Role
Product Designer
Duration
February 2022 - May 2022
Team
Lucy Tran, Joelle Siong Sin, Robyn Lim
Disciplines
UI/UX, Design Methodology, Human Centric Design
RE: is a prompts + recording app that helps two individuals stay connected when there are physical boundaries.
RE: is a semester project born from a problem class DES INV 15 came up with and along with my three teammates, we tackled it while learning the various design methodology to help us break the problem down and allow us to come up with a creative solution. This project is broken down in three phases 1) Identify 2) Understand and 3) Conceptualize.
The Problem
Relationships happen online and offline but in the case of long distance relationships, finding ways to create intimate moments with one another is essential to a thriving and healthy relationship. Often, people in long distance relationships utilize modern technology to stay connected with one another, but staring at a screen lacks the feeling of intimacy.
Ultimately, our question is...
How might we help users in long distance relationships feel more intimately connected with their partners?
Research
1. SET (social, economic, technological) Factors
Social
- Taking pictures in public places is sometimes very awkward
- A lot of people don't like showing their faces on camera so it's hard to engage with them more intimately; “77% of women are camera shy.”
- Selfies “evoke criticism [...] and are associated with non-authenticity and narcissism.
Economic
- Existing physical products are upwards of $80 - ie. individual Loveboxes are priced between $99 -$175
- Large, direct competition exists from the several software apps like BeReal and Instagram that try to address our product opportunity gap statement are free
Technological
- High device usage can damage relationships: “Nearly 1 in 10 had argued with a partner about excessive time spent on the devices.”
- The elderly may have a hard time using an application/technology than those who are younger
- Those with poor internet connection would be at a disadvantage.
2. Interviews
Long distance relationships are very personal to different people; we wanted to get different views of who and how different couples stay present with each other despite the distance. Our goal is to have interviews where we can talk to both parties at the same time to see different perspectives. We also have a set of questions to ask, but we also wanted to be open to their answers and ask follow-up questions to their responses.
Common pain points
3. Surveys
We surveyed 16 couples currently/have been in a long distance relationship.
- 50% cited communication issues with LDP
- 50% like to video call their partners
- 50% talk to their partners every day
- 68.8% want a product that is both software and physical
4. Empathy Map
Say
they want a:
- collaborative calendar
- photo organizer
- a set of new activities to do
Think
- when can I see them again?
- I miss my partner
- we are both so busy
Do
- connect with their partners via social media platforms
- call their partners often
- do virtual activities together
Feel
- lonely: disconnected from their partner, miss physical touch
- sometimes frustrated: can't set time to meet and connect
Pains
- lack of physical touch
- communication is difficult to upkeep
- attention
Gains
- learning to appreciate each other's time
- figuring out creative ways to stay connected
5. Analyzing Exisiting Products
Market Gaps
focused on sharing media, especially photos
- overwhelming abundance: diminishing authenticity
- pressure to regularly share
- lost meaning behind photos
- hard to keep up or keep track
includes communication channels but lacks features that
- increase intimacy
- resolve misunderstanding
- minimize distractions
6. Narrowing down our products requirements
Emotions
The security, sensuality, love, confidence, and connectedness evoked by the product
- Goal: Evoke emotions through product use with partner.
- Requirements:
Must: Aid connectedness and other emotions through product use
Should: Not cause negative emotions to arise
Could: Invoke surprise or humour through unexpected question prompts
Core-Tech
The reliability, efficency, and durability of the product.
- Goal: Have high reliability, efficiency, and durability.
- Requirements:
Must: Be quick to use, with as little steps as possible. Be as reliable as possible.
Should: Be high quality and long lasting.
Could: Utilize new developing technologies.
Ergonomics
The comfort, safety, and ease of use of the product
- Goal: product will be easy and quick to use daily.
- Requirements:
Must: Be able to work despite users being in different time zones and not have an excessive amount of features.
Should: Ensure memories can be saved even if product becomes obsolete.
Could: Allow for product customization.
Identity
The personality, point in time, and sense of place created by the product
- Goal: Enhance personality, authenticity and sense of place of the user.
- Requirements:
Must: specifically cater to challenges of long distance relationships.
Should: Help users feel more at-peace with their LDP.
Could: establish visual identity for the product.
Concept Generation
1. Design Method
Each teammate generated 10 concepts (initial total of 40). Then, we looked for parallels in our ideas using 3-12-3 brainstorming to generate 10 more concepts for a final total of 50.
2. Affinity Diagram & Dot Diagram
We sorted our concepts into their primary actions. Then, to downsize our concept set, each of us dot-voted our top 7 concepts. The following concepts that gained the most votes (dots) are Bangle Bright, Blanket Bae, Plant Care-Partner Care, Podcast + Prompts.
3. Narrowing Down
Finally, with these four concepts, we created a weighted matrix to systematically assess each through our VOA criteria. Which lead to our our two final concept: Podcasts + Prompts and Bangle Bright
Prototyping
1. Bangle Bright Prototype (physical)
initial sketch
Vectary 3D Sketch
Figma animation
Critical Assumption
Will our product be used as a tool for connection over existing communication devices like Apple watches in long distance relationships?
Prototype Idea
- Design mock-up on Figma
- Using weighted matrix, try to fill in the gaps (ease of use/loved)
- Helps see if design idea can realistically be made
User Research
- Next steps:
- Utilize QuickNDirty method for user prototype research
2. Podcast + Prompts Prototype (app)
Critical Assumption
How often will our product be used in long distance relationships over simply texting and calling?
Prototype Idea
- Design mock-up on Figma
- Using weighted matrix, try to fill in the gaps (personality/ease of use)
- Adding a physical aspect to our product rather than only software
User Research
- Instructed couples to send daily voice messages to one another according to prompts given
After conducting further user research and sending our ideas to previous LDR couples we surveyed, we decided to choose Podcasts & Prompts as our final concept and started to refine our product further. We then continued to start improving our product based on feedback received from our questionnaire.
Realize
We named our app/product “RE” as our three cores of our products are to help those in an LDR to remember, record, and reflect!
Designing mid-fi interfaces of what the app would look like
Mocking up the designs!
record & listen anytime, anywhere.
Ease of Use
- simplistic + straightforward buttons
- few menu options to minimize confusion
- flexible with time; only requires partners to send responses by end-of-day
Connection
- questions offer interesting conversation topics
- opens opportunities for both surface-level & in-depth responses
- helps partners learn different things about each other
Personality
- get to know each other in more ways than before and allows partners to enter their personalities
3. Functional Representation
omitted any photo aspect
- users can focus on their partner's voice: increases intimacy through conversation
- audios allow partners to open up: helps minimize communication issues - a problem emphasized in our survey responses
- mitigates excessive fixation on photos, which, from our initial literature research, is a factor that can severely damage romantic relationships
designed a physical recorder
- users from interviews and classmates from focus groups wanted a physical element: curtails screentime and corresponding distractions
- audios can be downloaded like songs and can be listened to without looking at the screen: emulates the feeling of being physically together
- audios can be recorded anytime and can be as short as 1 minute: allows partners to share throughout the day and works for busy schedules
added daily prompts
- users can still be as spontaneous as possible but when they do respond to prompts like “What's your pet peeve?”, new conversations are formed, generating feelings of excitement, exclusivity and novelty
4. Users Feedback
To simulate the experience, we sent long-distance couples daily prompts and a reminder to record an audio for their partner. We did this for a period of five days, and received the following feedback:
- “enjoyed being able to listen to my partner's voice... creates a level of depth and more personal connection as to just text messages.”
- “good initiators for conversation”
- “relaxing and nice to get stuff off my mind and just ramble.”
5. Feedback Implementation
- Add a pause function for people who like to send short bursts of messages
- Provide more complex prompts that would force partners to think
- Implementing a streak or reward for consistent communication between partners
Reflection
RE is the first project where I learned the myriad of design methods and where I dip my foot into the product design sphere. I love the human-to-human interactions that came with this project. It made me realize how designing a project is the easiest part when it comes to producing a great product/design. The harder and more challenging, but rewarding part is researching and trying to empathize with the users. This project has taught me to always design with a purpose - even on the simplest things.
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