The primary objective of this project is to introduce an innovative feature to Bumble that aims to attract new paid subscribers. The feature allows users to save specific locations to their profiles and match with other users based on shared locations. This location-based matching mechanism seeks to enhance user engagement by promoting connections with meaningful context and shared interests, potentially increasing the platform's paid subscription rates.
1 Designer
5 Weeks
Research, Concept Ideation, User Interface, Mobile App Prototyping
Figma, FigJam
As of 2023, Bumble, a leading social and dating platform, boasts a vibrant user base exceeding 50 million active users. Despite this impressive reach, the platform faces a significant challenge: only 4.6% of these users are paid subscribers.
Bumble has identified the precision of its location feature as a potential lever to improve paid subscription rates. The hypothesis is that by enhancing the accuracy and utility of location-based matching, the platform can offer a more compelling value proposition for its premium services.
The core of the proposed solution is allow users to curate a set of locations (places they are interested in visiting or enjoyed visiting in the past) and connect with other users that also shows interest in this location. This concept aims to add an element of adventure and mutual exploration to the matching process, appealing to users who are eager to experience new places and activities
User is able to navigate through SPOTS through a map view and search bar, and adding them into list of SPOTS.
Design Decisions:
User then is able to browse other users that share the same spots as them
Design Decisions
During conversations, the user will be able to send an official invite to the other user to a specific spot, adding it to their schedule
I look into platforms such as Reddit and Quora to collect firsthand anecdotes from users about their experiences with dating apps, particularly concentrating on the reasons behind their decisions to cancel premium subscriptions.
The objective was to pinpoint patterns and determinants impacting user choices, encompassing aspects like pricing, the value felt from the service, the impact of premium features, and the general contentment with the application's functionality and its success in facilitating matches.
1. Users are overwhelmed by the quantity but frustrated by the lack of compatible matches
2. Users desire to efficiently navigate through a large pool of potential matches.
3. Although premium features reveal who likes the users, yet only ~10% are desired matches.
33 / male
Jason works as an accountant for work from 9am - 6pm. On the weekends, Jason loves to visit local galleries and crafts shops. Due to his stressful day job, Jason often doesn’t have much time meeting new people, leading Jason to using dating apps like Bumble to try to meet someone.
Age:
33 y.o.
Occupation:
Accountant
Location:
Pittsburgh
Matching users based on specific locations naturally foster connections over shared local interests and experiences. This tailored approach significantly increases the likelihood of compatibility
Ensure that matched users are within a reasonable distance from each other. This logistical consideration not only makes meeting up more feasible but also opens the door to spontaneous get-togethers
Leveraging specific locations as a basis for matches acts as a perfect conversation starter. Discussing familiar spots, local events, or even the quirks of a shared neighborhood provides an immediate common ground
In the design critique session, I received valuable feedback on my UX design concept. Key takeaways included the need for a more intuitive interface, improvements in the map feature's scalability, enhanced accessibility for the location categorization feature, and stronger privacy measures. These insights will inform my refinements to enhance usability and security.
Positive feedback on the willingness to use the feature and seeing the value for better matching
Expressed hopes on extending the feature into chat, using the feature to facilitate conversation
Concerns raised about the tracking and storing of user location data. Does the app have to track the user’s location at all time?
Report confusion with the location categories, or not noticing the differences between the categories
The visual design of the “recommendations” on the map is not intuitive
Call for more detailed information on the location details page and improve how the locations are displayed on user profiles
In this project, I aimed to boost Bumble's revenue by initially focusing on enhancing location features, as suggested by the current bumble direction in enhanced user locations. However, inspired by Tina Seelig's article on problem reframing, I shifted perspective to explore broader strategies for increasing subscriptions and introducing new value streams, moving beyond the narrow focus on location services.
Following the initial requirements would have limited my design to location enhancements, potentially overlooking broader revenue-boosting opportunities. This narrower approach would have restricted innovation and limited the project's scope to predefined boundaries, possibly failing to address Bumble's underlying challenges.
Reframing requirements benefited the organization by uncovering deeper insights into user needs, like valuing commonalities over mere proximity. This approach not only informed more effective solutions but also enriched my career by emphasizing the importance of versatile thinking and the application of transferable skills.
A key discovery was the distinction between Design Systems and simple UI kits, highlighting the comprehensive strategy behind effective UI/UX design. The challenge in creating new components lay in integrating them seamlessly with existing elements, balancing aesthetics with functional interactions.
