I've written extensively on various UX design topics, covering everything from mobile app pop-ups to fundamental design principles. However, instead of focusing on one specific issue, I believe it's essential to take a step back and examine how different design techniques come together to create an exceptional user experience in a functioning application.
UX is more than just a checklist of design practices – it's about creating harmony among various elements to produce something greater than the sum of its parts. To better understand this holistic approach, I conducted a comprehensive UX case study on Bumble, a popular dating app that has gained over seven million users worldwide.
In this article, we'll delve into the highlights and pain points of Bumble's user experience, exploring how their design decisions impact the overall app user experience. We'll also examine what makes their approach unique and learn from both their successes and challenges.
Onboarding
Upon opening the app, users are greeted with a well-crafted login screen featuring a clear call-to-action: 'Sign In With Facebook'. Bumble then pairs this CTA with a reassuring disclaimer that ensures users' Facebook accounts won't be flooded with posts from Bumble. This approach may seem unconventional, as most apps offer multiple sign-up options, but it prioritizes one of Bumble's key objectives – providing authentic matches.
By restricting sign-ups to Facebook members exclusively, the app user base is inherently less susceptible to low-quality matches or trolls. Overall, Bumble's login screen is sleek, concise, and innovative.
Main Screen
After signing in, users are taken to a screen that summarizes the app's unique selling proposition – its "women-make-the-first-move" approach – in four simple steps. This straightforward onboarding process doesn't commit any glaring UX offenses, so we'll move on to the main screen.
Before accessing the central feed, users are interrupted by a promotional pop-up for Bumble Boost, the app's premium content service. While this isn't ideal UX, it's not just because of the pop-up itself – it's the timing and relevance (or lack thereof) that's concerning.
As a brand new user, why would I be interested in premium content before even trying the standard version? The pop-up offers "Unlimited Extends", but as a Bumble novice, I'm not even sure what an Extend is.
Swipe & Match
After exiting the pop-up, users finally see the central feed. Like any dating platform, users are the focal point, so Bumble wisely dedicates roughly 90% of the screen real estate to photos of potential matches, with the remaining 5% allocated to their name and bio.
The dots in the top right corner signal that users can vertically scroll to view more photos, while the golden dot distinguishes itself as a more comprehensive bio. For swiping, Bumble borrows conventions from Tinder, designating left for dislike and right for like.
This is never explicitly taught, but Bumble's UX designers know that this is users' initial instinct. The first swipe action validates it with an animated overlay (hive logo for like, X for dislike) and a wordy confirmation pop-up.
Matches & Settings
The final elements of the main screen consist of two buttons: one on the left for settings and another on the right for Bumble's hive logo. Let's start with the latter, which navigates to the matches page where users can manage connections and conversations.
As it's my first visit to this screen, two informational bubbles pop up. Both informative, though the first bubble cuts off its message completely – I tried tapping, scrolling, and swiping, but couldn't advance the text. After clearing the pop-ups, a relatively intuitive content management screen appears.
Bumble combines standards from two different platforms to design this screen. The Match Queue is mostly lifted from Tinder, while Bumble adds their twist – when tapping a match, users can view more information about that connection.
In conclusion, Bumble's user experience is a perfect blend of innovative design decisions and conventional UX practices. By prioritizing authenticity, streamlining the onboarding process, and simplifying the main screen, Bumble has created an exceptional app user experience that resonates with millions of users worldwide.