Between

Project Under

Thesis Design Project

Instructor

Job Rutgers &

Reza Mortezae

Project Duration

8 Months

Imaginary Client

Between

Between Pitch Video

App Demonstration Video

Project Summary

Between is a social app designed for Long distance relationship (LDR) couples to stay connected remotely. It is a gamified app that provides a digital private space for the couple to spend time online. The app provides fun and engaging methods for couples to interact with each other on the homepage at the same time. They can also share their daily life and build memories together on the digital album in their own time. The drifting bottle is a surprising feature that appears occasionally which reminds them about the days they have been together. Their relationship experience will not be compromised because they are physically apart.

Insight

With the development of digitalization, people rely on technology and digital devices to establish networks and start conversations.

LDR has become a universal and trendy phenomenon in the global context because of online social networking and digital dating services. With the pandemic (2020-2021), people became isolated. Couples were forced to be apart because of the lockdown and border closures. This significantly increased the difficulty for LDR couples to meet physically which caused all communication to be shifted online. If you experience some difficulties communicating with others through the internet, LDR couples go through the same struggles everyday. The barriers are amplified because of the elimination of travel and the amount of content and emotions they exchange on a daily basis, but all they could do is talk. Rather than a substitute for physical conversation, it is important to find meaningful ways to improve online communication.

Idea

My solution is a gamified app that provides a digital private space for the couple to spend time online with both synchronous and asynchronous interactions. It also serves as a digital album for them to share and keep track of their memories and emotions during the period they are apart. Plus, the drifting bottle feature has a fun and surprising part which reminds them about their memorable experience in the past. The interaction space and record of the digital content will act as adhesive to help them build stable and long lasting relationships.

Impact

Between can be an essential digital bridge between couples. It provides them with various ways to communicate. This app helps record their ordinary daily activities into a love album. It allows the relationship to be more memorable and engaging even if they are apart. They can appreciate this album when they look back. It allows couples to enjoy their important dates by celebrating in the app. At the same time, it helps them to reflect on themselves and understand each other better when they have conflict. It provides them an alternative way to communicate emotion and understand each other.

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Project Aim

The project aim is: To design a product, service, or system that helps couples in long-distance relationships (LDR) to get through the time they are apart by providing a memorable experience with shared context that inspires conversation and promotes intimacy with a sense of ritual. The long term goal is to develop a universal solution that is suitable to people from all cultural backgrounds.

General Question

The general question is how could we assist couples in long-distance relationships during their good and bad times by helping them connect, share and understand each other easily and remotely?

The Challenge

The biggest challenge I faced was task prioritization and time management. The concept and the outcome of the solution both require a lot of exploration and iterations. Working alone during the pandemic within a tight schedule required me to constantly evaluate and prioritize my tasks. At the same time, it was a test on my interpersonal abilities and empathy to stay connected with the users in the online environment, ask for their suggestions on the existing ideas, and work to explore more possibilities together. Because the topic is related to the relationship between couples which is a rather sensitive, emotional and individualized experience, it required some extra steps and skills. In order to build confidence and trust with the interviewees, it was necessary to compose the right questions to understand the unmet needs behind their actions and reasons. And I realized that the level of differentiation between couples also determined that the outcome solution must be equipped with a degree of flexibility and customization which was, and will be, another big challenge

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App Redesign for Client

I chose Between as my client. It is a existing app that is available across different countries and popular among LDR couples. I redesign the app by updated its style and features with both synchronous and asynchronous interaction for couples to communicate effectively in a variety of ways. It helps to keep a digital record of their time spend together even if they are physically apart.