CONTEXT
But first, let’s see what Leo has to say
Leo, 32 years old
Happn User
I’m using Happn for 2 months and lately, I’ve been talking to Marie and I’m really starting to like her. But now I’m stuck… I want to ask her out, but I’m nervous and not sure how to bring it up. It’s that awkward moment that kinda kills the vibe, I think ? I wish there were smoother ways to move from chatting to actually meeting.
A real challenge from Happn
During my bootcamp at The Design Crew, I took on the exciting role of product designer and worked closely with 2 fantastic teammates for 2 weeks. We addressed a real case from Happn and were thrilled to have Paul Antoine Campos (Head of Product Design) and Auriele Curier (Product Designer) from Happn to share their insights.
Let’s start with a bit of context before getting into the heart of the topic.
Happn as a geolocation-based dating app
An app that connects you with people you’ve crossed paths with in real life, like at your favorite café or the park! But for many, meeting up for a date feels intimidating and holds them back from taking the next step.
A New Feature: Ready to Date
In 2023, Happn launched the "Ready to Date" feature to encourage users to meet in real life. But 60% of users, who clicked 'Ready to Date', never actually meeting up, showing that the feature hasn't yet reached its full potential.
Challenge from Happn Design Team
How can we encourage Crushers* to go on real-life dates?
*: "Crusher" is a term used by Happn when two people have mutually "crushed" on each other.
USER RESEARCH
Exploring love in the digital age by chatting with dating app users
We've got great insights from Happn, but hearing from users is key too. So, we decided to talk with people who have used or are currently using dating apps (Tinder, Bumble, Happn, OkCupid and Grindr) to understand what might hold users back from meeting up in person.
GOAL #1
Why (Not) Propose a Date?
Understanding what motivates or blocks users from suggesting a physical meetup
GOAL #2
Barriers to Meeting
Exploring emotional and practical obstacles to in-person meetings
GOAL #3
From Acceptance to Meeting
Investigating what influences the transition from agreeing to a date to actually meeting
To better understand, we interviewed 4 users who are current or former dating app users.
PROCESS
Who they are?
PANEL
From these conversations, we learned 3 insights.
INSIGHT #1
4/4 users believe that social media allows for a smoother conversation
INSIGHT #2
3/4 users need to feel a connection through conversation before a date
INSIGHT #3
3/4 users said that the 1st date is a way to truly get to know the person
It led us to a new fresh problem statement.
PROBLEM REDEFINED
How can we help users feel confident enough during their interactions to arrange an in-person meeting?
Key Metrics for Driving Impact
+10% increase in user trust
IDEATION
Fostering Connections in Date Proposals
We asked ourselves: How can we make asking someone out easier and more effective? To help people build a genuine connection before asking for a date, we looked for ways to improve interactions and create deeper connections.
Date Proposal
To confidently suggest meetups with smooth interactions
Instagram View
To browse photos anonymously without showing @
Location
To choose an location from a range of options
As you know, Happn connects people based on their locations and favorite spots, that's the core idea behind the app. To enhance this, Happn has partnered with Foursquare (a location-based app that helps users discover and review nearby places.) to share exciting locations. So, why not use these to suggest dates?
Personal Touch
Making the invitation feel more thoughtful
Increased Engagement
Enhancing the likelihood of acceptance
Convenience & Relevance
BENCHMARK
Boosting Confidence for Real-Life Connections
To develop a new feature for Happn that encourages more real-life dates, we explored other apps to gather ideas and see how their features could inspire our solution. This research opened our eyes to various approaches and sparked new possibilities for enhancing our project.
VOICE MESSAGES
Enhancing communication through audio interactions
Bumble
Hinge
SOLUTION V1
Propose a date and add a personal touch with just one click
Imagine proposing a date in one click during a chat, all while adding a personal touch with voice messages and photos. With this new feature, users can effortlessly suggest meetups, making interactions more dynamic and engaging. Let’s see how it works!
01
SUGGEST A DATE
02
CREATE A DATE
03
SEND DATE PROPOSAL
04
NOTIFICATION
05
NEED IDEAS?
USER TEST
Learning from Dating App Users
After rolling out our solution, we wanted to hear what dating app users thought about it. To guide our research and ensure we stayed focused, we defined three main goals.
GOAL #1
Step Toward Connection
Understand how users experience enhanced engagement through date scheduling
GOAL #2
Making Conversations Feel Real
Explore how users find that photos and voice messages increase their interaction
GOAL #3
Trust Signals Beyond the App
To better understand users habits, we interviewed 5 users who use dating app.
SOLUTION V2
Let’s dive into our findings and the solutions we came up with!
INSIGHT #2
INSIGHT #3
WHAT’S NEXT?
To go further
With these ideas, we’re making it easier for Leo to suggest dates. By using favorite spots, we want to keep things simple and personal, so Leo can confidently propose fun plans that both him and his match will enjoy. If we have more time, we would like to add a few new features to our solution.
IN THE END
Feedback
At the end of this project, we had the chance to present our case to 5 professionals: 3 from Happn and 2 from The Design Crew. It was a great experience sharing our journey, challenges, and insights with them. Their feedback and perspectives were invaluable, helping us refine our approach even further. Here’s some constructive feedback they provided.
