Author: Francesco Bertelli / Source: The Next Web
Whether you are a gen-Z, millennial or a recently separated 40-something, chances are you have heard of or used Tinder enough to understand how brutal dating can be.
How many times have you heard comments like “I wish dating would be more natural, more real.
” The problem of dating apps, however, is not that they are digital, rather it is that they do not respect the interactions that occur during a casual encounter.If anything, what apps do really well — because they are digital, — provide quick access to large audiences and wider demographics. Without this digital functionality, we would never have a direct link to so many viable individuals. This unbeatable advantage over real life is statistically proven to increase the chances of matching with somebody you like. With this in mind though, should we be hedging out love lives solely on quantity?
Dating apps should be the catalyst and facilitators of the entire introductory phase, and they should help as a friend would, but they ignore how complex, yet simple and slow, the whole experience of getting to know a potential love interest is in real life. The intentions and the private information are distilled like in a game of poker, not like a slot machine.
The stigma surrounding apps like Tinder or Bumble is derived from the guiding principle of their use: speed and quantity yield love. But do this principle lead to better matches? Based on the reactions a person may get telling a friend they use Tinder shows that, in the eyes of the general public, do not yet yield meaningful love.
As a fun project, I started building a concept for a dating app called Closer. exciting design challenges I’ve encountered have made me think of new strategies to adopt to build better experiences.
Community not marketplace
Digital dating platforms have always been designed with rules and architecture of a marketplace like Craigslist rather than a community: profiles are private; interactions feel mechanical; the browsing seems endless. Communities, instead make users feel a sense of belonging while protecting them.
Raya offers an interesting example: it is built like a fenced garden of people that are real, proven by their associated Instagram account. The invitation-only access, help to filter fake profiles and the concurrent section “Work” which is meant to promote job opportunities, helps relieve the pressure from the dating aspect and opens the potential for future engagement even after you have found the one.
Raya has only a minor drawback: the access is regulated by the Raya employees themselves, which sounds snobby and classist, whereas I would recommend a moderation by the members in the style of Reddit.
Progressive disclosure
Like a game of poker, the profile should reveal your persona only with the increase of mutual interests shared between matches. Say, you select your match and you…
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