About 50% of users feel online dating is unsafe, which lowers their trust and confidence, deterring them from meeting matches in person and ultimately pushing them away from Bumble, reducing its market share as they fail to achieve their dating goals.
Role:
Sole Product Designer
Duration:
2 Weeks
Platform:
Mobile (Android)
Deliverables:
Research Report
Multi-modal Mockups
Executive Presentation
Context:
Bumble is an online dating and networking app primarily designed for women to initiate contact with potential matches. It empowers women to connect with confidence, whether for dating, making friends, or networking online.
For a class project, I was tasked with designing a new feature to increase user retention, loyalty, and overall market share through a new feature.
Despite existing safety features, users—particularly women—feel hesitant to meet matches in person. This impacts Bumble’s retention and conversion rates as users may avoid real-life connections due to safety concerns.
I conducted social listening by reviewing online forums, user reviews, and social media discussions to understand users’ safety concerns, particularly regarding in-person meetings. Additionally, I analyzed studies such as those from PEW Research and the Department of Justice to validate the broader trend of safety concerns within the online dating space.
People often inform a close friend when going on a first date with a match.
Enhanced safety could increase user trust and engagement, reducing churn.
Users who are meeting their match offline may need to activate the Rescue Call/Emergency Call for a safe exit. They need to send a pre-set secret message that alerts their chosen contact and shares their location, all without drawing attention.
The design works by displaying a subtle confirmation card in the chat, showing the location shared and contact notified, reassuring the user that their call for help was successful, and reinforcing Bumble’s dedication to safety.
In unsafe situations, users may need a discreet way to activate BeeSafe without drawing attention. The locked-screen gesture allows for an immediate, hidden response, making it accessible under pressure.
This feature enhances usability in high-stress situations by providing a secure, non-intrusive way to call for help when users feel vulnerable.
This screen is for users setting up BeeSafe for the first time or adjusting their safety preferences. They need to turn BeeSafe on or off, choose Rescue/Emergency contacts, and define secret messages and gestures.
Despite existing safety features, users—particularly women—feel hesitant to meet matches in person. This impacts Bumble’s retention and conversion rates as users may avoid real-life connections due to safety concerns.
New and existing users opening Bumble after the update see a popup introducing the BeeSafe feature. They need to quickly understand its benefits and be encouraged to set it up, but many users might ignore it if they don’t immediately see the personal relevance.
This design works by keeping the popup brief and visually engaging, with a clear description and a prominent “Set Up Now” button that helps users quickly grasp the value without feeling overloaded.
Users looking for safety settings visit this screen to configure or adjust their BeeSafe options. They need quick access, but safety features often get buried in menus, making it hard to find them when reassurance is needed.
This design solves that by adding a shortcut on the profile page, allowing users to reach BeeSafe settings in just one click, eliminating the hassle of navigating multiple menus.
This screen is for all users navigating through Bumble’s different sections. They need to quickly see that BeeSafe is active without having to check their settings repeatedly.
The subtle icon at the top of the screen serves as a gentle reminder of BeeSafe’s status, providing ongoing reassurance without adding unnecessary clutter.
BeeSafe provides users with a safety net that significantly boosts their confidence when transitioning from online to offline interactions. This increased sense of security can help users achieve their dating goals, as they feel empowered to take the next step in their connections without anxiety or fear. By improving the online-to-offline transition, BeeSafe can contribute to higher engagement, as users are more likely to view Bumble as a safe, reliable platform that supports their needs holistically.
By offering a built-in safety feature, Bumble can foster a sense of trust and loyalty among users, leading to increased retention. Users feel reassured knowing they have a safety net when meeting new people, which can encourage them to continue using the app.
