After the third prototype, I got some feedbacks and done some researches including the survey. I try to show the user profile in the front and add some ideas to satisfy my main focus. My main focus of this project is safety and a meaningful relationship based on conversation, empathy and trust. The pet diary idea was added to build a connection between users so they can feel empathy. The users can also use the pet diary as an icebreaker. The check-in idea was also added to make the meeting more safe and interactive. The pendant device part was developed so user can represent their status about the meeting other users.

Therefore my project, ‘Love Me and Her,’ is a dating application that works with a small pendant that is designed to provide single pet owners with a safe and friendly dating experience that allows them to use their pet connect with people in their local area. This application has multiple advantages. Users can post a short message to check in to certain places, such as a dog park or a pet shop. This will encourage users to directly interact with each another. All the checkpoints will be public places, thereby safeguarding the safety of people who decide to meet on a face-to-face basis. Users can also use the application to check other users’ profiles, pet profiles, and pet diaries; however, the users’ name will only be revealed after a match is made. This entails that the users’ pet diary will fulfill the role of icebreaker. The objective of this approach is to allow users to know each other through their pets and, therefore, develop a familiarity and bond before meeting for a date.

For the user test, I provided the test users with a prototype application that I made using ‘Marvel.’ Every elements was clickable so the users can click any icons from the app and explore everything as they want. I also provided a fake dating requesting page because the users couldn’t really experience when other users requested a meeting from the check-in location. This allowed the user to experience how it works when they receive the requesting message from the check-in point. I also provided a sample pendant for users; however, this didn’t work with the prototype application so I had to explain the function of the pendent. After the user test, I interviewed the participants. The first user test was conducted with five pet owners and the same user test was conducted from the thesis popup show.

All test users felt really excited about meeting other pet owners. Cat owners, in particular, stated that it is difficult to connect with other cat owners; as such, they thought the application would be useful. Most users were also about the quality of information provided. They felt that the personal information that was provided gave them some background about the user that helped them feel more secure and confident in the other user’s credibility. They particularly liked the personality information part because they felt that personality is significant when forming a relationship. Many users also mentioned that they liked the slide bar interface because it was easy to control and understand. Many users agreed with the check-in idea because many pet owners meet at parks, pet cafes, and vet offices, so they thought it would offer a safe and friendly experience. Some users doubted that the user can build meaningful relationships because they felt the meeting locations were too informal. For the pet diary part, all test users really enjoyed reading the pet diary and felt positive feelings like empathy, care and love. Many users mentioned that they liked the design of the pendant but some users couldn’t understand how it worked in relation to application.

The results of the survey, user tests, and prototyping, indicate that many users would feel safe using this type of dating app and felt empathy and positive feelings toward other users; however, I realized that dog ownership and cat ownership are very different stories although the owners are animal lovers. Many people show positive interest in my concept, but the application platform I chose was not very effective for my concept idea and hard to create  a unique user experience.