Shy - Dating App
I conducted user research for a dating app to identify pain points when using dating apps, iron out the UX flow and redesign the design system and UI. Part of this analysis was to find out more about the context of use in real life social situations with a hyperlocal focus. The result is an app designed to provide unique matching and connection opportunities for a happy dating life!
THE CHALLENGE
The product design was in total disarray and the business stakeholders were in a state of panic as their investment started to run out without the product in even starting production. There were foundational issues in every aspect of the UX design, in-fact negligible UX research, but there were some unique value propositions worth designing for.
THE PURPOSE
I conducted user research for the dating app to identify pain points while using a dating app, find opportunity gaps within this competitive market and smooth out the UX flow. I also redesigned the visuals of the app completely - employing story definition, functionality, visual language creation, and feature relationships.
HOW MIGHT WE
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Add hyperlocal locational context?
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Make it truly inclusive with genders?
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Ensure meaningful connections and flowing conversations to improve match to date conversion?
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Reduce frustration? (unwarranted advances, unpleasant interactions, spam, scams, etc.)
But First... The previous design
A look at some key screens from what I received as the 'app designs', I realized immediately what a monumental task lay ahead for me during the next 6 weeks. To be brutally honest, based on a simple heuristic analysis this wasn't even worth considering as a starting point for the redesign.
THE PROCESS
A lot of choices were driven by the timelines.
So the idea was to keep it simple:
First design the right thing,
then design the thing right.
1
Desk research & Competitive Analysis
Qualitative Research - Interviews
Quantitative Research - Survey
Affinity Mapping
Research
2
Journey Mapping
4 Action Framework
Paper Prototype
Information Architecture
Ideation
3
Visual System
Features
Outcomes
Reflections & Next Steps
Creation
Dating, redesigned
"Hi Rakshit, we are working on a dating app. The designs that our previous freelancer made look and feel like sh*t. We know it's an impossible deadline but we need this designed in a month due to pressure of timelines committed to the investors."
Currently in Beta testing, send me feedback!
Download the App
Team
Solo project
Tools
Adobe XD
Adobe Photoshop
Figma
Adobe Illustrator
Location
Mumbai, India
Phase 1
Research
Phase 3
Creation
Phase 2
Ideation
Eliminate
Reduce
Create
Raise
Pesky pop-ups and in-your-face upselling elements
Avoidable issues with data, privacy, security and safety
Unwarranted and unpleasant advances
Gamified Icebreakers for smooth conversation and fun
Elevate Interests, hobbies, Q&As, values, culture
Easy ways to delete all data and deactivate account
Sex positivity and inclusion
Filters, preferences and options
Contextual data and personality traits for understanding
Genuine interactions, connections and matches
Ease of use for all types of users
Profile builder steps and forms
Gendered pressures and stigma
Outdated and confusing mechanisms of matching
Deactivated profiles, scammers, misrepresentation, bots, fakes
4 Action Framework
Information Architecture
Insights
UX Touch-Point
and Design Outcomes
Long Profile builder form.
Non-verified profiles, scammers, bots.
Gender Inclusivity
Preferences and interests
Outdated matching mechanisms
Location context
Difficulty starting conversations
Sexist advances and conversation
Finding common habits / interests
Understanding others' perspectives
Dating preference - casual, serious or undecided
Dark patterns in deleting after completing
Profile Builder
Verification, and shorter and structured profile builder
Profile Builder
Inclusive gender options, insightful profile building fields
Matching Radar
Hyperlocal options for dates when you're already out.
Pick Up Line Generator
To help kickstart the conversations
Connections and Chat
Sensitive data reveal after matching, easy to block and report.
Personalized Interactive Questions
Easily answer and check other's snippets of personality
Across Matching, Connections and Profile and Chat
Display dating preferences across touch-points
Settings
Easy to delete profile and all your info after app usage.
Sign Up / In
Onboarding
Fresh 3D illustrations for service features.
Profile Builder
Structured profile data input, preferences setup and ingenious verification method.
Matching
Radar like UI to see who's around and interesting.
Pick Up Icebreakers, Connections and Chat
Core products to increase engagement with matches.
Profile and Preferences
Ability to customize what others see about you and preferences of your matches.
Settings and Premium Upgrades
App settings
Qualitative Research - Interviews
Quantitative Research - Surveys
13 Responses
4 Participants
Just 5%
people have time to go on dates regularly.
90%
people have met someone after matching online.
Just 12%
have been in a committed relationship with or married someone they met on a dating app.
Security and verification reliability issues - too many scammers, bots and fakes.
A lot of the apps lack gender variety and inclusivity or it's looked down upon.
Lack of ways to represent personality traits, too much unnecessary info without personalization.
Skeptical due to safety issues like misrepresentation, unwarranted conduct, privacy and location.
Frustration with endless small talk and dropped conversations.
Too shy or awkward to text and afraid of rejection, prefer in person dating.
Too many options, easy to go back to finding new matches, tedious date logistics.
Most eventually want serious relationships but when in use many use it just for fun.
Matching is private thing, not social. Though mutual friends help with trust in matches.
Too many tactless pop-ups, pushy upselling elements and profile building steps.
Less than 2%
matches to date conversion ratio.
2 out of 3
people rated their texting skills as average or poor.
86.5%
people don't check their match's profile in depth.
This has to be one of the most rewarding projects due to the amount of sh*t we could accomplish in under 10 weeks is staggering.
There are more issues that are coming up in testing but now we at-least have a solid base to build up on iteratively.
Reflection
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Increased research into hyperlocal safety for all genders as the app focus is short distance and instant availability.
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Diary Studies to look at the behaviors, usage patterns and pain points of the single users in detail.
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Explore and inspect issues arising due to unintended outcomes from all features.
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Research and design the premium service from scratch.
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Testing with real users for feedback. Currently in beta testing so this process has started.
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Better handoff to the developers. Despite a smooth handoff there were some issues with component that arose later. They were handled immediately but good learning in how to structure these styles and components for ease of use.
Next Steps
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Dating apps are peppered with interactions that have now become cornerstones of UX Design, not just for dating apps.
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There are a lot of things that work in creating a good dating app experience - smooth matching options screen interactions, fun chatting options and elegant illustrations.
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Some things that need stimulation are with regards to moving forward from fun onto deeper conversations and a push for match to date conversions, which is a double edged sword because it might not align with a lot of the apps' business goals.
Competitive Analysis
I wanted to start by understand the dynamic of internal stakeholders I was working with. Based on my understanding why this project could function with such a short timeline is that the CEO and Product Manager had clear communication of what they wanted and I was intensely co-designing with them as well as given the space to critically research and design independently as well.
Stakeholder alignment
