Listen Together
Duration
2017, revisited 2020
Project Info
Solo-work
Tools Used
Sketch
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Listen together is a feature that enable multiple users to listen the music simultaneously.
Project Objective
Listen Together is for people who want to have more connection and conversation with friends, partners, and family while they are not physically together. In order to understand this, I researched four couples who were in long distance relationships and discovered their pain points in maintaining their relationships. They told me it was hard for them to express their feelings through technology, so I hoped to provide ways for people to build more emotional connections from a long distance. To solve this problem, I designed a feature letting users listen to music together while they are physically apart, generating more conversations and building up more emotional connection for people in long distance relationships.
Long Distance Relationship is Hard
Physically distanced relationships are hard to maintain over time. According to New York Post, long-distance relationships have a 58% success rate. It is hard to manage a love life without being physically present.
What’s the Problem?
Why do people have a difficult time maintaining long-distance relationships?
“I miss when we had fun conversations together.”
“When I go on a date with my boyfriend, we just lay down and listen to music or binge-watch movies together. I miss those when I’m physically not with him. Having a conversation while we watch or listen together feels like I’m having a connection with him.”
“Having a date is not just hanging out with someone. It is sharing the same emotions with who you with.”
“Going out on a date is to share the same feeling with my loved ones. If my boyfriend and I are physically apart from each other, I want more than to ask how you are doing or how you are feeling today. Phone calls and FaceTime do not fulfill those needs.”
“Long-distance was really tough; it meant that we had to work on communication a lot. Setting hours for when to call, talk and know each other's schedule. Financially, it also strained us because we both had to purchase flights, hotels, etc., to see each other.”
User Research
I followed four groups having long-term relationships learning how they spend time physically apart from each other, and here are some of the main highlights.
What do you use to have conversation/connection with your love ones?
Text, Call, Facetime, Facebook/Instragram video call.
How often do you use those?
Everyday, once or twice.
How many minutes/hours do you use those?
Usually over an hour.
At what time(night, day, after class, etc) do you call or send message to your love ones?
Few texts a day, over an hour call in the mornings and the evenings.
What kinds of conversation were you having at those times?
We talked a lot about college, the events we were going to, and our work. We talked about friends, family, and things happening in our daily lives. There would be quite a few fights, and those were always very difficult.
Persona
James
22 Years Old
College Student
Lives in California
Loves Traveling
Sophia
21 Years Old
College Student
Lives in New York
Workout Enthusiast
Key Insights from User Study
I need to generate emotional connections and conversations intimately.
People do not expect significant events while they are on a date. They want to share the same emotions with their loved ones.
The Mission
By letting them listen to the same music simultaneously, I can generate conversations between the users to share the emotional connection while they are physically apart.
