Coffee Meets Bagel

Executive Summary

• Conducted usability study on Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB) app for initial user profile setup.

• Tasks included creating a profile, adjusting preferences, and adding a prompt.

• Emphasis on efficiency measured by task completion time, error frequency, and user impressions.

• Three main recommendations:

  1. Address lag issues when uploading photos.

  2. Improve visibility and clarity of match preferences button labeling.

  3. Enhance discoverability of "Add a Prompt" feature through better naming and design.

Introduction

• Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB), an online dating platform launched in 2012, focuses on quality matches.

• Usability study conducted to observe first-time users setting up profiles, emphasizing efficiency.

• Aims to understand app's initial setup process, identifying areas for improvement.

Methods

• Conducted at the University of Houston-Clear Lake with 10 participants unfamiliar with CMB.

• Testing in a distraction-free environment at the Alfred R. Neumann Library.

• Participants used laptops for Pre-Testing Questionnaire, own smartphones for tasks.

• Three tasks assigned: create a profile, adjust preferences, add a prompt.

• Notetakers recorded task completion time, errors, and error causes.

• Post-test Questionnaire collected user impressions, followed by statistical analysis.

• Participant demographics: Ages 21-29, iPhone (8) and Android (2) users, half with previous dating app experience.

• Tasks success rates: Task 1 - 100%, Task 2 - 50%, Task 3 - 60%.

Results

• Task 1 success rate: 100%, Task 2: 50%, Task 3: 60%.

• Lagging issue during photo upload affected 50% of participants.

• Difficulty in locating match preferences and prompt features led to errors.

Recommendations:

1. Photo Lagging:

   • Investigate and fix lag issues during photo upload.

   • Enhance communication to users about the processing status.

2. Labeling of Features:

   • Rename "Preferences for Suggested" to "Potential Match Criteria" or "What's My Type?"

   • Improve button visibility and clarity for match preferences.

3. Call to Action Buttons:

   • Rename "Add a Prompt" to "More About Me" or "Make a Statement."

   • Redesign the button for better visibility and intuitiveness.

Prioritized Action Plan:

1. Address photo lagging issues.

2. Revise labeling of match preferences.

3. Enhance visibility and design of prompt feature.

Discussion:

• User confusion stemmed from misalignment with common dating app expectations.

• Proposed changes aim to align CMB with popular app formats, reducing the need for tutorials.

• Improved communication during photo upload to enhance user experience.

• Changes projected to establish a more intuitive and error-free user experience.

Future Focus:

• Future research should address usability beyond initial setup, exploring expanded profile features and user satisfaction with daily match notifications.

By implementing these recommendations, Coffee Meets Bagel can enhance user satisfaction, minimize errors, and establish itself as a user-friendly platform in the competitive online dating market.