Soar
Soar is an app designed to foster both dating and friendship for individuals with autism, emphasizing the creation of connections through community events.
Background
Goal
Soar was inspired by a friend’s insights on the social challenges autistic individuals face in forming friendships and romantic relationships.
Through further research, we discovered common struggles with Social communication, sensory sensitivities, stigma, and a lack of inclusive spaces.
Our goal is to design a safe, supportive, and inclusive platform to help users connect, foster friendships, and build relationships by linking them to local community events.
Design Process
Our process for Soar is based on the Double Diamond Theory and Lean UX process. We aim to incorporate the key phases of Discovery, Definition, Ideation and Implementation in all of our projects.
How Might We...
01
How might we design features that cater to the unique communication styles of autistic individuals to foster meaningful interactions?
02
How might we create safer online spaces that reduce the risk of scams and promote user trust for autistic individuals?
03
How might we integrate features that reduce sensory overload and enhance the accessibility of online dating platforms?
Research 1 - Problem Identification
Some Existing Systems Already Existed
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Hiki (ND Dating App)
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Autism Empathy (ND Dating App)
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Autism Date (ND Dating App)
Existing dating apps fail to meet the needs of neurodiverse individuals, with many users reporting issues like poor accessibility, safety concerns, and targeted discrimination. This shows that current ND-focused dating apps are inadequate.
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Research 2 - User Surveys/Interviews
Have you used the online dating app?
93%
out of 87 participants
How frequently do you use dating apps?
40%
used it frequently (4-10 times/week) and 33% used it often(10+/week)
Do you feel that the current apps you are using meets your needs?
79%
felt that the current dating apps are not sufficient for neural divergent individuals.
Which dating app(s) are you currently using or have used in the past?
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Research 3 - Mapping
Then we interviewed 8 individuals who are ND, and took a dive at 250 reddit postings under r/autism, r/relationship, r/datingwithautism, Quota, and Autism Community.
Coding Our Findings
Affinity Diagram
"I often feel isolated because there aren't many social spaces where I feel truly understood or accepted."
Research Findings / Pain Points
01
Difficulties in starting a conversation
Initiating conversations was highlighted as challenging, with users finding small talk unappealing and unrelated to their interests. This creates a barrier to engaging in meaningful discussions.
02
Challenges in sustaining relationships
Autistic individuals reported frustration with maintaining relationships, especially when connections ended abruptly without explanation. Misinterpretation of subtle cues often led to confusion.
03
Safety concerns about online dating
Concerns regarding scams and the safety of disclosing personal information were prominent, with users expressing hesitation about sharing their autism diagnosis due to potential targeting by malicious individuals.
Problem Statement
Existing online dating platforms fail to meet the unique needs of autistic individuals, leading to difficulties in finding compatible matches, navigating interactions, and ensuring safety, while also lacking sensory-friendly and inclusive features.
Prototyping
Site Map
Low-Fi Wireframes
Design Decision
Q. What should be our primary focus when designing this app for the ND community?
A - The most important focus for developing an app for the ND (neurodivergent) community is ensuring inclusivity through features that prioritize meaningful connections based on shared interests, support communication with tailored conversation aids, and offer safety measures, while accommodating sensory sensitivities to create a comfortable and accessible user experience.
Visual Identity
Aa
Roboto Bold
Roboto Medium
Roboto Regular
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#3C48B2
#BA1ABC
Initial Design Decision
Mid-Fi Wireframes
Research 3 - Testing with focus group
Based on our preliminary designs, we tested the concept through focus group interviews, conducting sessions across three separate groups.
n=13
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Group 1 (n=5)
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Group 2 (n=4)
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Group 3 (n=4)
Ethical Considerations
✅Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
✅All participants in the focus group were asked to review and agree to the consent form before participating in the study.
✅Participants were given the option to disable their cameras during the group discussion.
Insights from the users...
High - Fidelity Prototypes ✨
01
Personalized Search
The interface features a personalized search function that allows users to filter and explore matches based on shared interests, specific traits, and customized preferences, creating a tailored and engaging user experience.
02
Blind Conversation Mode for Authentic Connections
The "Love Is Blind" mode enables users to engage in conversation without seeing profile pictures for a set period. This feature focuses on fostering genuine connections by encouraging users to get to know each other's personalities and interests before visual elements are revealed.
If both users express mutual interest after the conversation phase, their profile images and video call options become available, promoting deeper, interest-based relationships.
03
Enhanced Safety Verification System
The safety verification feature includes a process where users submit identification or facial images for authentication to ensure genuine user profiles. This added layer of security helps build trust by minimizing the risk of fake accounts and scams, providing users with a safer and more reliable online dating experience.
04
Sensory Comfort Times Feature
The "Sensory-Friendly Hours" feature highlights specific times during events when sensory input is minimized, such as lower noise levels and reduced lighting. This allows users who are sensitive to sensory stimuli to participate comfortably in activities and social gatherings, promoting an inclusive and accommodating experience.
Impact
Soar fosters an environment where autistic individuals can build authentic connections based on shared interests, enhancing comfort and engagement in online dating.
Usability Testing
I analyzed the heatmap generated by Maze to calculate the usability of the refined application by examining user interaction patterns, identifying high-engagement areas, and assessing task completion rates.
87%
Overall usability score
93%
The majority of participants completed the user task via the expected path
*Full usability report available upon request
5.1%
Drop off rate after the first 5 screens
19%
Miss click rates overall
Heat map samples from usability testing
User Feedback
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"This feature really helps me start conversations more easily."
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"I love how the app focuses on shared interests—it makes connections feel more genuine."
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"The customizable sensory settings make the experience so much more comfortable."
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"The safety verification process makes me feel more secure using the app."
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"The local event integration is great for finding people nearby and meeting in real life."
Suggestions
"I would love to see more detailed interest tags for even more specific matches."
"Adding more educational content about neurodiversity would help bridge understanding with neurotypical users."
"More customization options for the sensory settings would be beneficial, like adjusting the interface layout."
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Final Takeaways ✨
This project has focused on user research and identified needs. Generally, if you follow users, a solution inevitably follows. Interviews with students and surveys enabled me to find out diverse perspectives and solutions.
If I had had more time, I would Implement a long-term user testing phase where users can experience the platform over weeks or months. This would provide deeper insights into user behavior, feature adoption, and long-term satisfaction.
Moving forward...
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Competitive analysis of other ND platforms is very helpful in identifying current trends, user expectations, and areas to improve
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Lots of research has already been done on ND applications best practices, so use it!