Brave New World of Dating
Social Development NetworkSocial Development Network is an initiative of the Singapore government that organizes social dating events that aim to build bridges between individuals and foster social interaction among them.
Year
2021
2021
Client
General Assembly
General Assembly
Role
UI/UX Designer, Creative Lead
UI/UX Designer, Creative Lead
Timeline
4 Weeks
4 Weeks
Team Member:
Cara, Jason, Laura, Sophie, and Suzette
Cara, Jason, Laura, Sophie, and Suzette
Project Overview
As part of this project, we were tasked with redesigning a government-related website.
Social Development Network is a government website to help singles find a partner. It facilitates online dating events, arranges physical dates, and provides information to help build the relationships they need to become a couple.
Objective
The redesign aimed to improve the usability and accessibility of existing services and simplify registration for dating events.
Before & After
Design Process
User Research
First Usability Test
We conduct the first usability test with the current SDN website. We carried out user interviews with 15 users to better understand users' habits and how they would typically approach/attend social dating events.
Summary of First Usability Test
β No clear CTA for users who wants to register for an event.
β Insufficient images to help provide a clear idea of what to expect.
β Overall design of the site is outdated and unappealing.
β Hierarchy of information is confusing, font sizes not used properly.
β Unable to easily identify the intention of the site.
Affinity Mapping Insights
We conducted in-depth interviews with 15 participants aged between 25-35 years old to identify pain points, frustrations, needs, and desires for how SDN could improve the user experience.
Competitor Analysis
Competitor analysis was conducted to identify competitor's strengths and weaknesses to inform SDN's features and information structure. Our research focused on user interface elements and user experience flow. This analysis provides the following key takeaways:
- Event registration is available but not integrated on SDN site unlike the other sites
- Success Stories is not available on SDN site, which would be a good tool for encouraging users
Information Architecture
We aim for an intuitive flow with a structure that makes it easy to move through tasks and navigate because navigation is one of the main sources of confusion for users on SDN site.
Personas
We aim for an intuitive flow with a structure that makes it easy to move through tasks and navigate because navigation is one of the main sources of confusion for users on SDN site.
Problem Statement
Users need to explore alternative methods of dating, get to know people with similar interests, or broaden their social circle without investing hours in swiping and sending endless texts.
Solution Statement
Users need a platform that provides opportunity to meet new people and extend their social circle through social event dating opportunities. This allows users to have more dating options and increase their social circle. In addition, by redesigning the whole website to establish credibility and build trust with users so they feel comfortable joining.
Designing
In my role as a design lead, I was responsible to set the standard and design guidelines. I believe design systems are a very important aspect, it helps to make the process faster and gives a visual direction to the overall project.
Designβs Goal
- Facilitating a better customer experience.
- Through redesigning, it provides users with better flow and minimizes errors.
- As an initial visual impression that makes the brand more credible compare to previous sites.
Wireframes
After completing all of our user research, we created mid-fi wireframes to be tested out for usability testing. Here is the highlight of some our wireframes.
Logo
We agreed to replace existing logo with a new fresh one. The rebrand logo is also made to look like two people, using hearts to imply that the site is to help people seek meaningful relationships.
Style Guide
Design elements reflect a more friendly, fun, and approachable tone. The heart shape of the logo appears throughout the website as one of its major visual elements. Bright colors and humanistic typography give the site a lively and vibrant feel.
Usability Testing
Second rounds of usability tests were conducted on 15 users on the revamped site to improve the future usability. Results of second usability as follows:
Key Takeaways
Areas of Improvement
β Overall design better than the original website an well structured
β Event registration is easy to follow and convenient with Singpass login
β Event filters are easier to use now as you can see the options at a glance
β Event registration is easy to follow and convenient with Singpass login
β Event filters are easier to use now as you can see the options at a glance
β Navigation can be clearer although events were easy to find, group activities may be confusing
β Navigation can be clearer although events were easy to find, group activities may be confusing
β User does not understand the intent of earning $100 credit showing in the Carousell
β Navigation can be clearer although events were easy to find, group activities may be confusing
β User does not understand the intent of earning $100 credit showing in the Carousell
Future Consideration
After considering the results of our research, we believe there is room for growth for current the web, such as:
Live Chat Function
Replace contact form with live chat function
Community Feature
Add community feature so users can still interact within SDN after events
Sharing Button
Add a feature to allow users share success stories with their friends through social media.
Video Feature
Interview couples and include videos in success stories as testimonies of success
pairing from SDN websites.
Replace contact form with live chat function
Community Feature
Add community feature so users can still interact within SDN after events
Sharing Button
Add a feature to allow users share success stories with their friends through social media.
Video Feature
Interview couples and include videos in success stories as testimonies of success
pairing from SDN websites.
Reflections
Compared to the previous version of the website, the new design shows a greater level of customer satisfaction. As a result, we received fewer inquiries about how the platform works, which indicates that the new design is easier to understand.
Working in a group is also my favourite aspect, as each member is assigned to a different task, and we can review and provide feedback to one another. Furthermore, I learned that active communication and short daily meetings helped ensure the project's success.