Robin Bork


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*Analog


Rehumanize the art of dating








 
 the problem

Digital technologies have the reputation, of connecting people worldwide. But is this the case in the world of dating?

On the surface Tinder, Bumble, and other platforms revolutionized dating. Users are suggested, the potential partner for life, could be behind every swipe - wherever, whenever. A glance into the smartphone screen is enough.

The online-dating reality tells a different tale: The potential love of live gets prejudged with a view on a image. Instead of conversations with fellow human beings, and all the factors that come with this simple interaction like smell, tone of voice, or general vibe, people rather stare into their phone. Lonely swipesessions lasting for hours, have found their way into the new dating eden. Therefore it is the goal of „ANALOG“ to rehumanize dating again.
our approach

Best of both worlds: Trough a combination of digital technology, and old school dating, We want to enable users to a new, innovative dating experience, in their analog, social life. It works with basic bluetooth technology, and drastically reduced screen time. It could be describable as adult version of „hit the pot“.

My parts included: Research, Concept, UX/UI 





*Research



kick-off

Besides the fundamental dating behavior of humans in different cultures and ages, our scope was focused on the dating behavior of digital natives. In our research, we surveyed 91 potential users, about their dating life with questions like „What are the preferred places to get to know a potential partner?“, „What factors determine affection or aversion?“, „What are the factors when it come to partner selection?“. After generating insights, the most important question for us was:

How can we integrate all these factors, without being like Tinder, Bumble and so on?


Survey 1 + 2



morphological box

A morphological box serves us as collection of all the different circumstances of the project / the topic of dating. These circumstances were separated into different categories: technology, user communication, characteristics, signals, as well as purpose of use. Truly inspiring was the huge amount of possible variants, that could be build of these contents.









usecases

We made multiple usecases for different scenarios of dating: while shopping, at a bistro, as well as going out with the peer group. For us, the going out with their peer group use case is of highest priority. In our survey, 21% of the asked people stated that their relationship started off by being outside with their peers.

With 21%, the Peer group occupies the second rank, straight after the first rank, with 30%: Tinder.

What we know at this point in the process, is that the application should operate secretly, and at best, fit to the every day life situations.






*Concept




hard work pays of

After ongoing intense iterative research, discussion, and concept building, we were happy to determine our concept. The underlaying idea of this concept is based on the classic „hit the pot“. But instead of a blindfolded, searching being, who is guided trough „it’s getting colder/warmer“-calls, there are two searching people. These two people, will be guided by the vibration of their smartphone or smartwatch, in to the direction of the other searching human.

A path breaking discovery for this concept, was the BLE Scanner Application. With this application, it was possible, to measure out the distance between every commercial smart device per bluetooth. In conclusion: It was possible, to navigate towards a chosen destination.

Note: This is basically the Covid-19 Warning-App technology, discovered by us, 2 Years before






*Prototype



simulation of a meeting scenario

To simulate a get-to-know-scenario without smartphone as good as possible, we created a prototype. For this, we used a ESP 32 microcontroller, with plugged in virbationmotors - these microcontrollers support BLE (Bluetooth low energy), therefore fitted perfectly into our profile of requirements.

Bluetooth low energy has a big advantage to GPS or internet: It still works perfectly, without having good mobile signal. This means, its basically everywhere useable, even in enclosed spaces, below ground, or areas with no mobile signal.

To navigate, both ESP32 microcontroller constantly send out BLE-Signals, to be received from each other. While sending out these signals, they simultaneously scan their surroundings for signals, to locate other ESP32’s (in our case, users). Trough the permanent scan, the stronger getting signal becomes translated into a vibration. So, the closer the ESP32’s get to each other, the vibration gets stronger too. Our goal, to let two Users navigate to each other via vibration, was successful.







*User signals?



 
how the signal works

As main signal / user feedback, we use vibrations. This was the most universal solution. Heat or coldness would be to inaccurate in the summer or the winter. So, iff a match between two users appears, the vibration starts off with a basic level of vibration. Depending on the quality of the match (how many criterias fit together), the basic level of the vibration is stronger or weaker. Means: If its a high quality match, the vibration is a lot stronger, on its starting point. It then intensifies, if the users are closer to each other, or becomes much weaker, if the distance between the users increases, to communicate that you’re either on the right way, or the wrong way.





*Filters



different approach

As already mentioned, there are criterias to decide, who is going to match with each other. These criterias can be determined via our smartphone application. For this, we developed different filters. The system is capable of three different filter modes. All categories in the filter were derived from the research phase.

It is possible to presave & switch your filter anytime, except of when you started the scan.

Filter #1: Open
This filter works without, or one chooses criteria. This is thought to be a very open way, of meeting new people.

Filter #2: Fitting
Allows the user to choose two or three criterias. This is a more specific filter, the user is able to be a little more concrete, on what he is searching.

Filter #3: Aimed
In this option, it is possible to fill in five or six criterias. With this, a targeted search for the better half, is no problem.

Users do match with each other, if the minimum number of the chosen filter, and the filled in criterias correspond. We presume, that there are more potential matches in your area, the less criteria the user uses.

Depending on if you just want to meet completely platonic for a coffee with a stranger, or find the love of your life, the filters make it possible.



The three different filters





*Styleguide




colors

As the goal of the application was, to reduce the screen time drastically, we tried to keep it as simple as possible. Our whole application works with three colors:

Mintgreen #8cccc5: This color is used for your avatar color, and the filters, and the illustrations

Dark grey #575858: You can find this grey in the logo, headlines, text and buttons

Light grey #dadada: Inactive elements are marked in light grey



typography

We decided to use „Roboto“ for our project, because it provides a good readability, while being geometrical, and with its round characteristic, still friendly. Two styles of „Roboto“ were used, bold and regular.






logo & name

The logo symbolizes two closer coming individuals, with an encounter. Exactly, what our application does. We named it “analog”, because it uses digital features, to empower analog meeting-situations.







*Final draft



Login/ Registration

In the splash screen our logo is. shown, it represents two converging individuals.
If its the first time using „ANALOG“, the user needs to provide his name, as well as the phone number.

After this informations are provided, the user is able to choose his color. This color will be representative as his avatar color, as well as accent color throughout the application.


 




personalisation

The user is asked to fill in personal information, to rise the quality of the matches.

A list with all relevant categories is found, that can be filled in. These informations are not visible for the other users, as the filter works in the background.


filter

As the personal account is finished, it is time to choose from one of the three filter modes. Depending on the chosen filter, the user can fill in information depending on his search. For example: What are you searching for?




hit the pot

Now its time to set out on the search: If nobody matching the users searching criteria is in the area, the screen on the left side will be shown, with a button to change the filter.

If there are people in the area, the user will see the screen in the middle, before activating the search. It is there, to show what the user can expect. The bigger the circle, the more quality of a potential match. If the user is happy with that, he can then activate the search.

If a match occurs, the starting vibration-level will give an indication of what quality the match has, and the adult version of „hit the pot“ starts. To support the vibrational feedback, the users screen will only show his own avatar color, and the one of the match. The closer both of you are, the closer the colors appear on the screen, same goes with the opposite.

Privacy

The users privacy is a valuable commodity. To prevent the users from stalking or other shady things, it is easily possible to turn the app off, the user will not appear in the search of others anymore.





*Info




Interface 2 / 4th semester
Project has been accompanied by:

Prof. Michael Schuster
Florian Geiselhart
Team consisted of:

Robin Bork
Corinna Hirt
Maximilian Walther
Manuel Zeyher


Robin David Bork
© 2022

robinbork@ymail.com
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