The Ideation
From my research, I gathered some key findings that helped dictate my ideation process:
1. Seasoned online daters often value communication and personality over physical attraction when it comes to their ideal partner match. This is less true for casual hook-ups, but is still common.
2. Cat-fishing and data privacy are huge risk factors to potentially negative dating experiences.
3. Large differences in online perception and real-life first impressions contribute to match disconnect.
Using my key findings, I began working on user flow for the app. The biggest challenge in this process was to introduce all of the different functions without overwhelming a first-time user. One way to solve that was separating the dashboard information into separate scrollable screens for easier navigation.
After having a rough outline of flow, I began site mapping in Figma before the wireframing process began. It was important to keep in mind the MVP dating values found in my research as primary traits emphasized across app. This was done through the voice-chat feature and a descriptive instructional copy to guide users on potential ways to start the conversation.
Pain Point: First Message
[Retrospect] One solution I wish I considered is beefing up the onboarding process. This could potentially decrease user error by introducing them to the features and ways to use them before (or while) signing up.
One thing was clear: I wanted to eliminate photos and bios from the beginning portion of the match-finding experience. This is to ensure user MVP's, such as personality and communication, are given center stage. This can also buffer cat-fishing, as users do no have the option to view match photos until given permission. However, this created a greater concern: ice-breaking. Silly bios or interesting photos are great conversation starters. How will the user know how to start conversation with someone they know nothing about?
Solution: Gamification
Think back to your first day in high school. What did every teacher do to get us to start talking to each other? Ice breaker games! Ice breakers exist in every realm of our social life. How come we don't reflect this thinking in our dating?
I decided to create 2 voice-chat games that users can engage in to facilitate conversation: Improv and Karaoke
Voice-based Dating Experience
BLINDLY - Mobile UX project
DATE MARCH 2021
DURATION 4 MONTHS
ROLE SOLO PROJECT
CalArts Coursera
User Interviews
For my interviews, there were two primary user groups that I wanted to interview and observe.
1. Single people actively using online dating to meet potential love interests.
2. Couples who have prior history and experience in online dating.
Taking advantage of my Linkedin network and friends, I interviewed 6 single people and 2 couples for this exercise.
The Research
User interviews/observation, competitive analysis
While we have some context around the problem and our proposed solution, the meat of the dish is the research behind it. Since I am essentially proposing a new, refreshed online dating experience, I want to understand online daters' motives and attitudes towards' today's most popular dating apps. Additionally, while I have anecdotal evidence that my idea can succeed, I need to ensure that it aligns with user needs fully.
I decided to focus on these three areas of research:
1. User interviews of frequent online daters.
2. User interviews of couples who had a history in online dating and/or met online.
3. Analysis of existing dating sites/applications to help ideation.
Key Questions for Individuals
Walk us through your online dating process
What factors determine whether you will pursue a match?
Can you describe a time where you had an amazing online dating experience?
What concerns do you have for others like you in the dating scene? Any advice?
Key Questions for Couples
How did you two meet? Describe the experience.
What drew you to each other during your first interaction?
What did you wish you knew about each other sooner than later?
How was your in-person meet different from your online conversations?
Observing Individuals
I will be looking for key motivations for choosing online dating vs IRL. I want to get a real sense of their feelings and attitudes towards dating, and what their ideal dating experience entails.
Observing Couples
Similar to the individual observation, key motivations for choosing online dating will be a priority. Additional observations will include couple dynamics, couple goals, and also individual partner goals.
Competitors
Last part of the research process involved creating a competitive analysis chart of popular dating apps such as Bumble and Tinder.
Some of the key aspects I observed included:
1. Functionality and visibility
2. User profile details
3. Onboarding flow
4. Qualitative analysis of the experience using user interviews and observation
Some key findings from this research included:
1. "Swiping left/right" feature offers convenience in sorting out potential interests.
2. Most successful UI often focuses on new potential matches as the first screen.
3. Gamification in dating apps allows match amount to be used as a "social scoreboard" for some.*
*This idea has also been expressed by 3 participants in the user interviews.
The Problem
Being a communications major from a school largely involved in online dating, I've always been curious about the design behind dating apps. I decided to dig deep into the psychology...
Speaking anecdotally with friends and family, there seems to be a clear disdain for the online dating process due to the ambiguity that comes with not knowing the person fully by their online persona. Additionally, putting yourself out there isn't always easy emotionally. According to recent studies, 32% say online dating sites or apps made them feel more confident, whereas 25% say it left them feeling more insecure. Additional concerns can arise with safety as users' names, photos, and location is revealed to thousands of random matches before they can even know each other.
This made me wonder if current online dating experiences are hitting the mark, especially for those looking for longterm connection.
"There are a whole lot of social or cultural pressures coming into play in the dating space that exist in the rest of the world.”
The Results
What could be improved...
While I was able to gather user data, I wish I could have spent more time observing individuals while using datings apps. Although I did this for a few interviewees, having multiple voices walk me through their match-finding process would have facilitated the ideation process.
Additionally, my prototype definitely needs to go through rounds of usability testing to ensure that the interface is functional and concise. I also think that not including a "swipe left/right" feature can lead to less success in terms of "convenience," since this was prevalent in my competitive research.
Aside from these improvement, I learned that mobile-first design is most often a great way to approach app and website building. It allows for filtering out any unnecessary design detail that would not fit the screen, which ultimately makes larger versions appear cleaner. Mobile interfaces are also perfect for online dating for users who are constantly busy with everyday errands.