paired
A relationship keychain that combines hardware and software to provide a platform for users to co-create memories
Project Challenge
As part of our UC Berkeley Capstone we decided to take this opportunity to develop a product that we could actually bring to market. I teamed up with my closest classmates and friends. We all felt that current digital platforms cheapen relationships to friend requests and likes & push for identity creation. So we set out to design an experience for maintaining meaningful relationships with the ones closest to us.
Over the course of 7 months, I worked on all parts design and for the first time wasn't actively involved in writing code. The first couple months we pushed for product direction. I worked closely with the other UX designer to map out user flows, produce wireframes, and develop/test prototypes. For the latter half of the project, I pushed heavily into refining the mobile visuals and interactions and worked as the solo physical product designer to 3D print/design the tangible portion of our product.
Product Solution
Paired comes with a physical charm pair to be shared solely between two individuals. These charms are portable, tangible and can communicate with each other. The charms are designed as a pair and are bought as a pair by the user. Paying emphasis on gift giving, the user will gift one part of the pair to another person as a gesture of appreciation as well as an invitation to become more involved in each others’ life. Once activated, these charms will provide access to a private virtual space on a mobile application. The entire product experience will be enriched by mobile application features that support the strongest facets of a relationship: cherishing past memories, living in the present moment and creating future experiences.
Involvement
Product Direction
Visual Design
UX Design
User Testing
Physical Prototyping
Client
UC Berkeley
timeline
Nov 2016 - May 2017
teamates
Daniel Chen - Product Manager
Parv Sondhi - Backend Engineer
Bhuvanna Bellala - UI Engineer
Shirish Dhar - Electricl Engineer
Pratik Nada - UX Designer/Engineer
ux challenges
How might we design a network platform for creating and maintaining meaningful relationships with the ones closest to us?
research - object based study
Some of the inspiring photos taken by participants of our object based study
Product Direction, Object Based Study
As a team, we understood that we needed to win the hearts of our potential users, and not the logic-driven mind. We believed as a team that the charms gave a tangible form to the relationship, one that was impossible through digital means alone. In order to test our hypothesis and position our product, we conducted an object-based study by asking 6 couples and 2 groups of friends over the course of 10 days to create and catalog memories using a pen-and-paper journal and a disposable camera. We were convinced by the end of the study that a physical form was a core part of the products success--replicating through digital constraint was not enough.
insights for the future
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Cherish Past Memories: In addition to simply reminiscing on past memories, individuals are very forward-looking when looking for motivation to continue their relationships. We inferred that a view into the 'progress' in their relationship was essential for their own personal growth.
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Live in the Present Moment: Individuals were split into two general factions. Some individuals felt the disposable camera and journal cumbersome and created unnecessary friction, while others felt the disposable camera brought something new and immediate to the experience of making memories. We inferred that creating a physical charm that was portable and felt intimately personal would create a meaningful experience and valuable product.
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Create Future Experiences: Individuals commented in post-study survey that they were making conscious creative efforts to make memories together. This might not be the case in "real-life". We inferred that a mechanism for "nudging" users to maintain their relationship was crucial for product engagement.
making a habit of Two worlds
Storyboarding, Wireflow, User Stories
The object based study told us 'Habit' would be our biggest obstacle. Paired required an intricate level of product design that blended the digital and the physical--it would need to move seamlessly between these two worlds. We went from big ideas, to narrow flows and core features, and eventually went through three iterations of user testing to come out with an optimal prototype.
reducing friction - storyboard
We spent weeks as a team discussing the overall flow of how our users could interact with the product--mainly considering how to minimize friction between physical and digital. In order to make sure all of us shared a good understanding, we developed this final version of the storyboard. As minimum functionalities, we realized that charms needed to 1) capture time and location so that you can capture the moment without having to go open up the app on your phone, 2) automatically sync and create memories on the digital mobile application by pulling photos.
developing dynamic interactions - wireflow
The UX designer and I researched other popular apps with similar features and developed large marker board Wireflows. We kept everything as quick sketches to iterate on the spot. Our team would convene around in a large semi-circle to discuss and propose changes. Wireflows was the most appropriate method as we had few pages with a lot of changing content based on different user interactions.
solving for the user - uSer testing
Tight on time, we went from Wireflows to experimenting and testing higher-fidelity prototypes. We conducted three rounds of user testing using InVision. The picture below shows the three iterations of making a memory in app.
defining components - user Stories
In tandem with developing the wireflows, we created and refined a set of our core user stories along with user activities and user tasks.
The right brain
UI Design, User Testing, Physical Prototyping
"Win the hearts," was an ethos we kept as a team throughout the entire project. We finally developed and agreed on the skeleton of the product. Now we needed to refine and appeal to emotion and create a personality for Paired.
Giving emotion to our visuals
As the solo visual designer I was responsible for branding our digital application as both intimate and playful at the same time. I wanted a face for Paired--a personification of the user in graphical form. I choose penguins as our "mascot" for their round features and familial tendencies, and planted them throughout the application playing and peeking around corners, jumping in celebration.
For header titles I used the Comfortaa font for it's smooth rounded-edges and its modern cleanliness. The roundness of the font reminded me of the penguin logo which aesthetically fit the brand. The font invites the audience to play and gives a sense of child-like fun. The abrupt terminals play well with the softness by offering a clean and contained look that adds a sense of security and cleanliness.
giving physical form to Paired
As the solo industrial designer for the project, I started with this mental image of two forms becoming one. My mind was then drawn to the principle of yin and yang. I moved away from the direct comparison by exaggerating the button and curve of the back to give an effect of a teardrop. Alone, the charms feel solitary yet still complete, and only until they are united do you discover their nature.
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product solutions
A gift for Two
Product Design, Physical Prototyping
In order to create a habit of caring for the physical charms and heightening the sense of exclusivity, we used gift giving as a mechanism to achieve these goals. The user will gift one part of the pair to another person as a gesture of appreciation as well as an invitation to become more involved in each others’ life.
your private space
Product Design, Interaction Design
Once the charms have been synced, a private shared space is created for those two individuals to share--a place that fills the void created by public displays of affection supported by dominant social platforms.
First Iteration
Final Design
Timeline
In the timeline, each entry represents a moment. I can remember it with words, pictures, and other forms of media content. The goal of the timeline is to help relive the best moments of your life.
visualizng progress
Every time I re-open my app, I see a simple imagery that visualizes my relationship through floating balloons--how long our charms have been together, how many memories we've made, & how long our memory streak is. The visualization seeks to show progress and solve for the future-oriented outlook of individuals and their relationships.
First Iteration
Final Design
First Iteration
Final Design
Make A Memory
In the make a memory page, the app pulls my actual location and the nearby venues. After confirming, I indicate whether this is a moment with just me, or the both of us. In addition to manually adding photos, the app will populate photos for me based on time and location. Pulling the right images from my gallery makes it easier for me to make a memory.
Instant Memory
With a simple click of a button, I can also use the charm to make a memory without accessing the app. Location and time gets automatically captured and synced via blue tooth. You do not have to open the app and risk losing the essence of the present moment. At a time of your choosing, you can add more information to any instant memory.
Final Design, Preview
Final Design, Delete
Try it out yourself
InVision Prototype used for Usability Tests and Design Iterations
Next Steps
Test & track full experience with 5 couples
Refine problem statement and market niche
Ideate, iterate, and test new assumptions