The Product

Dance Card is a social platform for dancers who want to get off their phones and onto the dance floor.

the problem

Dancing is a human-to-human, in-person activity with a tightly connected and diverse community.
Social dancers’ communication is a patchwork across multiple platforms, without a central place to gather, message, explore, plan, or promote.

New dancers struggle to break in and find their network.
Experienced dancers stick to the same venues and partners, because vetting a new location or group is a hassle, and can present personal safety concerns.

the goal

To create a go-to space for social dancers to strengthen and expand their existing connections.

my process

THE SOLUTION

A platform that creates an online community for dancers, studios, and venues with:

• Detailed, streamlined event search and exploration features to expand their existing networks

• Messaging and Invites that foster community in order to strengthen and expand networks, promote safety, and increase engagement.

• Calendar that keeps scheduling on the app, and creates metrics for engagement and follow-up.

Affinity map & key findings

Expand on dancer’s already established networks

Users feel their dance community is tight-knit, supportive, and full of positivity. 50% of users interviewed said more than half their friends were "dance friends."

Design safe & easy-to-find spaces for new dancers

Though the community is close, it's difficult for new dancers to find their group, and going out alone can present safety concerns for women.

Create a single destination for event information

The dance community is on various online platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, venue and studio websites, and email newsletters. For planning just one event, they often cross-reference their event/venue research on multiple tools.

Build a community tailored for dancers

Facebook isn't designed for their community, dancers had frustrations with the lack of a localized or filtered search, spam, and the political and ethical problems they had with the platform.

Persona & Problem Definition

Competitive analysis

feature prioritization

Phase 1

Event Search Tool

Filters & Filter Badges

Event Page

Event Invitation

Calendar/Add to Calendar

“Who’s Attending” Icon

Suggested Events & “My Likes” Sections

user flow

INITIAL sketchES

My interview data portrays a user that is passionate about going out but frustrated by the multiple tools she must use to make plans. I kept wondering- how might we make the planning stage as easy and fun as the actual event? How could I design an interface that felt friendly and inclusive, inspiring users to explore further than their usual networks?

I created a guided search, including shortcuts or prompts for returning users. Search results can be filtered further by neighborhood, music style, dance style, and other lifestyle preferences like LGBTQ+ friendly, Lessons Available, or Mask Required. Results should feel curated for our user. Each event they add to their calendar or share with a friend is another tie to the platform's community and retention.

user testing & iterations

Usability Testing Round 1

Method: Remote Moderated
6 users
Testing Event Search flow in a low fidelity wireframe prototype

Tool: Figma & Zoom

usability testing round 2

Method: Remote Moderated
4 users
Testing wireframe prototype

Tool: Figma & Zoom

Usability Testing Round 3

Method: Remote Unmoderated
6 users
Testing the high fidelity prototype

Tool: Maze.com

Updated User Journey

high fidelity prototype

reflections & next steps

Candid thoughts

1. I grappled with the Guided Search feature in my later iterations. I think the way it’s designed now would be fun for new users, like an extension to onboarding, but for frequent users, it’s going to get tedious. The user could use the search in the navigation bar as a more streamlined search, but I’m not sure it’s focal enough compared to the top bar. I would have loved to have a teammate to bounce ideas off on this one!

2. This was my first project, which I used as a canvas to utilize what I was learning. It has gone through so many iterations as I’ve developed my skills, and I was so regretful I hadn’t started with at least an outline of a design system. Aligning all the styles to create the system after it was proto-typed was a huge lesson learned for me. I’m curious how other designers organize their Figma workflow when going from drafts to the final file.

REFINE

1. Create a “Newbie Dancer” persona with additional interviews, and validate the current features for users new to the community. Though my initial interviews were of experienced dancers, each reflected on their struggles to enter the community, some citing safety concerns when going out alone, so if our goal is to strengthen and expand the community online, this is a key group to design for.

MAXIMIZE CONNECTION

1. Design a “Invite to Event” flow- where users can invite friends, and receive invitations in notifications, strengthening existing networks, with the tools to expand friend groups organically within the app.

2. Design a “Create a Group” flow- where users can create their own groups, events, and pages in order to create their own customized community within the platform, increasing engagement and retention.

CREATE

1. Interview and create a Venue persona, and design solutions that can help venues promote and expand their networks to users. Venue and event promotion in the messaging, invitations, or explore/search features can provide a path to monetizing the platform.

2. Design a Venue Profile- so venues can promote upcoming events, reviews, and culture info. Users can subscribe to venues to receive updates on events. By integrating venues into the community, users will have more information in the form of venue messaging, reviews, and clear scheduling information to make confident, well-attended, and safe plans for their night out.

MORE OF MY WORK