Our hypothesis: by leveraging audio (sound bytes) and avatars, we could encourage users to connect based on personality and voice first, rather than appearance.

Additionally, we introduced an icebreaker feature: a curated set of questions tailored to each match, designed to initiate more meaningful conversations and reduce awkwardness.

We recruited participants through social media and personal networks.

• 16 single participants currently using dating apps..

• 5 participants in relationships who previously used dating apps.

Key Insights:

• Low Match Rates: Many men reported rarely getting matches.
• Lack of Reciprocity: Female users often did not respond to initial messages.
• Slow Momentum: Even after matching, it could take a long time to progress to a real-life date.

From our research, two key user personas emerged:

Natalie: Seeks quality over quantity. Wants authenticity and someone who can initiate real-world plans, not just endless chat.

Darius: Previously casually dating, now ready for something serious. Prioritizes efficiency and deeper engagement in the dating process.

We conducted domain research on existing apps—particularly Bumble—to identify common usability issues and feature gaps.

A heuristic evaluation was conducted on Bumble to understand usability and spot design deficiencies.

The rules

Before the evaluation, a marking scheme was defined.

Marking scheme:

• +1 () Obeys Jakob’s usability heuristic.
• -1 () Disobeys Jakob’s usability heuristic.

Scoring:

• The initial score was set at 51 (on a scale of 1-100). * The heuristic score fluctuates according to marks rewarded.

The process

The heuristic evaluation was divided into three phases, each targeting the most commonly used features to uncover usability issues where they mattered most.

Phase I focused on onboarding and the core matching experience. Phase II examined post-match interactions, including messaging and chat functionality. Phase III evaluated account-related features such as profile management and user preferences.

A cumulative usability score was calculated at the end of all three phases to assess overall app quality and identify improvement areas.

The results

The initial evaluation began with a score of 51%. After completing all three phases, the cumulative score rose to 61%, indicating that Bumble is generally well-designed from a heuristic standpoint.

The evaluation helped identify usability gaps and design shortcomings, providing actionable insights to inform and guide future design decisions.

I built an experience map to visualize the user's journey from onboarding to matching and chatting. This helped us identify pain points, highlight opportunities, and improve the flow before moving to wireframes.

We tested early wireframes assuming users had already completed onboarding.

Findings: There was confusion about the Icebreaker feature. Users expected to jump straight into chat after matching. The icebreaker was perceived as an unnecessary step.

Response: Icebreakers were postponed for redesign and testing in a future release.

We conducted contextual inquiries using semi-structured interviews with 8 participants, testing key tasks.

• Browsing and messaging a match
• Adjusting matching preferences
• Applying filters and updating profile
• Revealing photos and re-recording voice clips

A high-fidelity prototype was designed for further testing. The prototype combined visual design and interactivity that allowed us to test work flows and task success rates.

The high-fidelity prototype yielded significantly more meaningful and actionable feedback compared to the low- and mid-fidelity versions. Because it closely resembled a real app—with polished visuals, realistic interactions, and smooth transitions—users were more immersed in the experience. This level of fidelity helped surface nuanced usability issues, better simulate real-world usage, and ultimately provided clearer insights into how users would engage with the final product.