Closer

Empowering users to cultivate deeper connections and connect more intentionally through love languages.

Project Type

End-to-End Mobile App Design

Duration

May 2023 (2 weeks)

My Role

User Research

UX/UI Design

Interaction Design

Overview

As part of Designlab's UX certification, I undertook a challenge to create a mobile app MVP. Motivated by my mental health advocacy, I aimed to tackle the challenge of improving well-being through stronger social connections. Research underscores the importance of these ties, yet many people face hurdles in effective communication within relationships. My goal was to create an app that fosters deeper connections.

Research & Insights

Understanding the problem space & the users

Prior to the research, I came up with 3 research goals to help narrow down the scope of the study.

01

Assess awareness, needs, challenges, and preferences related to effective communication with the use of love languages

02

Identify barriers to understanding and effectively communicating needs within relationships and explore opportunities for improvement

03

Explore communication preferences and behaviors within relationships

Secondary Research

Before diving into the user interviews, I wanted to uncover deeper insights into the profound connection between social relationships and overall well-being and the impacts of understanding love language within our interpersonal dynamics. From secondary research, I learned that:

01

Only 30% of U.S. adults say they have heard of love language.

02

Uncovering our primary love language facilitates a strong connection with our inner selves, enhancing interactions with others.

03

Strong social relationships significantly enhance the chances of survival by 50 percent, irrespective of age, gender, or health condition.

04

Reciprocal efforts from both parties foster happiness in relationships.

User Interview

In order to delve deeper into the world of social relationships and unveil insights that would inform our quest for improving well-being, I conducted a series of 5 interviews with a carefully selected target audience. These interviews centered around young adults, aged 20-35, and were designed to understand the current state of their social relationships, identify barriers to effective communication, and uncover opportunities for enhancing overall well-being.

Some sample questions were:

  1. Are you aware of your love language and how did you learn about it?

  2. Have you encountered any barriers or difficulties in understanding and effectively communicating your needs within your relationships?

  3. How do you go about building and fostering a meaningful connection?

  4. Have you sought help in the past to improve your relationships?

  5. What do you feel will help you improve communication in your relationships?

Participant 1

“I want to be more patient, transparent, and gain more confidence in expressing my needs in my relationships.”

Participant 2

“I would love to be more intentional with how I interact with my loved ones in order to cater to their needs.”

Participant 3

“I hope to be more self-aware and reflective because my communication is the most effective when I'm in a good mental space.”

User Persona

Who are we designing for?

Upon analyzing the data gathered from my research, two distinct types of ideal personas were forged. Justin as a passive communicator and Tiana as an intentional communicator both embody the essence of the target audience and serve as guides in shaping my design process.

How Might We Statement

How might we help Justin & Tiana?

To devise solutions that specifically address the frustrations and goals of Justin and Tiana, I formulated three "How Might We" questions:

01

How might we develop features and resources that enable individuals to identify and understand their own love language and that of their loved ones?

02

How might we create a supportive and safe environment where individuals feel comfortable expressing their needs to their loved ones, fostering open and honest communication?

03

How might we encourage individuals to regularly check in with their loved one’s needs and preferences in order to foster an environment of understanding and growth?

Product Roadmap

Prioritizing the most impactful features for Closer

After brainstorming solutions, I initiated the creation of a roadmap prior to developing wireframes. This roadmap served as a strategic guide to identify essential features, prioritize pain points, and determine the most impactful initiatives for the problems.

Customer Journey Map

Exploring opportunities through the lens of the customers

A key insight emerged as I explored the customer journey: as users delve deeper into their understanding of love language and emotional needs, they are empowered to forge intentional connections and engage in deeply meaningful conversations with their loved ones.

Wireframes

The biggest challenge was thinking about how to simplify the love language assessment & account creation process

Using the paths developed from the user flows, I began creating wireframes to help visualize the screens that users will interact with at each step of their journey. By developing these screens, I aimed to provide a tangible and concrete representation of the user interface, allowing for a more intuitive understanding of the product's structure and functionality.

Branding

Developing a design system

While building the design system, I decided to focus on the brand core's attributes of tranquility, growth, empathy, and purpose. With a focus on creating a user experience that is both inviting and exhilarating, I curated a vibrant color palette infused with a playful touch. This harmonious blend of colors sets the stage for a visually captivating journey, evoking positive emotions and igniting a sense of joy and excitement.

Usability Testing

What do users think of Closer?

To ensure the optimal functionality and effectiveness of the design solutions, I conducted 5 usability tests with the target audience group. Through in-depth interviews and observation, the testing process unveiled both the successes and areas for improvement within the design.

Success 01

“I like that this app is very intentional and that it brings people closer together.”

Success 02

“The layout of each task and the interface made it easy to understand”

Success 03

“The select song to match your mood and cloudy day features are very creative ideas to implement into the app.”

What can we improve?

Iteration 1:

Users felt that the available feeling options were limited.

Iteration 2:

Users were uncertain about their ability to select multiple options, as there were no clear indicators.

Iteration 3:

Users expressed a desire for additional features on the feed page that would facilitate engagement and interaction with other users.

Final Design

Presenting Closer

01

Account Creation & Love Language Quiz

During the account creation process, users are prompted to take a love language quiz, which provides valuable insights into their needs. By incorporating the "My love language" and "Loving me looks like" sections in the user profile, individuals are empowered to effectively communicate their needs to their loved ones (my community).

02

Logging Daily Mood

By encouraging users to log their daily mood, they are empowered to monitor their overall well-being and have the option to share it with their community. This fosters interaction among users and prompts them to check in with each other more regularly and intentionally.

03

Interact with Each Other Based on Love Language

By enabling notifications to receive tips on interacting based on friends' love languages, individuals can enhance their awareness of different love languages and engage in more intentional and accurate ways. This feature empowers users to foster meaningful connections by tailoring their communication to align with their friends' preferred love languages, facilitating deeper understanding and stronger relationships.

Takeaways

Thoughts & Lessons Learned

Elevating Experiences : Through this project, I came to recognize the significance of integrating senses into the user experience, exploring ways to create value by evoking emotions, and crafting intentional experiences for the users.

Discovering Design Tools : During the project, I embarked on an exploration of design tools, uncovering a plethora of captivating illustrations and harnessing the power of a new Figma plug-in for animation. This exciting journey not only streamlined the design process but also elevated the overall interactive experience of the product.