Problem
An extreme stigma surrounding Grindr
Users view Grindr as "hypersexual," increasing feelings of disconnect from the LGBTQ+ community and, at times, unsafe. Users don’t know where to seek authentic relationships and meet others like them (find a sense of belonging).
Solution
foster accessibility and Customization
Introducing 3 new modes (Community, Romance, Hook-Up) to curate better results for users and optimize their ability to customize their preferences with detailed filters, a community hub, accessible resources, and glimpses of matches.
CAse study Video
A Glimpse at the final work
Process
From (1) Discovery to (5) Delivery
Research Summary
Our Limited Audience and users seeking “Real Connections”
Current market dating apps (Hinge & Tinder) focus on “real connections” and easy access to meet people. Meanwhile, more niche queer apps rely on inclusive and personalized features designed for users to improve their overall experience.
We soon realized that our current audience is limited and there are opportunities to be more inclusive within the LGBTQ+ community.
Proposed Expanded Target Audience: Maintain our audience of Gay, Bisexual, Queer Men while expanding to include Lesbian, Bisexual, Queer Women.
Empathy Interviews
After 12 Interviews, Here's what we Heard
“Lock you into a feeling of objectification and limiting yourself to who you are, what your identity is at a purely sexual physical state.”
“There are situations where I have to choose which bathroom you go into, either a woman or men...I get stared down.”
“People that have been the community for so long...I felt like there was a little bit of dissonance where as I was still learning everything.”
“Grindr visually is very robotic and it feels very transactional.”
Empathy Interviews
What did we discover?
Affinity Mapping was conducted based on the interviews. The interviewees aged 20-28 are a diverse racial and ethnic group with variation in gender identity and sexual orientation to capture Grindr's diverse audience.
Users crave genuine connections and a community to call their own.
Users don’t know where to go to find genuine connections and community.
Users see Grindr as too sexual and are intimidated by the pressure to hook up.
Users are worried about their safety and the ever-increasing LGBTQ+ hate.
Design System
Welcoming, Bold, and Unrestricted
Utilizing components, variables, and colorful palettes with consistent text styles and hierarchy to create a unified, yet playful system perfect for Grindr’s nature.
KPIs
How can we determine the success of these new features?
Although this is a student project, we must still consider how to validate these proposed features and measure their impact.
Takeaways
Leverage Research, Importance of Language, and room for improvement
Key insights and behaviors were identified by leveraging empathy interviews and user testing, leading to intentional diction and pinpointing the user's pain.
Language is vital for users to use the app or a new feature. UX Writing must be clear, concise, and useful.
Everything is a process; it's important to receive feedback and make improvements. Next steps are capturing more nuanced identities, pronouns, and intentions.
Next Project
Madison Square Garden
Branding
Motion
UI Design
