INTRO
Bumble wants to push precise location sharing as a feature in order to boost declining rates of premium users.
Out of earshot, out of mind
Hearing and communication is a major global problem that remains inadequately addressed. Approximately 29.2% of individuals with hearing loss in the United States use hearing aids. According to a study, 64.9% of elderly respondents in China faced hearing loss, yet only 0.8% of respondents reported using hearing aids.
“Hearing loss in older people leads to impaired language communication. This results in social dysfunction, limited social activities, and psychophysiological problems such as cognitive impairment[4] and dementia.”
Reasons behind limited use of aids include high cost, traditional views, underdeveloped healthcare services, lack of education, and rurality – further exemplified by the uneven distribution of hearing loss across socioeconomic statuses.
THE PROBLEM
How can we help elderly family members communicate with friends and family in the immediacy of daily life, with a method that is both easy to use and unobtrusive?
THE SOLUTION
Meet Ripple, an app that turns your smartwatch into your personal assistant, allowing you to be a part of any conversation.
Onboarding
Because the app is designed to be as out-of-the-box as possible, onboarding is the most important part of the process. The user should not need to open the app again after setup is completed.
Family members use the QR code to complete the setup process.
Saved Conversations
Ripple automatically summarizes conversations into the most convenient form for the user. The original transcript is also provided in case of misunderstanding.
Family Onboarding
Setting up the app is a collaborative effort requiring family input, lessening the load on the elderly user.
RESEARCH
Previous precise-location sharing testing reveals declining adoption and retention rates for all categories of users, with the biggest drop-off seen in the dating category.
Previous precise-location sharing testing reveals declining adoption and retention rates for all categories of users, with the biggest drop-off seen in the dating category.
For further research, I downloaded Bumble myself.
Here’s what I found...
Key Insights
Bumble finds its niche in spontaneity over information.
Whether they like it or not, customers use the app for the lack of user control. Blurred pics, minimal interactions, lack of search features, and loose filter limits all make finding a match seem rarer and more important.
Customers are fatigued by the cycle, which offer diminishing returns.
Lack of real interaction results in mass swiping and frequent ghosting, discouraging customers from having actual conversations. Most interactions die without ever leaving the app.
If customers aren’t happy with the product they already have, they won't purchase an expanded version of it.
The Premium Model offers profile visibility boosts and unblurs likes — none of which matter if the free version isn’t appealing enough.
How can we keep users on the app while avoiding the paradoxical cycle of successfully losing users, without ignoring user OR business needs?
REFRAMING
Bumble actually needs a more stable, non-conflicting business model to boost user interest, not simply integrating location sharing into its current model.
The issue lies not in making a better hearing solution, or even necessarily a better form of communication, but in meeting the specific communication needs for elderly residents in China.
This allows me to make compromises such as unfamiliar voices or using color coordination, which works for a limited set of names.
Understanding the audience
Hearing aids are already a well-researched, well-developed subject. The issue lies not in making a better hearing solution for those, or even necessarily a better form of communication, but in meeting communication needs for seniors at home while avoiding common pain points.
THE CONCEPT
With this in mind, I settled on three main factors to address when considering a solution. Instead of just setting a direction, I decided to focus on three trade-offs when considering every decision.
Design Principles
Prioritize impulsiveness over information
Information can be overwhelming, or inaccurately represent users. The feature should deliberately withhold information to encourage customers to talk to others instead of just reading about them.Safety, comfortability, and simplicity
Minimal setup, AI integration, and minimalist design frees the user from worrying about functionality.Equate discovery with urgency
app works with pre-existing devices, software, and other technology, synergizing with existing features and eliminating the need to buy a new device.
Key Principles
One tap away - Every page is a single tap from each other, or easily backtracked.
No small buttons – the “part” always represents a greater “whole”, and interactable space extends beyond the icon.
Allow for mistakes – every action can either be undone or reconfirmed
At a glance - High contrast colors and fonts + association between elements ensures accessibility. Avoid information overload and cut all unnecessary functionality.
Principles at Work
Family members are saved as cards in the Family tab, and are editable after creation. The UI on the elderly's side is minimalistic and only editable upon expanding, alleviating the issue of misclicks. The whole card can be tapped to expand, with the arrow serving as an indicator. Editable features are self-explanatory and require confirmation to save.
Use of Icons
A lot of icons can be confusing to elderly users, especially those unfamiliar with technology. I either re
The Watchface
A lot of icons can be confusing to elderly users, especially those unfamiliar with technology. I either re
PROCESS
Flowchart
I mapped out the main features through the use of a flowchart to find out what pages and secondary features I need.
Wireframing
Design System
Apps for the elderly can be boring. Ripple uses a lively color palette without bordering on garish, meeting WCAG AA standards on all pairings.
REFLECTION
Try it yourself!
<- KOINOS
@Timothy Yang
ttimothyy24@gmail.com
YOU INTERESTED?