deadlines, budget, and assigned tasks.
Tasks: Break down each project into smaller, actionable tasks with details like due dates, priority levels, and assigned team members (if applicable).
Files: Upload design files, reference materials, and client feedback associated with each project and task.
Views and Automation: Utilize Airtable's powerful features to streamline your workflow:
Kanban board view: Visualize your project progress with a drag-and-drop board, moving tasks between different stages like "To-Do," "In Progress," and "Completed."
Automated reminders: Set notifications for upcoming deadlines and task due dates, keeping you and your clients on track.
Client collaboration: Share specific project views with clients, allowing them to track progress, leave comments, and provide feedback directly within Airtable.
Benefits of using No Code App Builder Airtable for building an MVP:
Customizable Workspace: Tailor your project management system to fit your specific needs by adding or removing columns, views, and automations.
Centralized Hub: Maintain all project information, client communication, and design files in one centralized location, eliminating the need for scattered spreadsheets and emails.
Collaboration Made Easy: Invite clients and team members to collaborate on projects within Airtable, fostering transparency and efficient communication.
This setup allows the founder to test Customer-Solution Fit by assessing whether the solution effectively addresses common pain points for freelancers, such as juggling multiple projects and maintaining clear communication with clients.
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How can No-Code Founders Use Bubble to Develop an MVP?
Bubble is a versatile lowcode no-code platform that allows you to build fully functional web applications. Its powerful features can help validate complex startup ideas by creating detailed prototypes that mimic full-fledged products, enabling user interaction and feedback collection.
Check out how Bubble can whip up a no-code MVP, example included:
Business Idea: An online marketplace for handmade crafts that enables artisans to list their products and manage orders, while customers can browse, shop, and leave reviews.
Bubble's flexibility allows for the creation of a comprehensive user interface, secure payment processing, and an admin dashboard for sellers.
Bubble No Code in Action: How to Use an App Creator No-Code Tool
Building the Marketplace: Bubble's visual interface allows you to drag-and-drop pre-built elements to construct the marketplace:
Artisan registration: Create a user interface for artisans to easily register, set up their profiles, and list their products.
Product listings: Allow artisans to upload product images, descriptions, pricing details, and customize their shopfront.
Customer search and browse: Facilitate user experience with search bars, filters based on craft types, and product categories for easy navigation.
Shopping cart and checkout: Integrate a secure shopping cart system for customers to purchase items and manage orders.
Review system: Enable customers to leave reviews and ratings for both products and artisans, fostering trust and community.
Data Management: Utilize Bubble's robust database to manage information:
Products: Store product details like name, description, images, price, quantity, and associated artist.
Users: Maintain user profiles for both artisans and customers, including contact information, order history, and reviews.
Orders: Track order details, manage transactions, and update order status for clear communication between artisans and customers.
Automation: Leverage Bubble's workflows to automate mundane tasks:
Order notifications: Send automated email and in-app notifications to artisans upon receiving new orders and customers about order confirmation and shipping updates.
Inventory management: Set automatic alerts when product quantities get low, prompting artisans to update listings or restock their inventory.
Benefits of using No Code App Builder Bubble for building an MVP:
Intuitive Interface: Bubble's user-friendly interface allows even beginners to build complex applications without coding knowledge.
Scalability: As your marketplace grows, Bubble can scale seamlessly to accommodate increasing traffic and user base.
Customization Flexibility: Bubble offers extensive customization options, allowing you to tailor the look and feel of your marketplace to match your vision.
This MVP serves to test the Customer-Solution Fit by determining if such an online marketplace is able to speak to artisans who are not happy with the current marketplaces i.e. Etsy.
How can No-Code Founders Use Glide to Develop an MVP?
Glide turns spreadsheets into beautiful, easy-to-use apps, perfect for MVPs that need to be mobile-friendly and data-driven. It’s particularly useful for quickly validating business models that rely on listing or directory services.
Here is how Glide can help with no-code MVP creation with an example:
Business Idea: A directory app for eco-friendly businesses in a user's local area, featuring business profiles, user reviews, and an interactive map.
Glide in Action: How to Use an App Creator No-Code Tool
Data Source: Glide works wonders with existing data sources like Google Sheets. Create a spreadsheet with columns for,
Business Name: Clearly identify each eco-friendly business.
Description: Briefly explain the nature of the business and its commitment to sustainability.
Category: Categorize businesses for easier searching (e.g., "Restaurants," "Clothing Stores," "Grocery Stores").
Website: Include the business website link for further user exploration.
Address: Input the physical address for accurate map integration.
Images: Add captivating images showcasing the businesses and their offerings.
Reviews: Include a dedicated column for user reviews to build trust and social proof.
Glide Transformation: Upload your spreadsheet into Glide, and watch it magically transform into a user-friendly mobile app:
Business Listings: Glide automatically generates individual profiles for each business, displaying information from your spreadsheet.
Interactive Map: Users can easily locate businesses on a map, making navigation a breeze.
Review System: Glide empowers users to leave and read reviews, fostering transparency and community engagement.
Search Bar: Allow users to effortlessly find specific businesses by name or category.
Benefits of using No Code App Builder Glide for building an MVP:
Effortless Setup: Leverage existing data from Google Sheets, eliminating the need for complex data entry within Glide.
Quick and Easy: Glide offers an app creator no code software with its intuitive interface that enables you to create a functional app in no time.
Mobile-First Focus: Glide apps are optimized for mobile devices, perfectly suited for on-the-go eco-conscious consumers.
Glide can turn a simple spreadsheet of businesses into a fully functional app, testing the Customer-Solution Fit by gauging user interest in supporting eco-friendly businesses and the app's effectiveness in facilitating this support.
How can No-Code Founders Use Make (formerly Integromat) to Develop an MVP?
Make is an advanced automation tool that connects your apps and services to automate workflows. A founding team can easily use it to streamline MVP operations, integrate with other platforms, and simulate backend processes without writing a single line of code.
Here's Make in action for no-code MVPs, with an example to show you how:
Business Idea: An automated workflow for a subscription-based email newsletter that curates and sends personalized content to subscribers based on their interests. Using Make, the founder can connect content sources, email service providers, and subscriber databases to automate the curation and distribution process.
Make in Action: How to Use an App Creator No-Code Tool
Connecting Services: Make acts as a bridge between various platforms. Connect your:
Email marketing platform: This could be Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or any other service you use to manage your newsletter subscribers and send emails.
Data source: This could be a Google Sheet containing subscriber information like email addresses and their chosen interests from pre-defined categories.
Building the Workflow: Make's visual interface allows you to drag-and-drop modules to construct your automated workflow:
Trigger: Set "New subscriber" in your email marketing platform as the trigger. This activates the workflow whenever someone subscribes to your newsletter.
Data retrieval: Use Make to access the new subscriber's information from your data source, specifically their chosen interests.
Content selection: Based on the retrieved interests, Make can filter and pull relevant content from a prepared library of articles, blog posts, or other resources you've curated.
Email personalization: Make dynamically inserts the subscriber's name and their selected content into a pre-designed email template.
Email sending: Finally, Make sends the personalized email to the subscriber through your connected email marketing platform.
Benefits of using No Code App Builder Make for building an MVP:
Automated Personalization: Eliminate manual curation and personalization efforts for each subscriber, saving you time and resources.
Streamlined Workflow: Make connects different platforms seamlessly, ensuring smooth operation of your automated process.
Scalability: As your subscriber base grows, Make can handle the increased volume with ease, maintaining efficient personalization.
This MVP is aimed to test Customer-Solution Fit by validating the solution's ability to solve the problem of delivering personalized content at scale without manual intervention.
How can No-Code Founders Use Notion to Develop an MVP?
Notion serves as an all-in-one workspace where you can plan, collaborate, and get organized. While not a development tool, it's invaluable for organizing the validation process, documenting feedback, and iterating on the MVP based on user insights.
See how Notion makes building a no-code MVP easy, with a quick example:
Business Idea: A content planning and collaboration tool for small content creation teams. The MVP could utilize Notion's versatile workspace to create a centralized hub for planning content, tracking publication schedules, and collaborating on projects.
Notion in Action: How to Use an App Creator No-Code Tool
Organize and Structure: Notion's intuitive interface allows you to create a central hub for your content creation process:
Project Management: Create dedicated "Workspaces" for each project, breaking them down into phases and milestones using Notion's Kanban boards.
Content Calendar: Build a comprehensive calendar to visualize upcoming content deadlines, assign responsible team members, and track progress visually.
Individual Pages: Create dedicated pages for each content piece, including outlines, drafts, research materials, and feedback threads.
Team Collaboration: Invite team members to collaborate on project pages, allowing them to access information, leave comments, and edit content in real-time.
Enhance Efficiency: Notion's powerful features boost your team's effectiveness:
Templates: Create pre-designed templates for different content types (blog posts, social media captions, etc.) to maintain consistency and save time.
Embedded Content: Embed research articles, videos, and other relevant materials directly into content pages for easy reference and centralized information.
Version History: Track changes made to content pieces, allowing collaboration without fear of losing work or reverting to previous versions.
Benefits of using No Code App Builder Notion for building an MVP:
Centralized Hub: Eliminate scattered documents and emails by keeping everything organized and accessible within one platform.
Seamless Collaboration: Facilitate real-time communication and collaboration within your team, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Flexibility and Customization: Adapt Notion to your specific workflow and team needs with its extensive customization options.
This MVP can be used to test the Customer-Solution Fit by creating an interface that streamlines the content planning process and improve team collaboration for content teams not happy with the current content planning tools i.e. Hootsuite or Buffer.
How can No-Code Founders Use Webflow to Develop an MVP?
Webflow combines website building and hosting, allowing for the creation of professional-grade websites without coding. It's particularly effective for testing startup ideas that are content-driven or require a strong brand presence online.
Here is how Webflow can help with no-code MVP creation with an example:
Business Idea to be tested with a No-Code Website Builder: A landing page for an upcoming product launch, featuring interactive elements such as animations, sign-up forms for early access, and an FAQ section.
Webflow in Action: How to Use an App Creator No-Code Tool
Design Freedom: Webflow empowers you to design a visually captivating landing page with:
Drag-and-drop interface: Easily add elements like text, images, video, and buttons, with complete control over their layout and design.
Customizable animations: Captivate visitors with subtle animations on text, images, or transitions, adding a touch of interaction and enhancing their experience.
Interactive forms: Embed seamless sign-up forms to capture email addresses for early access notifications, allowing you to build your launch community.
Dynamic content: Showcase different aspects of your product or answer frequently asked questions with dedicated sections that scroll into view upon click, maintaining a clean and visually appealing layout.
Advanced Functionality: Webflow offers features beyond basic design:
Responsiveness: Ensure your landing page looks flawless and functions perfectly across all devices, from desktop computers to mobile phones.
SEO optimization: Leverage Webflow's built-in SEO tools to increase the discoverability of your landing page in search engines.
Integrations: Connect your landing page with email marketing platforms, analytics tools, and other services to gather valuable data and manage your launch campaign efficiently.
Benefits of using No Code App Builder Webflow for building an MVP:
Visual Design Control: Take complete creative control over the design and layout of your landing page, without the need for code-heavy solutions.
Interactive Features: Engage visitors with animations, forms, and dynamic content, creating a unique and memorable experience.
Ease of Use: Webflow's user-friendly interface allows even beginners to create stunning landing pages, even with no prior design experience.
The MVP acts as a testing ground for Customer-Solution Fit by allowing the founding team to design and launch a highly engaging and informative landing page without coding, validating interest in the product and collecting potential customer contacts for future marketing efforts.
How can No-Code Founders Use Zapier to Develop an MVP?
Zapier automates workflows between your apps and services, enabling you to automate parts of your MVP without coding. The startup team can use Zapier to connect their MVP to other tools and services, creating a seamless backend process that can operate with minimal manual intervention.
Check out how Zapier can whip up a no-code MVP, example included:
Business Idea: An integration system for small e-commerce stores that connect their website, inventory management, and customer support tools.
Zapier in Action: How to Use an App Creator No-Code Tool
Connecting the Dots: Zapier acts as the bridge between your various platforms. Connect your:
E-commerce website: This could be Shopify, WooCommerce, or any other platform you use to manage your online store.
Inventory management system: Connect software like Zoho Inventory or Orderhive to manage your stock levels and orders efficiently.
Customer support tools: Integrate platforms like Zendesk or Help Scout to streamline your customer service and communication.
Building Zaps: Zaps are Zappier's automated workflows, built using a simple "trigger-action" logic:
Trigger: Set specific actions on your website as triggers, such as "new order placed" or "customer submits a support ticket."
Action: Define automated actions on your connected platforms based on the trigger. Examples include:
Inventory update: When a new order is placed, Zapier automatically updates your inventory management system, reflecting the decrease in stock.
Support ticket creation: When a customer submits a support ticket, Zapier automatically generates a ticket in your helpdesk platform, notifying your team.
Benefits of using No Code App Builder Zapier for building an MVP:
Effortless Automation: Eliminate repetitive tasks like manually updating inventory or creating support tickets, freeing up your time for strategic planning and customer interaction.
Improved Efficiency: Streamline your workflow by automating data transfer across different platforms, resulting in faster response times and improved customer experience.
Scalability: As your business grows, Zapier can scale with you, enabling you to create more complex workflows and integrate additional tools.
By using this MVP, the founders can test Customer-Solution Fit by assessing if small e-commerce stores finds it useful to automate order processing, inventory updates, and customer service tickets and if this solution makes them happier when compared with the existing e-Commerce platforms' (Shopify, Woocommerce, etc.) offerings.
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Wrapping Up: Leveraging No-Code Platforms for MVP Development
As we look to the future, it's clear that the no-code movement is not just a trend but a fundamental shift in how startups are created and grown. It empowers a broader range of individuals to bring their innovative ideas to life, thereby enriching the ecosystem with a diversity of solutions and perspectives.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, the message is clear: the barriers to entry have never been lower. With the right mindset, a structured approach to validation, and the judicious use of no-code tools, anyone can transform their vision into a tangible, impactful reality. The key to success lies in understanding your customers, iterating based on feedback, and persistently striving towards Product-Market Fit. In this new era of startup development, your vision is only the beginning—the possibilities are limitless.
With the 7 Fits Framework, we offer a structured roadmap for achieving Product-Market Fit, guiding startups through the crucial pre-launch and post-launch phases. By focusing on Customer-Problem Fit, Problem-Solution Fit, and Customer-Solution Fit in the pre-launch phase, and refining the product through subsequent fits post-launch, entrepreneurs can significantly increase their chances of success.
Each fit serves as a stepping stone, ensuring that the product not only addresses a genuine need but also resonates with the target audience and is viable from a business perspective.
We are strong advocates of no code dev platforms such as Adalo, Airtable, Bubble, Glide, Make, Notion, Webflow, and Zapier because we believe they play pivotal roles in this Product-Market Fit journey.
They offer the tools necessary for rapid prototyping, MVP development, and customer feedback integration, facilitating a lean approach to startup development. This enables founders to test hypotheses, refine offerings, and scale their businesses with agility and precision.
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