Yulin Fu
Linger-Emotional Intimacy App
Linger enhances emotional intimacy and connection for long-distance couples through passive presence, spontaneous interactions, and personalized expressions of affection.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Linger is a user-centered mobile app concept designed to enhance emotional intimacy and communication for long-distance couples (LDCs). It focuses on facilitating passive presence, spontaneous interactions, and personalized expressions of affection, addressing gaps in existing solutions.
DURATION
Sept-Dec 2024
MY ROLE
Market Research
User Research
UX Design
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Interface Design
Linger helps stay emotionally connected through shared spaces, creative tools, and spontaneous interactions.
BACKGROUND
With approximately one-third of university students in long-distance relationships (LDRs) and the rise of communication technology, the need for tools specifically designed to support LDRs has become critical. Current communication platforms, while functional for general use, fail to address the unique emotional and contextual needs of LDRs, such as sustaining trust and reducing emotional disconnect.
CHALLENGES & GOALS
Challenge: Existing tools for LDRs focus on active communication, such as video calls and messages, but lack the capacity for fostering continuous, passive connection, which is key to maintaining intimacy and emotional presence. Miscommunication, time zone barriers, and trust issues remain prevalent.
Goals:
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Design features that enable passive presence and spontaneous interactions.
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Provide customizable tools for creative expressions of affection.
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Address emotional disconnect by incorporating contextual support.
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Enhance user experience through features that integrate into existing habits and routines.
MARKET RESEARCH
Six products were analyzed:
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Friendship Lamps: Simulates touch but lacks customization and spontaneity.
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Lovense Devices: Provides intimacy-focused tactile communication.
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Discord: Great for general communication but not tailored for LDRs.
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Between App: Offers shared spaces but limited emotional engagement.
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Love Nudge: Focuses on love language tracking but lacks passive interaction.
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Agape: Encourages daily engagement but can feel burdensome over time.
CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED
Presence Simulation
Devices like Friendship Lamps simulate touch but lack emotional customization and spontaneity, limiting deeper engagement.
Burdened Routine
Apps such as Love Nudge and Agape require daily active use, which can feel overwhelming and unsustainable over time.
Fragmented Connection
Tools like Discord and Between App support general communication but fail to create a seamless emotional experience tailored for long-distance couples.
METHODOLOGY
The research methodology comprised two primary studies: semi-structured interviews and a diary study.
semi-structured interview
The interviews were designed to gather rich, contextual insights into users' exercise habits, motivations, and barriers.
diary study
The diary study complemented this by capturing real-time, detailed data about the students' daily exercise behaviors and the challenges they face.
RESULTS
The findings revealed the three most significant barriers to long distance relationship.
INTERVIEWS
x 10
Demographics: participants aged 20–35, diverse in relationship durations and locations (New York, Hong Kong, Toronto, etc.).
DIARY STUDY
x 5
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Duration: Over a period from October 15th to October 23rd, 2024.
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Focus: daily communication habits, emotional experiences, and challenges over two weeks.
KEY STATS
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4 out of 9 participants reported emotional disconnect during fights.
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2 participants cited lack of trust due to communication issues.
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Most participants valued passive presence but found time zones and miscommunication barriers significant.
CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED
Value of Passive Presence
Participants consistently highlighted the importance of feeling their partner’s presence without requiring active communication, as it mirrors the comfort of in-person interactions.
Burden of Active Tools
Both interviews and diary entries revealed that apps requiring frequent active engagement caused stress and burnout, with participants preferring tools that integrate seamlessly into their routines.
Emotional Disconnect
Miscommunication and lack of emotional cues in digital communication often led to frustration and fights, especially during conflicts or misunderstandings.
OBJECTIVE
The goal with the app design is to make exercise more accessible, enjoyable, and effective for young adults, particularly university students. The app adapts workout suggestions based on real-time assessments of mood and energy, ensuring that workouts are not only physically beneficial but also mentally and emotionally suitable.
Linger bridges the gap by fostering passive presence and personalized expressions of affection.
Design Guidelines
Based on our research, we concluded five design guidelines to address the communication challenges and emotional needs of long-distance couples.
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Enable Passive Presence: Provide continuous but non-intrusive awareness of partners' activities.
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Facilitate Stress-Free Routines: Avoid overburdening users with scheduled interactions.
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Support Creative Expressions of Affection: Customizable options for love languages.
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Include Contextual Support: Enhance emotional understanding and reduce miscommunication.
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Accommodate Current Practices: Complement existing habits and tools couples use.
Proposed Features
Based on our design guideline, we proposed five design features to address the communication challenges and emotional needs of long-distance couples. Along with some sketch screens to visualize our ideas.
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Shared Virtual Space: Digital avatars and status sharing for asynchronous interaction.
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Customizable environments that mirror physical presence.
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Asynchronous Whiteboard: A creative space for messages, photos, and virtual decorations.
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Scheduled Gifts and Messages: Surprise notifications and gifts to enhance emotional bonding.
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Interactive Notifications: Lightweight prompts like "pokes" or vibrations for spontaneous engagement.
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Feature test Screens
USER PERSONA
Meet the persona Emma, a 28-year-old female in marketing:
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USER JOURNEY & TEST SCREENS
Let's see Emma's day using the Linger app to connect to her boyfriend. Also some test screens before design.
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DESIGN TILE
My brand identity, color palette, typography, and voice
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Design Concept
A mobile app designed to enhance emotional intimacy for long-distance couples by enabling passive presence, spontaneous interactions, and personalized expressions of affection through features like shared virtual spaces, customizable status updates, and asynchronous communication tools.
Status Updates
Linger lets users display real-time activity statuses, helping couples stay passively connected and mindful of each other’s routines.
Whiteboard
Linger offers a shared asynchronous whiteboard where couples can leave notes, drawings, or photos, fostering creative and collaborative expressions of affection.
Gifting
Linger enables users to schedule and send thoughtful virtual gifts or messages, creating surprise moments that strengthen emotional bonds.
FINAL UI
NEXT STEPS
The next steps for Linger include refining the user interface through iterative testing with real users, ensuring features align with the emotional and practical needs of long-distance couples. The team will focus on integrating accessibility standards, enhancing cross-platform compatibility, and exploring advanced technologies like haptic feedback for deeper emotional connection. Additionally, we aim to expand the app’s ecosystem with new features, such as shared activity tracking or mood-based interactions, to continue evolving with users’ needs.