Learning UX through Online Dating
As a graphic designer, I learnt to be sensitive to my surroundings. Now as an UX designer, I am learning to be sensitive to the surroundings as well as the needs and wants of users in that surrounding.
When I look out of the digital world, I realise that UX plays a huge part in our lives. Right from products in the kitchen to hosting guests in the house, we go through many experiences where a lot of UX principles get used extensively without us realising. As I ponder over my daily experiences, I can’t help but think about the whole concept of online dating.
ONLINE DATING:
Online dating has gone from a taboo, secretive way to meet, to an customary staple of the modern lifestyle. You swipe right on a dating app, talk over text for sometime and decide to meet the person. On the day of the rendezvous, you want to put your best foot forward (when you really like them) and leave a lasting effect.
Let’s admit it, we all have been there. Here are some of the scenarios that happens before and during the date.
- Putting ‘me’ in ‘his’ shoes.
‘First impression is the last impression’, and that’s how you want it to be, isn’t it? In the hope of creating a good impression, you tend to analyse yourself from his viewpoint. You already have some knowledge from the text exchanged or from the calls, so you put yourself in his shoes while getting ready for the date.
Should I wear red? But red is not his favourite colour.
Should I wear makeup? He once said he had a crush on a girl who did her eyes beautifully.
(You hate makeup. But for a favourable impression, you’ll put it on and go for the date.)
Takeaway: Always keep your user’s needs over your own biases and preferences.
2. Keeping the conversation going
You arrive on time. The first thing he notices are your eyes and compliments you for the same. You give a calm smile while inside you’re jumping with joy. The conversation starts and you’ve a rough plan in your head about how to keep it engaging incase it hits the ‘awkward silence’ phase. You’ve thought of various topics to talk about. You look for cues like eye contact to know if he is engaged, or laughing at the right moment to know that he is listening. Engaging them throughout with varied experiences increases the possibility of them loving their time with you.
Takeaway: Keep the user hooked on in the interaction by adding chunks of fun experiences.
3. Of course I’ll meet you again.
Time flew by and it’s almost time to go home. He likes you but is too shy to ask you out again directly. Instead he says ‘ Let me know if you’re jobless someday and would like to hangout’. You know that the unique experience you had with him will make you message him as soon as you reach home and set up the next date tomorrow itself. But till then you play it cool, thank him for his time and leave.
Takeaway: Add unique delightful factors, which create positive effects and make the user remember and return again and again.
A good date leaves you warm and happy. Doesn’t it? More of such principles can be used in different aspects of this life, if we think deeper.
Did any of you went on a date recently? Can you think of more principles like such? Message me and I’ll be all ears.
