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Proud Parent (2).png

 Proud Parent 

Timeline: 
June 2021-August 2021 

My Role:
UX/UI lead, Project Owner/Manager

Team Members:
Shantia Cross, Simon Chen 

Tools Used:
Figma, Invision, Google Forms, Miro, Canva 

Problem Definition
Problem Definition

Gender diverse parents/guardians or parents/guardian raising gender diverse children find it difficult to:

  • Search for a safe and judgement-free environment for their children for playdates.

  • Connect with families going through similar experiences.

  • Find resources for their specific parenting needs.

Proposed Solution

Proud Parent is a playdate platform. It prioritizes Transgender, Non-Binary and other gender-diverse communities. The platform can be used by gender-diverse families to meet other similar families and share parenting resources. It aims to provide a safe and judgement-free space for families to connect for playdates.

Proud Parent Screens

As a user, parents/guardians have the option of listing their preferences and things they want other parents/guardians to be aware of before connecting. It lets them list the type of language, pronouns, the vocabulary they prefer to use and trigger words to avoid around their kids. Parents/guardians also have an option of establishing ground rules before connecting for the playdate, for example, what kind of activities to do, amount of technology to use, topics to avoid etc. 

Proposed Solution
Research
Research

The research started with creating questions for a survey. I wanted to interview the following people

  • Queer families

  • Avid users of dating apps (because my platform would be using an interface similar to dating apps)

  • People part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community (not necessarily raising kids)

Survey Outcomes
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88.2% of participants said they have not seen anything similar to the proposed idea.
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52% of participants said they use Facebook, Reddit and Twitter groups/communities to share resources with other parents but don't find these platforms safe enough to meet someone in person.

Based on the survey results, there emerged a pattern of the type of features expected from the platform.

The platform needs to be/have,

  • Location-Based

  • Anonymous (No link to external apps or social media)

  • Resource Sharing through forums

  • Inclusive, diverse and affirming preferences/filters

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Survey Conclusions

Initially, the platform was supposed to be for playdates for LGBTQ2S+ families.

  • The platform idea was a very formal, filter based system. But after the survey, the platform would provide a streamlined process of finding playdates and also let families share their experiences.

  • A forum for discussion and Q/A needs to be added. The platform can be used for accessing resources even for people who are not looking for playdates and meetups. It can give the users a sense of community even when they are just online.

Personas
Personas

The personas formed the basis of what type of families would be using the app. Oliver, Zoe and Matt have different needs that can be fulfilled by the app. Their common goal is to find a sense of community and belonging.

User Journey
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User Journey
Information Architecture
Information Architecture
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Moodboard
Moodboard

Mood boarding helps me to organize the goals that I want my app to achieve. Deriving inspiration from platforms already out there helps to provide context when I am trying to explain the features of the platform to my team or others.

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UX Theme
UX Theme
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Wireframes
Wireframes

To deliver the basic idea of the platform I decided to show the onboarding and the swipe feature as the prototype. The challenge was to decide what important information to ask the user while onboarding to ensure we have enough information about the user to make their profile active.

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Pref 2.png
Pref 1.png
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Prototype
Prototype
Final Thoughts

I would consider this project to be a significant milestone in my UX/UI career. I worked on the UX part of the project and also on ways to market an app, look for grants and fundings, manage a team and how to pitch your ideas for investment. This project let me explore the entrepreneurial side of UX. It made me realize that I have the capacity to run a business someday.

One of the challenges I faced was how to make sure this platform is secure enough for families to put their personal information. I was also worried about how can I handle this subject matter in a way that's affirming and welcoming to queer families.

Overall, I am proud of myself and being able to convert simple ideas into working prototypes has been the best part of this journey.

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