With the assistance of VR and AR technology, new forms of online dating give daters more opportunities to meet prospective suitors with similar interests, and deliver fun and memorable dating experiences.
Timeline
2 Weeks
Team
Individual Project
My Role
UX Designer,
UX Researcher
Deliverables
Middle - Fidelity Mockups, Prototype, Brand Guide
Dating is complicated.
Covid-19 has made dating harder and more laborious than ever before. Apps are now the only way to safely reach out to people, yet it can take weeks or months to make real progress.
The Problem
The majority of dating apps are more focused on matching daters with anyone by the 1-on-1 dating form, which makes daters struggle to find a long-term partner.
Research Synthesis
Affinity mapping revealed the following major insights:
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Daters request multiple forms of online dating, especially group dating.
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Daters would like to understand people from different angles, in a short period of time.
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Daters request more efficient dating. They would like to have a speed dating option or meet other new singles during the same meeting.
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Daters would love to have features like elevator pitches and ice breakers on the app.
"I'm a bit shy and easy to get nervous. I just don't know what to say in the video conversation."
"During the pandemic, the traditional one-on-one dating has gone virtual and requires video cameras. It’s somehow awkward to take off and keep the conversation going. Group dating can help make the whole process smoother."
"If there's a Netflix match, I'll go!"
"The algorithm can try to match two people who have similar interests and do a 5 minute conversation!"
"I want to know how she gets along with others, if she’s friendly, if she can hold a conversation, or how she holds herself in general."
Opportunity
What if a dating app can provide multiple forms of online dating with the assistance of VR and AR technology?
Group Dating
AR +VR Technology
Turbo
Ideation
Given the assistance of VR and AR technology, new forms of online dating give daters more opportunities to meet prospective suitors with similar interests, and deliver fun and memorable dating experiences.
Motivations
Since moving to a new city this past year, I would like to use a dating app to meet people.
Curiosity to see who I will match up with
Pain Points
Limited chance of meeting new singles during the pandemic
Current apps not effective
I'm Lisa, 32 years old,
working in the fashion industry.
Personas
Sketches
After my wireframes were designed I moved on to prototyping. I connected each designated hotspot to where it linked to and made it as a clickable product.
How Turbo Works
Turbo is aimed to create a platform for tailored group dating to match up daters with similar interests and personalities.
User Profiles
The profile introduces daters to their potential matches, therefore an attractive and purposed design is a must-have. It was designed to be a reflection of their actual personality and showcase their best sides. Thus the profile should give wide customization options, generally look good and be intuitive to navigate.
Speed Dating
Speed dating involves a group of daters going on a 5-minute date with each other. Daters first select a room with a theme, and the algorithm will organize daters with similar interests into groups for dating. VR technology will be applied to create the feeling of actually being together in the virtual space itself, like restaurants, coffee shops or bars, while AR technology will be added to the video calls to make interactions more playful.
Group Dating
As for Speed Dating, by creating a virtual simulation, Group Dating will give daters unique and intense experiences in the virtual space. Daters will be able to understand people from different angles, in a short period of time. For example, how he or she gets along with others, if he or she’s friendly, if he or she can hold a conversation, or how he or she conducts oneself in general.
Theme Park
Just think about how many people used to find somewhere local to have drinks, and watch games before the pandemic. Theme Park creates an interactive and relaxing virtual space for daters to enjoy the game together, while meeting other new singles.
Next Steps
There are next steps needed to ensure the app functions well. I would like to conduct three rounds of usability testing to see how well testers are able to navigate the app, what their feedback is, and which features need to be updated based on testing results.
Lessons Learned
As a first-time designer, I was amazed at how raw data from interviews transformed into a functioning prototype by the iterative process of uncovering a problem through user experience research and solving it through design thinking. From this project, I learned the fundamental elements of the UX design process, and more importantly, the core of UX design which is to help users reach their goal more efficiently.