ABBY WILKINSON
product designer
its a date beauty.jpg

GLEAM

GLEAM

A video-based dating app designed for the pandemic and beyond

UX Design | UI Design

My role: Lead UX/UI Design Consultant

Gleam is a video-based dating app, where users are matched for ten-minute video dates based around free time in their schedule. Designed during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were interested in allowing singles to still be able to date and form connections with others, while staying safe in the comfort of their own home.

OPPORTUNITY

With a large quantity of people in the dating pool and a low interest in meeting in real life due to lack of safety, there is a lack of incentive to connect with one person, fully, to create a genuine connection. This leaves dating app users feeling less like a person searching for their soul mate, and more like someone searching through an endless sea of random strangers, with no end in sight.

Current dating apps on the market aren’t set up well for dating during a pandemic. Even with current daters positively leaning into video-based dating, users needing to initiate a video chat outside of an app and then having to find an excuse to hang up can be both time-consuming and awkward.

SOLUTION

A way to circumvent the awkwardness of online dating during a pandemic was to create a new dating app for the times that not only allowed users to interact via video, but scheduled the dates for them so users would have a less stressful time meeting new people in this unprecedented time. The auto-scheduled video dates end after ten minutes, allowing users to get to know each other right away, without the hassle of needing to come up with an excuse to end the call.

HOW IT WORKS

Availability-mock-transparent back.png

Users set their availability for dates

Match Profile-mock-transparent back.png

Users tap through profiles of potential matches, and tap to ‘like’

its a date-mock-transparent back.png

Users are matched and are scheduled for a date when their schedules align

Upcoming Dates-mock-transparent back.png

Users are notified at ten and two minutes prior to their date starting, as well as the time of their date, so they don’t accidentally miss their video chat

Video Chat-mock-transparent.png

Users can chat for up to ten minutes and have the ability to see question prompts to keep the conversation flowing

chat-mock.png

Once users have had a video date, they’re allowed to message each other through the app

DESIGN

its a date beauty.jpg

We wanted the colors and UI to feel modern, joyful, and appealing to all sexes.

gender ID-mock.png

We wanted to make the setting options as open and inclusive as possible

hometown-mock.png

We wanted the design for settings to be clean, simple, and straightforward

record yourself-mock.png

Users are given the chance to record a 15-second audio clip to allow others to hear their voice and show their personality

profile-gif-mock.png

To further showcase a user’s personality on their profile, the users can choose a GIF that describes them and link their Instagram

incoming call-mock.png

When receiving a video call, we wanted the screen to fully change to show the excitement of getting a call from someone new

report-mock.png

We wanted the app to feel safe for users, so we wanted to make unmatching or reporting a user easy to do

NEXT STEPS

Upcoming Dates.jpg
 

Gleam launched in the Apple App Store in December 2020 for users in Los Angeles.

We will be launching new features and in new cities soon!