Better Bonds
⌛Read time: 10-15 minutes
Better Bonds is a user-friendly app that fosters emotional connections between distant loved ones, sparking conversations, sharing memories, and enhancing togetherness regardless of technological expertise."
Timeline --
2.5 months
Overview
Better Bonds is an app designed to bridge the emotional gap between individuals separated by distance, offering a platform to connect, converse, and share memories, while providing insights into each other's moods and desires, ultimately fostering stronger, more meaningful relationships.
My Role & Responsibilities
In the collaborative project "Better Bonds," I played a vital role as a key member of a dynamic four-person team. My contributions spanned various domains such as design, research, testing, and presentation of the app's development. As a primary designer, I crafted intuitive interfaces to enhance user experiences, while my research efforts identified market opportunities and deeply understood user needs. Rigorous testing protocols ensured the app's functionality and user-friendliness in diverse scenarios.
Context
For our university project, we were given the brief to design a system that acts as an social-centered, interactive application evolving needs of in-person and long-distance interaction.
We were given a list of domains and were asked to start off by finding a social computing problem space that we find interesting and that would create an impact
Main App Features
1. Gestures:
The app allows users to send virtual gestures such as pokes, pats, kisses, or hugs to their loved ones. These gestures initiate conversations and subtly reinforce bonds.
2. Shared calendars:
Users can sync calendars, simplifying scheduling for video calls, virtual hangouts, & daily activities. The app keeps users informed about each other's lives, fostering connectivity and coordination.
3. Mood Status:
The app permits users to share their daily emotional state or mood with loved ones. Loved ones can view the user's mood card and reach out to provide support if necessary, enhancing connection and support.
Problem
The rise of social computing has transformed interpersonal dynamics, particularly during the pandemic, with applications facilitating communication despite physical distance.
In our globalized world, many face separation from loved ones due to various reasons. This distance strains emotional bonds, hindering understanding and togetherness.
Research
Key Insights
Secondary - Market Research
After thorough market research, we explored various applications including WhatsApp, Skype, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Snapchat, along with devices like touch lamps and bond touch bracelets, which have addressed certain challenges of long-distance relationships.
Yet, despite their advancements, these technologies still lack the personal touch inherent in face-to-face interactions, such as physical contact, emotional reassurance, immediate empathy, monitoring of well-being, and facilitating work-life balance.
Primary Research
We extensively researched user experiences, conducting interviews with four participants, distributing a questionnaire via WhatsApp, and engaging in both in-person and phone interviews. Our main focus was on international students, and we also interviewed family members to grasp the communication challenges they encountered.
Questions centered on the hurdles individuals face when living far from loved ones, strategies for staying connected, and the technological struggles of elderly individuals. We also delved into challenges associated with virtual meetings, including building connections, facilitating efficient knowledge transfer, and addressing issues related to accents.
1
Interactions - revolutionised by social computing, but the in-person bonds are still disrupted
2
Older individuals find it difficult to use technology and parents face video call difficulties
3
Time zone conflicts, work demands, & disruptions added to communication barrier
4
Individuals miss familial support and emotional gaps due to absent physical presence
5
Most individuals miss having fun with friends by, watching movies or playing games
6
Difficulty understanding moods, messages and emotions of long-distance loved ones
Affinity Mapping
We compiled our findings into an affinity map, uncovering the primary user needs focused on enhancing emotional bonds, fostering greater physical connection, and facilitating smoother communication.
Goals
-
User-Friendly Solution: Create a user-friendly product that bridges age and technological skill gaps, empowering users to easily connect with loved ones, to revive their connections.
-
Understanding Emotions and Desires: Help people understand the feelings and desires of their loved ones by offering insights, emotional support, and updates on each other's lives in real-time.
-
Promoting Togetherness Across Distances: Make people feel close even when they're apart. Strengthen bonds and make virtual gatherings happen more often, making interactions richer and deepening emotional connections.
Design
Brainstorming
As a team, we collaborated and generated 50 innovative solutions to address the challenges faced by individuals living far away from their loved ones. We documented and organised these ideas based on their shared technological requirements, their ability to address specific issues, and their similarity to existing platforms that lacked certain features. In addition to our collective brainstorming, each team member contributed unique ideas that helped us arrive at a final set of solutions capable of addressing the overarching issue.
Scenario 1:
Ginny and Georgia, now living in different parts of the world, use an app to stay close. They track each other's moods, share virtual gestures, daily updates, and plan virtual hangouts.
Cognitive Walkthrough Findings
During cognitive walkthroughs of BetterBond, team members assumed user roles to simulate interactions and uncover potential issues. Key tasks like updating mood and creating calendar events were assessed for clarity and ease of use.
The walkthroughs highlighted concerns such as confusion over separate username/password pages and uncertainty after adding moods without confirmation. Additional issues emerged during walkthroughs focusing on viewing friends' moods and sending gestures, including difficulty adding people to calendar events and discrepancies in profile screen design.
These walkthroughs, conducted on paper prototypes, allowed early identification and resolution of major pain points. Internal reviews provided valuable insights, guiding design iterations to enhance user experience before actual user evaluations.
Storyboarding
We have developed two ideas that align closely with our ideology. For each idea, we created a scenario with unique features. These concepts were the result of both group brainstorming and individual brainstorming sessions.
Scenario 1:
Michael, 60, gets help from his son to use his smartphone. An AR app on his wife's phone guides him step-by-step, boosting his confidence in staying connected with loved ones who stay away.
Design Concept
A mobile app that enables users to send virtual gestures, share mood status with loved ones, fostering closeness even when they stay far away in distance.
User Flow
To make the app user-friendly, our team developed a comprehensive user flow. This involved outlining the steps users take to engage with various features, helping us understand user interactions, pinpoint potential issues, and enhance user-friendliness. This process ensured our app is intuitive and caters to our diverse user base.
Lo-Fi Prototype
After deciding on features and creating a user flow, we moved to paper prototyping. This preliminary version allowed us to visualise the app's appearance and functionality, identifying issues through cognitive walkthroughs. This stage helped us refine and enhance the user experience.
Hi-fidelity design
From paper prototypes, we moved to a vibrant style guide using Figma, streamlining design collaboratively and iterating through trials. With core features finalized, we progressed to usability testing.
Results
▶️ Play the video to see how
Better Bonds work 👉
Design System
We chose bright colors and a fun font for Better Bonds to make it feel warm and happy. We want everyone to feel connected when they use Better Bonds app. It's easy to use and makes it simple to build deeper relationships, no matter the user's age.
Learnings 🏆
Collaborating within a diverse team, I refined communication and teamwork skills across design, research, and testing phases. Crafting features based on user feedback highlighted the importance of user-centered design. Overcoming challenges in design underscored adaptability and attention to detail.
Our 92% score validates our efforts, enhancing technical competencies and instilling a sense of accomplishment, motivating further innovation.
Triumphs
Product Evaluation
During our product evaluation phase, we conducted think-aloud usability tests with four participants. They engaged in a series of 10 tasks, experiencing key features such as sending gestures, viewing mood boards, and syncing calendars. After testing, participants provided feedback on enjoyment, ease of use, confusion, and desired improvements through a post-test questionnaire.
Testing
Findings
Learnability Issues
-
Terminology confusion
-
Requirement for tutorials or walkthroughs
-
Unclear calendar labeling and synchronization
-
Lengthy and complex signup process
Visibility & Accessibility Issues
-
Low contrast in bottom navigation bar
-
Absence of mood addition confirmations
-
Uncertainty about navigation in certain areas
Navigation and Ease of Use
-
Multiple features overwhelm users
-
Gesture sending process requires simplification
-
Journaling feature lacks intuitiveness and enjoyment
Positive Remarks
-
Eye-catching visual design and animations
-
Valuable potential of gestures and mood features
-
Acknowledged ability to foster connections
Role --
Research, Design & Testing
With --
Sri Divya Kuncham,
Likith Mouli Konka,
Padmavathy Kandasamy
For --
Course curriculum