“Airports see more sincere kisses than wedding halls.”
The Problem
Enabled by modern communication technology, there are more people in Long Distance Relationships (LDRs) than ever before.
Apart from all the great benefits of being in a relationship, it is common for LDR couples to feel frustrated and helpless, especially when they don’t have a plan to move closer together, and/or when they don’t know when would be the next time to meet each other in person.
USER GOALS
Synthesized research shows that it is really important for people in an LDR to meet with their partner as often as possible, it is also very important for LDR couples to co-create shared life experiences with their partner, which they can use as foundational bricks to build a strong relationship over time. Youdefly aims to offer customized support to LDR couples to become better communicators, collaborate on planning for their next meet-up, share their feelings, and step-by-step, implement a plan to close the distance gap.
WHAT I DID
Brand Identity + Strategy
User Research + Personas
Content Strategy + Copywriting
UX/UI
Usability Testing
This was a personal project, I did it with three developer friends.
“If done right, LDR can be a nice challenge.”
—
Youdefly User N.B.
User research
Goals
• Understand the experience of being in an LDR
• Understand why some LDR survive, some don’t
• Understand common goals couples try to achieve in an LDR
• Identify problems associated with LDR that existing technology can solve
Interview Questions
• Tell me about your story.
• Tell me about a typical day in your life.
• How do you communicate with each other? How often do you do that?
• How often do you meet each other in person? Where do you meet each other? How do you meet each other (means of transportation)?
• What are some of the activities you do together when you are apart? What are some of the activities you do together when you are physically together?
• What do you think is important for an LDR to succeed?
• What are the advantages of an LDR, as compared to a normal relationship?
Participants
• Currently in a LDR OR was in a LDR in the past
• Aged 22-34 when starting the LDR
• Five Males and females
• 0-9 hours of time difference with their partner
RESEARCH FINDINGS
LDR couples are likely very organized.
LDR couples can develop extremely strong bonds.
They are willing to move as soon as there is an opportunity. They tend to be very worldly: Home City ≠ Home ≠ SO’s Home ≠ SO’s Home City
“It’s like a honeymoon every time you see each other”
—
Youdefly User F.M.
How most users connect
What is Important
• Clear communications
• Sympathy/EI
• Always having a plan for the next trip
• Having an end date for LDR
• Seeing & living SO’s life
• Shared goal and/or project(s)
What’s out there
USER PERSONAS
Prioritizing features
—
The MVP
(Minimum Viable Product)
—
A responsible website that helps LDR couples
book flights from different departure cities
and store all their shared trip experiences
The Difference
An original algorithm that suggests destinations
for people departing from different cities
A tool that guides LDR couples through the trip planning process step by step
A unique place for two people to collaborate on and review
some of their best memories
Card Sort Insights
An on-line, hybrid card sort study containing 19 cards and 6 provided categories was conducted. Over the period of 1 week, a total of 7 people (5 females and 2 males) who self-identified as Youdefly’s target audience participated in the study. All participants were physically located in the United States and were in an LDR either currently or previously. The median time spent sorting cards was 6.38 minutes.
The Site Map
Key User Flow
Annotated Key Screens
& Usability Test Findings
