Project Future Love_Outcome

Project Outcome

Master of European Design

Product Design

Sam Dunne

PROJECTFUTURELOVE_

PART II

ProjectFutureLove_ was a self-intiated “major” design

project final submission by Sam Dunne, surrounding the topics

of “online dating”, as part of the Master of European Design

in Product Design course at The Glasgow School of Art in

academic year 2011-2012.

This booklet compiles highlights from the design phase of the

project and introduces the final design outcome, The Date Co.

This booklet accompanies a project thesis that documents the

research phase of the project - scoping out much of the online

dating industry and, by doing so, framing the design phase.

The concluding chapter highlights a number of key

opportunities for design that were taken forward in the

development of the project.

TheoreticalPerspective

Existing Services& Market Trends

Ethnographic &User Insights

MoralPhilosophy

Historical Precedence

ScientificResearch

PROJECTFUTURELOVE_

ProjectFutureLove_ has been inspired and informed by a

diverse and diverging “discover” phase.

Whilst the majority of research insights were gleaned

thorough user interviews, ethnographic research as an

online dater and analysis of existing services and market

trends, I have also been influenced through reference to

scientific research on relationships, historical precedence of

courting rituals and matchmaking practices and philosophical

perspective on relationships and relationship forming.

A number of early design directions emerged from elaboration

of “what if” scenarios, leading to explorative “design fictions”.

One such concept, inspired by calls for regulation of the online

dating industry, imagined a not unlikely near-future scenario

in which governments - in an attempt to improve societal

“happiness” - become increasingly more involved in their

citizens love lives.

The concept afforded the hypothetical exploration of what

online dating might be like if it was offered by the state.

Such state intervention already occurs in Singapore and has

numerous advantages for users, not least that identities of

individuals can be confirmed with passport checks.

State run online dating, without financial objectives and

operated outside the limitations of the market, could provide

new opportunities to offer more fulfilling and enriching

experiences than typical services.

“What if online dating carried Government warnings?”

Exploration of Government intervention or regulation also gave

rise to the consideration of how individuals might attempt to

circumvent any restrictions and whether online dating would

move underground.

Personal advertisement was, at several points in history,

an secretive and coded practice to initiate adulterous or

subcultural relationships; homosexuals in the 19th Century,

for example, advertising themselves in newspapers under the

guise of a certain professions. How might this be mirrored in a

hyperconnected, digital age.

The Love Institute was a separate, though not entirely

unrelated, design fiction inspired by calls by eminent

psychologists for scientific access to online dating service

date and their users to study the relationship forming.

It could well be imagined that such scientists could endeavour

to offer high-end online dating services for free with the

understanding that first dates (or more?!) could be monitored

and experimented on.

Although, of course, wildly hypothetical, this exploration

raised interesting discussion on the possible advantages,

particularly pertaining to safety, monitored dates could have.

ONLINE |

| OFFLINE

Although exploring fictional future online dating scenarios

was a highly inspiring and valuable activity, I struggled to find

a clear opportunity for design to enable me to move forward

with the project.

The conclusion of my research thesis had highlighted the

much more pragmatic issue of the massive divide, and user

experience friction point, between the searching for dates

online and the meeting, for the first time, offline.

The tensions between activities and self expression “online”

and “offline” is, perhaps, a defining feature of our age, and is

finding increasingly more attention in the art and design world.

The topic seems particular pertinent to online dating,

however, as the experience of using these services straddles

this divide quite starkly. The tension is inherent in the

misnomer “online dating”; most dating arising from using

such services occurring “offline”, having only been initiated

and arranged “online”.

As online dating becomes ever mainstream, might online

dating services attempt to bridge the gap between online and

offline? Could extended the online dating service in to the

first date provide a better service experience for users?

♥ PROJECTFUTURELOVE_ Typical Online Dating Experience “Internet Relationship Initiation Process” Finkel et al.

Adapted from “Online Dating: A Critical Analysis From the Perspective of Psycological Science” Finkel et al. 2012

Where subscription to a service is necessary, users are a orded varying levels of “access”, “communication” and “matching” to encourage full service membership.

Typically users will have some “access” to browse pro�les, often without photos. Users are seldom given the opportunity to communicate before payment.

OnlINE DATINGBROUGHT TO ATTENTION

Inadequacy in “love-life” identi�edObjective curiousity may be ignited

WORD-Of-MOUTHRECOMMENDED

TELEVISIONADVERTISING

ONLINEADVERTISING

READ ABOUTSITES OFFER

SUCCESSSTORIES

PRICE

SEEK INFO ABOUTONLINE DATING SITES

VIEW PROFILESFEATURED

CONSIDER BRAND CHOICE

RISK OF EXPOSURE

Visit sites advertised/recommendedSeveral sites may be compared

Financial & personal cost/beni�tREGISTER

USERNAME

UPLOAD PHOTOS

PERSONALITY TESTing

Questions& QUIZZES

In SERVICEGAMING

SELECT PROFILE

Write BLURB

INTERESTS?

LOOKING FOR?

BROWSE seek E.gs

REGISTER DETAILS & CREATE PROFILE

3_

RECONSIDER

@ EMAIL

CONFIRM EMAIL

AgeGENDER

LOCATION

Create ProfIle

REVIEWMATCHES

VIEW“VISITORS”

RANDOMBROWSE

EXPLORE SITE &BROWSE PROFILES

4_

A variety of ways to “access”pro�lesSearching dependant on service

EFFORT & TIME

PROFILESEARCH

INSTANTMESSAGE

Initiate CONTACTTHROUGH SERVICE

5_

“Communication” with other usersVarious levels of interaction

Dependant on site service

“WiNK”OR SIMILAR

In SERVICEMESSAGE

RECEIVE CONTACTTHROUGH SERVICE

Further Mutual COMMUNICATION

6_

Messaging and other contactAttempt to learn more about user

Read social cues a�orded by serviceCommunicative strategies may develop

Move to OFFSITECOMMUNICATION

7_

SKYPE/IM

“GooGLE”USER

FacebookMobile

More informationMore photos

More trustworthy

Heightened intimacyNo longer need to be logged in to service

MEET OFFLINEFACE-TO-FACE

8_

Territorially neutral location agreedTypically a public space (café or bar)Location may re�ect shared interest

Online pro�le vari�ed o�ine

DEVELOP AN OFFLINE RELATIONSHIP

9_

Where digital tools (e.g. email) may be used for further correspondance,

communication will typically move out of the online dating service.

Exit SERVICE

♥ PROJECTFUTURELOVE_ Typical Online Dating Experience “Internet Relationship Initiation Process” Finkel et al.

Adapted from “Online Dating: A Critical Analysis From the Perspective of Psycological Science” Finkel et al. 2012

Where subscription to a service is necessary, users are a orded varying levels of “access”, “communication” and “matching” to encourage full service membership.

Typically users will have some “access” to browse pro�les, often without photos. Users are seldom given the opportunity to communicate before payment.

OnlINE DATINGBROUGHT TO ATTENTION

Inadequacy in “love-life” identi�edObjective curiousity may be ignited

WORD-Of-MOUTHRECOMMENDED

TELEVISIONADVERTISING

ONLINEADVERTISING

READ ABOUTSITES OFFER

SUCCESSSTORIES

PRICE

SEEK INFO ABOUTONLINE DATING SITES

VIEW PROFILESFEATURED

CONSIDER BRAND CHOICE

RISK OF EXPOSURE

Visit sites advertised/recommendedSeveral sites may be compared

Financial & personal cost/beni�tREGISTER

USERNAME

UPLOAD PHOTOS

PERSONALITY TESTing

Questions& QUIZZES

In SERVICEGAMING

SELECT PROFILE

Write BLURB

INTERESTS?

LOOKING FOR?

BROWSE seek E.gs

REGISTER DETAILS & CREATE PROFILE

3_

RECONSIDER

@ EMAIL

CONFIRM EMAIL

AgeGENDER

LOCATION

Create ProfIle

REVIEWMATCHES

VIEW“VISITORS”

RANDOMBROWSE

EXPLORE SITE &BROWSE PROFILES

4_

A variety of ways to “access”pro�lesSearching dependant on service

EFFORT & TIME

PROFILESEARCH

INSTANTMESSAGE

Initiate CONTACTTHROUGH SERVICE

5_

“Communication” with other usersVarious levels of interaction

Dependant on site service

“WiNK”OR SIMILAR

In SERVICEMESSAGE

RECEIVE CONTACTTHROUGH SERVICE

Further Mutual COMMUNICATION

6_

Messaging and other contactAttempt to learn more about user

Read social cues a�orded by serviceCommunicative strategies may develop

Move to OFFSITECOMMUNICATION

7_

SKYPE/IM

“GooGLE”USER

FacebookMobile

More informationMore photos

More trustworthy

Heightened intimacyNo longer need to be logged in to service

MEET OFFLINEFACE-TO-FACE

8_

Territorially neutral location agreedTypically a public space (café or bar)Location may re�ect shared interest

Online pro�le vari�ed o�ine

DEVELOP AN OFFLINE RELATIONSHIP

9_

Where digital tools (e.g. email) may be used for further correspondance,

communication will typically move out of the online dating service.

Exit SERVICE

Analysis of the typical online dating experience clearly

illustrates the reasons for the friction point in user

experience. Online dating services, currently, are only catering

for the first two thirds of their users’ experience.

Of course, there are clear and understandable financial

reasons for the lack of innovation in this respect. I concluded,

however, that ProjectFutureLove_ would be ideally suited to

investigating possibilities in this area, in its user-centred

rather than financially motivated perspective.

Of course, I am not the first to notice the difficulties in online

daters getting offline. Services such as HowAboutWe are

already making some movement towards focussing on the

dates that their service initiates rather than the intricacies of

a database of profiles.

Interesting within a few days of establishing this design

direction, major online dating brand Match.com released a

new advertising campaign, aimed to highlight the “offline”

experiences of “real” users. Ironically, however, the dates

shown are actually not part of the service the brand offers.

12 hours 1 hour

As moved into the “develop” stage of the project it became

important to define which kind of online dating user I was

designing for. Although I had experienced a vast array of users

online, from 18 year old single mothers to 75 year old sugar

daddies, my main interaction offline had been with women

aged between 25 and 32.

These women were characterised by having left their home

towns to study and, subsequently, start a career. Online

dating became attractive to these users when they realised

their lives were no longer in flux and they began to look for

excitement and, perhaps, a partner.

Typically, online daters spend 12 hours online for every one

hour they spend on dates. This can be highly frustrating and

exhausting for those with a busy lifestyle who want to push

themselves out of their comfort zone.

(Love)Life Begins at 27-32

Honest & Reliable Online Representation

Begin Offline(as you mean to go on)

Positive OnlineLimitations

Offline CommunicationTouchpoints

Less Online =More Offline

SafetyFirst

CommunicationProfiling

ONLINE OFFLINE

SteppingStone

ONLINE OFFLINE

A Nudge & A Wink

Engagement & Facilitation

SerendipitousIntroductions

FacilitateConversation

Date ArrangeService

First DateAdvice & Pep

Monitoring

Reassurance

Controlled DatingEnvironment

My initial concepts focussed around the notion that online

dating brands may seek to have a physical presence for their

users; perhaps providing a controlled space for first dates.

For a number of reason, this initial concept proved unpopular

with users. Discussion around the concept, however,

highlighted the opportunity for a new service that would ease,

and positively encourage, the users transition offline.

The above illustrates the design drivers that lead to the

development of this service.

Less Online. More Dating.The Date Company is an experimental online dating agency with a service that goes far beyond winks and instant messaging. We encourage our users to spend less time hiding behind their screens and more time out meeting people in the real world.

The name and visual elements of the brand express a break from the norm of the online dating industry and, with a nod to the archaic, reveals the “offline” emphasis of the brand.

Less Online.Less Conversation.Less Photoshop.Less Servers.Less Database.Less Matching.Less Deliberation.Less Life Story.

Online dating services take an inherently ethical stance in the way they market their service, sexually charged service be BeNaughty or AshleyMadison’s tagline “Life’s short. Have an affair,” being just two of the more obvious examples.

Date Co. offers a services that is intended to provide users with an enriching experiencing by pushing users out of their comfort zone. The Date Co. doesn’t make any empty promises about finding love or soulmates. It’s just about getting out there.

More Dating.More Action.

More Photobooth.More Service.

More First Dates.More Meeting.

More Anticipation.More Short Story.

Real WorldRegistration

Online AffordsOffline

THE THREE STAGES OF OFFLINE DATING

First DateFacilitation

Start as you mean to go on, is the message

of Date Co. All profile pictures on the site are

real and honest, having been taken, offline,

at a Date Co. photobooth. The booths are

discreet and convenient, being just normals

photobooths retrofitted with the option to

upload pictures to the Date Co. service.

Online AffordsOffline

Real WorldRegistration

The Date Co. site strips away all the awkward

self-promotional jibber jabber of profile pages.

Save the life stories for your dates. Instead,

users are offered the opportunity to give

potential suitors a tantalising glimpse into

their personality by recording a reading of a

short story at a DateCo. phone box.

Online AffordsOffline

Real WorldRegistration

Online AffordsOffline

Real WorldRegistration

Less Online. The Date Co. site is stripped down to the bare

essentials. Users register a profile on the site but are

immediately redirected offline to take their profile pictures.

No profile blurb is available on the Date Co. After user

feedback on the difficulties this may make in striking up

conversation the concept was developed to allow users the

opportunity of inputting four topics of conversation that

others might be able to engage them in. Just to get the ball

rolling, of course.

Online AffordsOffline

Browsing through user profiles is similarly pared down. Users

are presented with a stream of profile photostrips, within

which they can see the name and age of the user, hear their

voice recording and indicate whether they are interested in

meeting them. If they are feeling really brave they can send an

individual that caught their eye a short direct message of up

to 500 words.

Online AffordsOffline

Unlike other online dating agencies, The Date Co. provides

a highly proactive service. Users are introduced to each

at random and, if a common interest is indicated or the

conversation seems to be flowing, the service will take the

liberty of arranging a first date at a local café or bar in the

brands First Date Network.

First DateFacilitation

Establishments within the First Date Network provide a unique

online dating experience in being able to keep an eye on users

as they step out of their comfort zones.

The Date Co. provides users with a small selection of products

to ease the nerves associated with first dates, typically with

an injection of humour.

First DateFacilitation

First DateFacilitation

Less Pixel Pushing. More Prototyping.Although it was impossible to implement a fully functioning

online dating service, I was able push the concept of the Date

Co. by mock up critical elements of the experience and role

play with users I had met in the research phase of the project.

The discussions brought out fascinating insights that

contributed significantly to the final iteration of the concept.

Less Life Story. More Short Story.Despite being a great tool for communicating the concept to

users, the Date Co. phonebook, comprising of a number passages

to read when recording a voice message for the site, proved a

complete flop with users as they rightly observed that it would

be vandalised, soiled or stolen if left in a phone booth.

The final iteration of the Date Company concept was

communicated through a detail user scenario and presented in

a viva voce on 24th June 2012.

To explore the value of my concept further I also established

a social media presence for the brand and received a great

variety of feedback on the idea.