Maggie Fok's Portfolio

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Bumble

Changing the dating game – one feature at a time.

Make the first move.

The only app that makes dating better by putting women’s experiences first. Because when things are better for women, they’re better for everyone.

Problem Statement

How to boost in-app texting?

Research Insights

Provide high-level snippets of the research.

Research Methodology

The first step was to define a roadmap to collect a variety of feedback, to understand the dating app landscape. For secondary research, brand audits on key competitors were conducted and illustrated in a perception map. Furthermore, information was scraped from online forums such as Reddit and Quora to inform the creation of user personas.

Secondary Research

The rise of “Zombie Dating”

A phenomenon used to describe the growing disenchantment with dating apps as a result of:

  1. Compulsive profile browsing without intent to connect
  2. Simultaneously engaging with multiple potential partners
  3. Using apps primarily for self-esteem boosts rather than relationship-building
The effects on perception of dating apps
  1. Bumble and Tinder are moving further into the casual dating space.
  2. Alternatives to dating apps such as run clubs and in-person singles events are growing in popularity.
The perpetual feedback loop

Users are conditioned to chase the dopamine high from matching rather than build meaningful connections.

Why should we address this?

  • When many users exhibit this behaviour, the experience of all users is downgraded. Can result in higher customer churn.
  • Competitors are also experiencing this feedback loop, thus solving it can attract more users to Bumble’s platform.
  • Similar behaviour is expected to occur in Bumble’s BFF platform, so solutions can be altered and implemented in a different team.

Why should we improve the chat feature?

  • Female users tend to experience higher match rates than their male counterparts.
  • Female users are less likely to initiate conversations due to heteronormative dating standards.

User Personas

Two distinct personas that illustrate the female daters of today.

Thembi

“I matched with him, but I can’t help but swipe a little more…just to see what else is out there.”

Thembi is a marketing professional living in a vibrant urban area. She is looking for a serious relationship but struggles with dating app fatigue. She often finds herself swiping through matches without genuine engagement, which leaves her feeling overwhelmed and lonely.

The effects on perception of dating apps

Goals

  1. To go on a fun date, hoping it leads to a serious relationship.
  2. To get asked out on a date before either party gets bored.

Frustrations

  1. Gets caught up in matching and becomes too tired to think of something to say to her matches.
  2. Losing interest when the conversation starts to become stale.
Bailey

“I’m just swiping for fun. It feels good to match even if I’m not really looking for something serious.”

Bailey is a data analyst who recently moved to a new city for work. Her social life is currently limited, leading her to feel quite bored and lonely. She often turns to Bumble as a source of entertainment in these times of boredom, enjoying the thrill of matching with new people.

Goals

  1. To spend time swiping when she feels bored.
  2. To explore her potential dating options in this new city.

Frustrations

  1. Gets hyper focused on the number of likes, affecting her self-esteem.
  2. Wants to go on fun dates but finds it difficult to start the conversations.
User Journey

Based on these personas, an overview of their dating experience has been illustrated below.

Design Recommendations

Key deliverables to achieve better in-app engagement.

Message Reminders

Never miss a chance to connect. This new feature nudges users to message their matches, encouraging meaningful conversations.

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