How Did We Spend Our Semester Break?

While the semester break was a great opportunity to recharge, for us, it was also the perfect time to take Better Together to the next level. Over the past few weeks, we focused on refining, improving, and developing the user experience—making our app better, more intuitive, and truly valuable for couples looking to strengthen their relationship.

To achieve the best results, we held multiple meetings and worked on each part separately, even if it meant extra effort. It was important for us to fine-tune every stage, enhance the user experience, and ensure our solutions were backed by research and real user feedback.

So, What Did We Do?

Created a scenario based on personas – To make sure our app delivers real value, we developed a scenario featuring Noy and Ron—a couple living together but struggling to find quality time for dates. Their insights helped us refine how Better Together can build anticipation and turn every date into a meaningful experience.

Established design principles based on research – We wanted the app to be not only fun but also practical. So, we created design principles focused on building anticipation, keeping the experience user-friendly (without overwhelming them), and fostering real relationship growth. This process was inspired by the self-expansion theory, which shows how new experiences strengthen relationships.

Improved the app’s flow – After receiving feedback in class, we adjusted the user flow to make the anticipation-building process feel more natural and engaging. We developed messages that spark excitement, small tasks that set the mood, and notifications that increase enthusiasm.

Conducted user tests with the WOZ method – We tested two types of dates—picnic and bowling—by sending users messages simulating the app experience. They received riddles, playlists, small tasks, and reminders that built excitement leading up to their date. Afterward, we gathered their feedback and made improvements accordingly.

Refined and tested our matching questionnaire – We conducted an additional user test to assess our questionnaire. Using ChatGPT, we created a personalized date for one of the couples, with the system tailoring date ideas based on their responses. This helped us evaluate how accurate and relevant our questionnaire truly is.