We want to build a safety feature within the Chekmate dating app. Ensuring safety during a date was a major pain point surfaced during the founders' initial research phase. And we're aiming to create an active feature that protects users while on their dates.
Chekmate is a new dating app with an active safety feature as its primary competitive differentiator.
"I want to focus on finding a real connection without having to worry about my personal safety on a date."
Objective
Enable users to feel safe on a date while staying present and focusing on connection while using geofencing technology.
User goal
I want a seamless way to ensure my safety on a date with few to no interruptions from an app.
Business goal
To showcase Chekmate's active safety features as a differentiator in the dating app landscape, and empower users on their dates. In turn, this will improve adoption and retention rates.
I worked on a team as a product designer with a project manager - AJ Devera, and a user interface designer - Elias Ferreira. I conducted user interviews and usability testing to validate assumptions and glean insights on user behaviors on the app. I was involved in all phases of the design process.
Defining the problem and understanding the "why" through user research and data collection.
Before defining the problem, my team and I reviewed initial research conducted by the Chekmate founders. We discovered that competitors do not have an active safety feature while users are on a date. While there were protocols to report danger, it would be after an event occurs e.g. reaching out to customer service after a user completes a date. We also learned that users, specifically women, strongly preferred ways to feel safer during a date.
With a better understanding of users' dating behaviors and attitudes, we were able to home in on their pain points. Once we gathered data from user interviews and usability testing, I synthesized our research to refine the target user behaviors and attitudes.
We conducted user interviews and usability testing. And found that all users inform a family member or friend about the location of their dates. Women took it a step further, and even scoped out the venues before hand. These safety measures were taken prior to alleviate any pressures to enforce any during the date.
With a better understanding of users' dating behaviors and attitudes, we were able to home in on their pain points.
Brainstorming ideas and executing on possible solutions.
At this stage, mapping out a user flow provided the foundation on building a seamless safety feature.
Within the Chekmate app, we organized and identified where users could enable the safety feature.
After identifying various entry-points for the safety user flow, we wire-framed the safety feature.
Considering the novelty of an active safety feature within a dating app, we were especially conscious about paring down the user flow to its bare essentials. We strived for a seamless integration within the dating flow, since the latter was the primary reason why users downloaded the app: to date and feel safe during it. The safety feature was the accent piece that elevated the whole experience.
Testing the hypothesis.
Our team proposed a few iterations on how and where to integrate a seamless safety feature within the Chekmate app. However, we conducted user testing to validate assumptions.
Armed with our initial usability testing, this research would explore how users interacted with the safety flow within the app. We could pinpoint any points of friction or intuitiveness of the safety feature.
Our hypothesis is by integrating the proposed safety feature, users (and their loved ones) will feel secure when they're out on a date. In turn, this unique feature will lead to higher adoption of the app.
After usability testing, it was paramount to make the safety feature more discoverable, refine the copy, and re-think how it fit within the context of a dating app.
With that top-of-mind, I suggested we prominently nest it within settings instead of within the dating queue. We refined the copy to simpler, more universal language so users wouldn't get tangled up during the geofence setup.
We also added informational copy about geofencing to introduce users to the technology.
Working with Chekmate's founders and my design team bolstered my love for collaboration. Each stakeholder involved was receptive to feedback, and it truly felt like a meritocracy.
After completing our final prototype, there were a few ideas that I would have loved to implement, namely reviewing the data from our proposed design changes. It would've been gratifying to deep-dive into analyzing user data and interviewing users after their dates.