PROJECT BACKGROUND
Online dating has become the most common method for people to find dates and potential life partner. Popularity of dating sites have increased resulting in a variety of different sites tailored to specific interests.
However, while the growth of online dating has been positive, the experiences of most users have shown to be consistently met with frustrations, with 50% of women viewing online dating as unsafe. The arrival of Covid-19 added another level of online dating complications by removing the possibility of meeting someone in person for relationship building.
DISCOVER
We began our project by conducting a Competitive Analysis with three popular dating sites with different marketing demographics. For newer dating sites like Tinder - which is owned by Match Group and Bumble - a woman owned online dating site, promoted as being made for confident women.
Both of these companies promote their services for finding a serious relationship - however with Tinder's quick sign up feature and fast decision swiping feature, the site is not viewed by users as one for serious dating.
USER INTERVIEWS - RESULTS
* online dating sites offer a place for people to find dates
* dating sites don’t offer structure to support successful connections
*online dating still placed the entire dating responsibility on the people looking to date
*the safety of meeting the other party is important
Tinder is one of several dating sites owned by the Match Group.
It is also the largest revenue earner for the online dating corporation.
Journey Map:
*expectations
*decisions
Also to be noted is how Tinder could benefit from return users by addressing these user expectations and behaviors.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
When dating online, users need to have trust with user profiles so that they can be encouraged to date and to engage in communicating online.
How Might We resolve user safety concerns while providing creative and comfortable ways for people to build the starting foundation of a relationship.
DEFINE
PERSONA 1
PERSONA 2
DESIGN
STEP 1A :
The following sketches are a compilation of initial ideas.
We considered:
*What users were currently experiencing in online dating
*Addressing safety and relationship building
*Profiles with thumbnails provide additional info to match personality and interests
*Creating a guided messaging feature was considered to help users initiate communication.
STEP 1B:
The design was further developed to incorporate and refine design ideas and to support our project research and primary persona.
*Color and layout was fully considered.
*Colors were purposefully chosen as a guiding feature as well to help give warmth to the look & feel of the redesigned pages.
*The original brand identity was to remain with new colors and elements to coordinate.
*Layout was very important to give importance to profile features and ease of communication.
New proposed features:
1. Reducing the number of control buttons and keeping only what is relevant to the function of the site.
2. Adding thumbnails on profile pages.
3. Providing "Bookmark" - a feature to save profiles and use "Star" icon.
4. Provide conversation prompts to help start conversations.
WIREFRAMES
High-fidelity wireframes completed to show primary persona's path towards selecting and communicating with a match.
DESIGN PATTERN LIBRARY
I helped create the Design Pattern Library to organize and establish a consistency throughout the screen designs. The following are examples for typography and page layout standards. The entire library can be viewed in the PROCESS DECK.
DELIVERABLES
USER TESTING
PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK
Like seeing thumbnails
Glad “super like” was removed
Saving profiles is good
Like communication prompts & date choices
Work on steps to date request
Wording for date request confusing
Technical issues with prototype
NEXT STEPS
From our usability tests and participant feedback, further development of the redesign would include the following:
1. Work on the wording and phrasing for new features
2. Provide tool tips for onboarding
3. Develop minimum requirements for sign up process - including security an verifications (research Tinder practice/policy)
4. Run accessibility check for redesign
5. Provide safety features for users to be aware of - “socially distanced dates”, CCTV, Covid temperature testing at meeting locations, pre-approved lcoations (only for verified users)
CONCLUSION
LET THEM FIND LOVE!
During this project, much was learned from researching and gathering information about the online dating industry. As a designer who understands that decisions impact people, I learned that in the pursuit of business profits, the dating industry neglected on the basics of why, what, and how people approach dating and relationships. In dealing with a product that affects the personal wellbeing of their customers, it is vital to offer a supportive space that is safe and encourages responsible communication.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Dating services have been in existence for many years and the frustrations of online dating have existed along with them. The different websites and apps provide a service for people looking to date but there is limited support in helping people make successful connections. Frustrations and disappointment, along with concerns for safety are major issues and causes of paint points for users.
RESEARCH INSIGHTS:
Online dating is now the norm for people looking for a relationship. With this accepted normal for meeting a new partner, people are not always fully prepared to navigate the number of matches along with their own personal concerns. Dating sites such as Tinder, promote their app to be the answer for successful dating but user feedback speaks the reality of the struggles for people looking for a relationship. Dating sites are aware of their potential to make money but it appears they were not designed for their own users.
CHALLENGES:
The challenges of this project was to understand why there has been universal frustrations with online dating. For people actively dating and are unsuccessful, they are often informed of taking self improvement to mind or increase their chances of people seeing their profiles by being more active on the dating site. It became clear that for daters to appear successful they are responsible for their own outcome.
Datings site may give advice against certain behaviors but we needed to learn why sites limited the amount of security (background checks, verifications) on their services. It appears it is easier to advise against certain situations than to offer daters a sense of security on the profiles they will see.
WANT TO SEE MORE? CHECK OUT THE PROCESS DECK.