Sound Love

Project Overview

Challenge

Visually impaired users are excluded by mainstream online dating apps, which focus on visual content. On the other hand, dating apps for disabled users do not solve all accessibility issues and are not desirable for visually impaired users.

Objectives

Main Issues to tackle

Accessibility: Most apps are not compatible with screen readers.
Visual: Visual content cannot easily be ignored.
Choice: Disabled people do not necessarily want to date other disabled people.
Bordom: Most dating apps lead to a repetitive and boring interaction

Main project goal

Designing a dating app that enables visually impaired users to benefit from it without external assistance while still attractive for mainstream users.

Tools

Strategic tools

User-centric design

Inclusive design / Universal design

Social dilemmas in design

Prototyping

Role

UX researcher, UX designer, Ideator, Business model & revenue stream

Team

A group of 3 multinational HCI students with the supervision of a professor of Trento University.

Duration

2 months

over view

Design Process

Step 1

Empathize

Ethnography

Interviews

Target group

Benchmarking

...

Step 2

Solutions

Features

Solution

...

Step 3

Prototype

design

Prototype

...

Step 4

Revenue stream

Security

Business aspect

...

process

Step 1: Empethize

Overview

Like every design project, sympathizing with the target users and establishing a deep understanding of their needs is the pillar for suggesting a reliable solution. Since finding visually impaired people to participate in the user study was time-consuming and hard to achieve, we mostly established our problem definition based on ethnography and benchmarking.

It is worthy of mentioning that the project was primarily focused on understanding the idea of universal design and how it can be applicable in real life.

Virtual Ethnography & Interview

As the first step, we used online resources to understand how life goes for visually impaired people. Youtube searches, articles, and existing forums helped us collect insights on their needs, frustration, thoughts, feelings, and wishes. We also managed to interview one of our classmates who was visually impaired. This approach helped us to understand this group better.

Some of the main findings would be as follow:

This group of users have sensitive feelings and don't like to be referred to as a minority group.
They have a hard time using screen readers.
They are tired of asking for assistance for personal tasks.
Dating apps are even more personal for them, and they don't like to use them with assistance.

Target group

While conducting the virtual ethnography to define the main problem statement in more detail, we also defined our target audience. Visually impaired or totally blind people who are willing to use a dating app on their own and without any assistance are the main target audience of this product. Also, non-disabled users who are looking for an enjoyable way to find a date are included in the main target group.

Competitive benchmarking

Analyzing the most well-known dating apps and existing dating apps for disabled users helped us better understand the status quo. Combining benchmarking and user study results helped us define the main issues that our product will solve.

Following some of the existing applications and their limitations can be seen:

step1

Step 2: Solution

Overview

We propose a design aimed at changing the main interaction style of online dating apps, by focusing on audio-based content and interaction.

We also tried to make interaction engaging through gamification.

Solutions

Based on the defined problem, target goal, and users' needs and wishes, we came up with the following solutions in our dating application called "Sound of Love":

Audio base interaction: In contrast to all existing dating apps, "Sound love" would utilize audio-based interaction.
- All elements in the UI would be compatible with screen readers.
- Voice command would be available in all the sections of the app.
- Profiles would be based on audio recordings, with alternative voices for those who don't feel comfortable using their own voice.
Gamification: By including some gamified features, this product will increase users engagement. Also, more people without a visual disabilities would be willing to use the product.
- Going through the "Compatibility test," you can find like-minded people.
- Invite friends to do online games on the platform.
Special features: These features can make the experience of dating and the nature of connection more enjoyable and meaningful.
- Virtual dating in a selected environment with background sound.
- Sharing your favorite music with the person you connected with.
- Reply on the way to let your date know that you are thinking about them but can't reply at the moment.

Step2

Step 3: Prototype

Overview

The following video would introduce how this product will look like. It also suggests the audio-based interaction within the platform and the most interesting features that make the experience enjoyable and more meaningful.

Step3

Step 4: Business aspects

Revenue stream

The revenue stream for the product would be as follow:

PREMIUM

A Premium Membership offers users additional features.

Ads are audible/visible to users at some points in the app. They are relevant, privacy-respecting and (mostly) audio-based.

IN_APP PURCHASE

Users can buy single additional features or (virtual) gifts for other users.

Security

The following consideration would support the possible security issues of this product.

GDPR: Fully GDPR-compliant and security-audited.
Public Cloud: The Web Backend will be in a Public Cloud setup using security best practices.
E2EE: All messages will be end-to-end encrypted using XMPP with the OMEMO-Plugin.
Privacy by design: Technical and social privacy features.

Step4

Final thoughts

Project limitations

Similar to any other project, in this project we faced some limitations.

Hard to involve visually impaired people to participate in the user study.
The project still excludes users with hearing impediments.
Gamification would target a specific group of users.

Future Improvement

Conducting a more comprehensive user study and involve more participants from the target group.
Conduct a co-design session to design the final solution in cooperation with the targeted user.
Test the high-fidelity prototype with the target user.

Project outcomes

Establish a better understanding of universal design and related issues.
Considering the ethical dilemmas for dating apps and designing an interaction style that triggers more meaningful interaction.
Defining the financial and organizational aspects of the project.