top of page

Over the age of 60?

Do what you love with like-minded people

UX UI Case Study

Shine Social Club

Understand

About the Project

Shine Social Club is a mobile application created during the height of COVID-19 to enrich the lives of individuals over the age of 60 by offering a platform where they can connect with like-minded peers. Now that the pandemic is mostly behind us, this case study presents the re-design journey and key features that contribute to creating a fulfilling social experience for the esteemed users with a new focus on social interactions and activities.

Previous Concept

  • Created during height of COVID-19 to enrich lives of individuals over 60

  • Offer a platform to connect with like-minded people

  • Now that pandemic mostly over desire to redesign

  • No longer centered on 1-1 connections

  • New focus on social interactions

Frame 427319364.png

Challenges

  • People over the age of 60 often face challenges in expanding their social circles and meeting new individuals who share their interests.

  • Previous app presented usability issues, making it cumbersome for users to fully engage and enjoy the platform.

sad-elder-woman-sofa_edited.jpg

Define

Role & Responsibilities

  • Forget everything you know about about people over 60!

  • Create an exceptional user experience that addresses the specific needs and goals of individuals over the age of 60.

  • Understanding user requirements, conducting user research, designing intuitive interfaces, and ensuring seamless interactions throughout the app

The New App

  • User-Centered Approach to understand the unique needs and preferences of our target audience

  • UX/UI design that prioritizes simplicity, ease of use, and fostering genuine connections.

  • Extensive user research and feedback sessions to gather insights, ensuring the app meets the expectations and desires of our target audience.

mockup (1).png

Approach

  • User-centered approach placing the needs and preferences of individuals over the age of 60 at the forefront.

  • The process included research, ideation, design, testing, and refinement, to ensure the creation of a compelling and user-friendly social app.

  • User-centered approach placing the needs and preferences of individuals over the age of 60 at the forefront.

  • Stakeholder interviews
    target audience interviews
    Questionnaire

  • Competitive analysis

  • User personas

  • Design strategy

  • User journey

  • Task flow

  • Low-Fi wireframes

  • Hi-Fi wireframes

  • Visual design

  • Prototype

  • Usability tests

  • Gather feedback

  • Make adjustments based on user feedback

  • Collaborate with development team to ensure feasibility and implementation of design

Frame 427319368.png

  • Comprehensive assessment of existing social apps targeting all kinds of users.

  • Examining their features, design choices, and overall user experience to gain valuable insights.

  • This analysis enabled a better understanding of the competitive landscape and identified opportunities for differentiation.

Competitive Analysis

10

Interviews

32

Questionnaire
Partitipants

8

User Research

  • Pivotal role in understanding the unique needs and preferences of individuals over the age of 60.

  • Interviews, surveys, and observations, conducted to gather valuable insights about their social interaction challenges, desired activities, and technological proficiency.

  • This research formed the foundation for user personas, user journey mapping, and informed the design decisions to create a user-centered social app that addresses their specific requirements and enhances their social lives.

Usability Testing Participants

Key Findings

research answers (1).png

Selected 7|10 or higher when asked to rate their social life

Selected 7|10 or higher when asked if they would like to broaden their social life

Said they would feel more comfortable to meet new people in group setting

Redefining Age Group

  • Shifted perspective from seeing individuals over 60 yrs as elders to embracing them as young pensioners who are technologically savvy, socially active, and eager to explore new experiences.

  • Aim to provide an app experience that aligns with their contemporary lifestyles, encourages social interaction, and offers exciting opportunities for them to connect, mingle, and discover new horizons.

  • Celebrate their enthusiasm, adaptability, and desire to make the most of their retirement years in an interconnected and digital world.

User Persona

  • Represent a diverse range of users within the target demographic, each with unique needs and preferences.

  • By understanding their backgrounds, goals, and technological proficiency, we can design an inclusive and user-centered experience that caters to their specific requirements, ultimately ensuring a successful and engaging social app for people over 60.

Grace Thompson

Frame 427319369.png

Bio

Grace is a Math teacher who enjoys staying active and participating in various community events. She is looking to expand her social circle and meet new people with similar interests. Grace values simplicity and prefers user- friendly interfaces that are easy to navigate

Frustrations

  • Limited Social Circle: Grace feels it is a challenge to meet new people who share her interests.

  • Lack of User-Friendly Interfaces: Grace may feel frustrated when encountering apps or websites with cluttered layouts, small fonts, or confusing navigation, as it makes it difficult for her to access the features and content she desires.

Motivation

  • Social Connection: Grace is motivated to expand her social circle and meet new people who share her interests and passions. She seeks opportunities for meaningful connections and engaging conversations.

  • Active Lifestyle: As someone who enjoys staying active, Grace is motivated to participate in various community events, engage in physical activities, and explore new experiences that align with her interests.

  • Simplicity and Ease of Use: Grace values simplicity and user-friendly interfaces. She is motivated to use apps and platforms that are intuitive, easy to navigate, and offer a seamless user experience.

Pain Points

User Story

As Grace Thompson, a 62-year-old teacher who enjoys staying active and participating in community events, I want to use the app to find new friends with similar interests and discover engaging activities that align with my passions. I value simplicity and user-friendly interfaces that are easy to navigate.

task flow.png

Task Flow

3978418 copy.jpg

Intentional Design

  • Contrasting Colors for Enhanced Visibility: We've carefully selected contrasting colors to ensure optimal visibility and readability, catering to the diverse visual needs of our users.

  • Large Buttons for Effortless Interaction: The app features large, strategically positioned buttons that facilitate effortless interaction, making it accessible and intuitive for all users.

  • Easy Navigation: Interface is thoughtfully structured, ensuring easy navigation and straightforward flows, enabling even those less familiar with technology to navigate with confidence.

  • Guided Flows for Meaningful Connections: With intentional design, we've created guided flows that prioritize creating meaningful connections and engaging in activities, fostering a vibrant community atmosphere.

Design

Straightforward Onboarding

Splash screen-1.png
image-from-rawpixel-id-6672683-png.png

Captivating Images

image-from-rawpixel-id-6672683-png.png

Clear Questions

Large Buttons

Easy Choices

image-from-rawpixel-id-6672683-png.png
image-from-rawpixel-id-6672683-png_edited.png

Record to Search

image-from-rawpixel-id-6672683-png_edited.png
Onboarding 40 (1).png
image-from-rawpixel-id-6583271-png_edited.png

Easy navigation emphasizing events & community

  • Type or Record to Search button to facilitate users with motor difficulties

  • Find interesting events quickly with many filtering options

  • Large event cards with only imprtant information to minimize information overload

  • One click to join events

  • Easily create new events 

  • Customer Service phone and message readily available on the main page

event page (1).png
explore page (6).png

  • Attractive images selected by the app 

  • Visible buttons to share and save events

  • One click to join an event

  • Emphasis on community - see who else is going and connect prior to the event

  • Recommended similar events based on your clubs and interests

image-from-rawpixel-id-6672683-png_edite
image-from-rawpixel-id-6583271-png_edite
Property 1=pending.png

Map Search

  • Fast swap from list to map views 

  • Large event cards within the map to help users who suffer from poor vision

  • Get a sense of place while searching for events

mockup (1).png
image-from-rawpixel-id-6583271-png_edited.png

Log In

Login - Email (1).png
image-from-rawpixel-id-6672683-png.png
Login - Email (3).png
image-from-rawpixel-id-6672683-png.png
Login - Social (2).png

Readability, Reliability

  • Ensure texts and elements have enough differentiation from the background so that even visually impaired people can read comfortably

  • Create visually striking contrast while staying true to the brand's colors

Screenshot 2023-08-04 at 9.49.20.png
Screenshot 2023-08-04 at 9.51.35.png

Usability Testing

Responsive Design

The bad news - 7 out of 8 users in usability testing have enlarged fonts on their phone by default, which could impact the overlook look of the app. The good news - responsive design can accommodate the different size fonts without compromising on visual appeal. 

x1

x1.2

x1.5

Frame 427319458.png

Previous Project

Basic Collection

AdobeStock_319174240 copy_edited.jpg

I hope you enjoyed your reading!

bottom of page