Hand Holding App; User Research

Couples like to feel close, connected. From wearing similar clothing, to similar hair styles, to jewelry. Think about it, married couples wear matching rings as a symbol of their bond.

Even without the symbols, couples will fill that desire to be connected. Giving your partner a piggy back ride, lift them up in the air, a hug, cuddling, and holding hands. It’s a connection that fulfills something in us to feel that connection.

Even outside of a couple in a relationship, holding hands is a connection that helps someone when they need it. Such as guiding them across a street, showing them support to face a fear, or to show someone gratitude when you shake their hand.

So what happens when people are unable to reach each other physically? Technology attempts to step in. From friendship lamps, to hand held devices that communicate pressure to each other. It’s all cute, but I’m already holding a phone most of the time, why not just use that? That’s my idea, but what do others feel?

I took my question to the public, some friends I have, and people I know around me. I targeted people of adult age, who are in a current relationship, and have had some long-distance experience. While data from people who have had relationships prior could be valuable, I wanted to be able to hear feedback about potentially cutting edge technology.

I asked how they met their significant other, I was curious to see if they met using apps, and if they continued to use those apps after meeting each other. But in all of my interviews, they had all met in person first. The one couple that met over Tinder dropped the app shortly afterwards.

So then I asked how they regularly communicate with their significant other when they were apart, both in the present, and how they did using past technology. Most of the answers are centered around apps designed for communication. Such as the modern Discord, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Snapchat, to the older Skype, and a couple niche uses of direct messages over Twitter and DeviantArt.

When asked the question, what they enjoyed from one app over the other, there was no real reason to choose one app over another. One person enjoyed the stickers on FB to share how they feel, but they have since adapted to using gif search services to be used across any app they’re communicating with. Apps with both Voice and Video options are a nice feature, but not an everyday occurrence to warrant the exclusive use of that app over what they normally use. The question of which was their app of choice was met with the answer of convenience. It was an app, or website, where they already spent much of their time, in a community they already were a part of, or an app they both already own.

I probed further to ask if there were any new features they wished these apps could do for them. They all agreed that Video, and Voice can only do so much. A comforting touch, or a hug, was too far away. One idea came to a potential user from the show ‘Orange is the new Black’ where communication with a partner on the outside was only limited to the meaningful things they wanted to share. All of the daily communication about each others day made couples feel less connected. They wanted a way to fill in that information, when it couldn’t be communicated manually.

Overall, there does seem to be a need from other users who could find the app I have in mind rewarding. One interesting detail to note in these interviews was that long-distance over a week or less was perfectly fine. It’s only in the long-term cases where the desire to feel connected grows enough to need fulfillment in both the relationship with a partner and one with a close friend or family. While this app in mind would help those in a relationship, I can’t help but see the need that’s there for those who are less intimate with each other that this app wouldn’t satisfy.