Designing a product/service to facilitate meaningful connections
* This won UC Berkeley’s nomination for outstanding design work and was published in Berkeley Arts & Design Issue 03
Role:
Lead Product Designer
TIme:
8 weeks (Spring 2018)
Responsibilities:
Product design, UX research, ideation, content mapping, high-fidelity wire-framing, user testing, Interaction & Experience design
Deliverables:
Figma mock ups, design specs incorporating user testing & production materials, tangible user product and supplies/platform to order from
Tools used:
Figma, 3D printing
Techniques used:
Product Design, Visual, & Interaction design, User Experience Research
Context
Background
As society has become increasingly dependent on technology, dating has also become more gamified, consequently becoming too fast-paced, superficial, and unauthentic.
Dating websites and mobile apps have become more focused on the quantity of matches rather than the quality of a match. The resulting effect has been vague and impersonal dating profiles that appeal to a wider audience rather than a specific person.
After our immersive research, our projects design focus became centered around improving the first contact between two individuals and encouraging an environment where people are given the opportunity to truly get to know one another.
Our end project is a physical interaction device that individuals will have to preorder and periodically fill throughout the week prior to meeting with their partner to share and discuss items and topics that they were instructed to put in or interact with the box with.
If you would like to know more about this project, feel free to reach out to me at
priyankasaiprasad@gmail.com
Objectives
The objectives were to help alleviate the stress that comes along with facilitating the first connection between two people.
Create a natural in-depth way for people to get to know each other, either in the context of new potential partners or existing relationships.
Slow down the fast paced and gamified nature of online dating and encourage a more intimate structure or environment.
Success Metrics
Success will be measured through engagement of users ordering Bonafide and completing their box tasks.
We'll also see if we can increase the amount of individuals that form a meaningful and lasting connection.
Problems & Opportunities
Key Insights
Quantity over quality
Many individuals on dating apps keep swiping even after they have matched with one person. It may be to increase their chances of getting a response, due to the fun gamified nature, or to see how many people they can match with.
Dating has become gamified
Dating has become more and more gamified. With swiping left or right on Tinder to seeing little animations and cards for compatibility, dating has become a game that people engage in for entertainment more often than for fostering connections.
Catfishing and Ghosting
Much like applying to a job, many individuals you match with on dating apps will not respond back or “ghost.” This is an indication that they are uninterested. Others will portray a fake version of themselves to attract others, known as “catfishing.”
Generic & hard to track
When matching with multiple people, and using multiple apps it is hard to track who is who and to make a genuine connection. People often tend to be generic and copy paste introductions.
UX Research
Research gathered from 25 interviews of students, select teachers, GSIs, friends, family members, people from countries besides the USA.
We created an exploratory engagement that allowed our interviewees to interact with a series of modules each dealing with themes of Past, Present, and Future in their relationships, in various ways such as sketching, writing, and mood icons.
Cultural probe design
Our group deployed cultural probes to individuals who have been in multiple long-term, serious relationships. Through this participant group, we hoped to gain insights on what types of things people valued in successful relationships and what type of things contribute to unhealthy ones.
Research synthesis & insights
Product & Design decisions
Persona 1
Design Opportunities
Product Design
Our product
We combined key aspect from two of our design opportunities - the probing personal questions from the Pop-up Dating and the tangible momento-focused aspect of the Memory Sharing Box.
From our research, including our insights from people in relationships and questions asked by existing dating sites and services, we have condensed the key areas that are crucial to getting to know a person into seven main topics.
Design Inspirations
Designing Bonafide
what is bonafide?
Bonafide is a way for two people to explore each other’s personalities and share intimate details about their lives.
User flow
Designed to be fun & effective in revealing the most necessary parts of a person.
When using Bonafide, we envision the user first knows or meets someone they want to know better.
The user has a choice of box sets with differing degrees of revealing & personal questions.
Users then complete activites over a week and meet up to share their answers.
What you’ll get
Place an order — Bonafide will be shipped to participant address
Individual will find 7 stacks of cards with activities for them to complete
The boxes and cards are a physical kit, as there is an intimate/personable aspect to handwritten notes
Tasks are divided into 7 topics that can be completed over a week
Two people can explore each other’s personalities and share intimate details about their lives
How to use Bonafide
Express yourself through either:
A writing prompt, multiple choice question they can choose to elaborate on, or a creative activity which may involve adding a personal item into their box.
Upon completing all the modules, the participants can come together and share their completed boxes and filled cards with more personal and in-depth information about them and their lives.
Showcase
User Testing & Takeaways
We gave bonafide to 3 students who had expressed interest in using bonafide for their first interactions with another individual.
Bonafide can be used for friendships
Bonafide not only works for relationships but also for friendships as well and simply serves to provide a deeper connection between two individuals, it does not promise nor does it necessarily facilitate love.
Relationships can’t be forced
Most of the times relationshiips occur spontaneously through common intersts and sometimes even with common intersts two people may just not be compatible.
Life gets in the way
Dating and meeting new people is hard, and sometimes even if you want to, life gets in the way and unfortunately that can lead to ghosting.
Time & effort is needed
Participating individuals must take the time and effort to thoroughly complete their individual daily challenges and actively engage with the prompt cards & box.
Persona 2
For the future
Reflections
Understand that research is highly subjective
Engagement is hard to create, it really depends on the user’s dedication & effort
There is a LOT more that goes into shipments of physical products and tracking delivery, lost parts, costs, and demand
Making sure to provide an instructional help guide and keeping ADA rules in mind
Sync into digital dating apps
Choose Bonafide prior to the first date
Provide meaningful artifacts & videos in apps
Bio where they answer Bonafide questions
Track completion of card tasks and monitor compatibility through a Bonafide app
Here are a few photos of my wonderful teammates: (Daniel Chang, Sarah Malone, Ji Soo Kim, Ivy Nguyen) and the Bonafide publication:
Left to right: Daniel Chang, Ji Soo Kim, Ivy Nguyen, Priyanka Saiprasad, Sarah Malone
Jacobs Design Showcase - UC Berkeley College of Engineering
Published in Berkeley Arts & Design Issue 03