How to communicate in a relationship?
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP · PRODUCT DESIGN
OVERVIEW
WordMe is a socially impactful company with a fundamental goal to create a platform for learning new communication skills in a relationship.
Our first product is a set of 18 cards for couples who are consciously working on improving their communication to maintain a loving relationship.
MY ROLE
Product Design
Web Design
Brand Design
Email Marketing
TIMELINE
Sept 2022 - Sept 2023
THE TEAM
1 Social Pedagogue
1 Product Designer (me)
TOOLS
Figma, MailChimp, WordPress, Elementor, Stripe, Make
GENTLENESS · INTIMACY · LOVE · INCLUSIVITY · SOFTNESS
WordMe product - a set of 18 cards for couples to enhance their communication
TL;DR
Statistics on our product
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200 products sold for 30 EUR/product via wordme.org
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B2B: 8 presentations at corporations and 3 sales to companies as a gift for their employees
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Social media: 438 Instagram followers, 83 posts, and countless IG stories
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Marketing: 1 podcast appearance at one of Slovenia's biggest podcasts, 1 trade show
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Email marketing: 9 newsletters using MailChimp, 8 blog posts, 121 email subscribers
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Project management: 1235 completed tasks
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Pitching competitions: 8 pitches to investors, won 3 competitions
01
UNDERSTANDING HOW COUPLES COMMUNICATE
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Lack of Communication in Modern Intimate Relationships
Isolation has become an epidemic in modern society, and romantic relationships should be a safe space where we can express emotions and needs.
But are they really?
87% of people experience deficient communication
We surveyed 130 participants using Google Forms and found that 87% of participants experienced deficient communication in their relationships.
A couple talks only 35 min per week
The average couple, with two children and jobs, talks to each other for only 35 minutes per week.
80% of divorces occur due to gradual alienation
80% of divorces occur due to gradual alienation and a loss of intimacy, not due to infidelity, which accounts for only about 20% of cases.
Psychology x design x social impact
How can we create a socially impactful solution to help couples communicate better? WordMe is not just a product; it's a movement that began with a simple idea to help couples express their needs and emotions to their partners and is evolving into a movement for meaningful connections.
USER RESEARCH
Initial hypothesis
Couples during the perinatal period need help with building and maintaining good communication skills because the relationship dynamic changes with the birth of a child.
*perinatal period - the period during pregnancy and 1-2 years after childbirth.
In-person interviews
We began our research with interviews, which allowed us to get to know couples in Ljubljana, Slovenia, mostly young, female, and in long-term relationships during the perinatal period. 10 one-hour-long interviews were conducted with questions grouped into the following sections:
We found out that:
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The perinatal period is a mentally hard period with little to no professional help.
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It’s hard to find friends to hang out with and go through this change together.
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Many users leaned away from a mobile app, expressing the desire for a tangible, device-free interaction within relationships.
Quantitative Research
I used Google Forms to create a survey with 127 participants from different age groups and life circumstances in Slovenia. We found that:
We found out that:
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87% of participants experienced deficient communication in their relationships.
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28% of participants have experienced a divorce in their marriage or through their parents
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5 main burdens on a relationship: lack of communication, neglect of needs, lack of attention, lack of time together, and different views and values.
Adjusted hypothesis
Our hypothesis evolved, we found from the product sale that our target users are divorced parents and couples ages 25-35 who want to work on their relationship sometimes due to witnessing a divorce of their parents.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
There must be something out there already
To better understand the current landscape, we looked at 5 different companies and analyzed the benefits they offer to their users. Current company initiatives are primarily too expensive and focus on child development and not the couple.
HOW MIGHT WE
recognize our needs and wants, and communicate them to our partner to feel more connected and spend quality time together?
02
PROTOTYPING AND MATERIAL SOURCING
PROTOTYPING
Using cardboard to build the first prototype
We wanted to test our idea on potential customers, so we designed our first tangible prototype out of cardboard. We wanted the prototype to represent the key features of the product.
Building the first prototypes out of cardboard and handwriting the content.
1. Dimensions
Users preferred card dimensions similar to a mobile phone and that could fit comfortably women's and men's hands.
2. Content resonance
We observed certain content resonated more profoundly with users in addressing communication challenges.
3. Font size and Legibility
We adjusted the font size multiple times based on feedback from users of all ages.
4. Visualizing real-world usage
The prototype allowed the user to use and play with the cards.
MATERIAL SOURCING
Finding the right production partners and environmentally friendly materials
We were looking for environmentally friendly materials when looking for the right production partners. We researched and called across Italy, Austria, Belgium, and Slovenia, and after an eight-month-long exploration decided to collaborate with the Slovenian Institute for Celulose and Paper.
We decided on the material from an invasive plant sourced in Slovenia. This allowed us to use a fully biodegradable and sustainable material that aligns perfectly with our eco-friendly vision.
Our requirements and wishes for the product:
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18 different cards in 1mm thickness
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Two-sided, colored print
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Environmentally friendly and produced in the EU
Challenges we faced when searching for production partners:
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The high price of material
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Available only in the standard 350g paper used for business cards, which is too thin
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Offers only plastic solutions (forex)
Working with the Institute for Celulose and Paper - Picking the color of the paper, paper manufacturing, and printing.
03
BUILDING THE WORDME BRAND
BRAND GUIDELINES
Designing brand guidelines for the product, website, and social media channels
We decided on the brand characteristics, colors, typography, tone of voice, and photography, which all followed a modern, gentle, soft style.
WordMe logo
I designed the logo that intertwined two talking bubbles, embodying the essence of open communication and connection that WordMe strives to foster.
Slide deck
I created a slide deck so that the team can point back to it as a constant reminder when creating new content or visual assets.
04
DESIGNING THE PRODUCT
DESIGNIG
STEP 1 - Ideating with pen and paper
I started by sketching graphics that reminded me of 'home' where people usually feel safe and interact with their partners. However ironically, after receiving feedback, I learned that people's first association with the graphic was 'prison'.
First ideas inspired by book illustrations.
STEP 2 - Wireframing in Figma
During the next phase, I focused more on line drawings, which resonated with customers the most at the end. The line drawings portrayed intimacy, gentleness, and a relationship, which was the goal.
Testing different wireframes and exploring text hierarchy.
STEP 3 - Illustrating small movements
I designed a collection of line drawings and tested them on customers. We wanted to portray small gestures and movements in an intimate relationship.
A collection od illustrations using Figma.
WordMe’s final User Experience
Using Figma I designed 18 cards, each double-sided. To meet the Institute’s requirements, I had to adapt our designs.
Necessary changes for production needs:
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Widening the margins around the content to allow some wiggle room for mistakes
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Increasing the font size for readability
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Adjusting the color scheme to ensure high contrast and material suitability
The process took approximately 2 weeks, enriched by user feedback, and inspired by book illustrations.
How are the cards used?
1. Look through the cards.
Take a moment and recognize what you feel or need from your partner.
2. Hand the chosen card to your partner.
You can place it in their hands, leave it on a nightstand, or put it on a kitchen counter.
3. Try to complete the exercise on the back of the card together.
Reflect on the activity. How did it feel?
What do the cards include?
The front side of the cards
The front side offers words and phrases to identify and express needs. Some of them are:
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At this moment, I need a hug
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I appreciate you
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I'm proud of you
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At this moment, I need your time
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I believe you
The back side of the cards
The first part is a psychoeducational explanation of a need or emotion. The second is an exercise for the couple. Some examples are:
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Try to complete the sentence: I thank you for...
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Try to articulate what actions of the past week you appreciate in each other.
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Try to choose a date idea that you will implement the next day.
WordMe product
Front side ("I believe in you")
Back side ("Try to articulate what you value most in a partner".)
05
BUILDING THE BUSINESS
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
3 - good health and well-being
To remain aligned with global goals, we defined the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) we aimed to support. This commitment to social responsibility fortified our purpose.
WEBSITE
Designing a one page e-commerce website in WordPress
Our primary sales channel was B2C, so our priority was to design a simple website. Nika wrote the content and I designed the website.
Why a one-pager?
One-pager allowed us to easily analyze the marketing funnel of a potential customer clicking on the link to buy the product.
Comparing Shopify and WooCommerce for e-commerce
I compared different website-building platforms and finally shortlisted Shopify and WooCommerce. I decided to design our website using WordPress through WooCommerce paired with Elementor for the ultimate flexibility and creative control at a lower price.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Online community building
Our vision was always to create a loving community around the WordMe brand, so our initial step was to start an Instagram account under the handle @wordme.community.
Our social media schedule included 2 posts per week complemented by engaging stories.
SEO AND MARKETING
SEO Optimisation by Launching a Blog and Newsletter
We launched a blog and newsletter for couples to simultaneously grow our community and optimize our SEO. The objective was to create a hub for additional educational resources on building and maintaining a strong, meaningful relationship.
Our process:
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Nika writes the content for the blog and newsletter in Google Docs.
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I take the blog and create a design for our website.
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I design the email in MailChimp and send it to all of our subscribers bi-weekly on Thursdays.
Screenshots of the WordMe blog and newsletter.
06
PITCHING & COMPETITIONS
We were recognized as a socially impactful company
In December 2022, we were accepted into the Social Tides Aspire Program, a Google-funded European initiative, and received an initial funding of 8,000 EUR.
In June 2023, WordMe was selected as a finalist for the Social Impact Award Slovenia.
Pictures from Social Impact Award Slovenia
PITCHING COMPETITIONS
Creating an Investor's Pitch and wining our first investments
We pitched our product at 7 pitch competitions and became the finalists of the Social Impact Award Slovenia, POPRI and Social Tides Aspire Program
Nika and I presenting WordMe at pitching competitions.
REFLECTION
Key learning
Corporations find WordMe too personal
Corporations are looking for products/services that improve the well-being of their employees, however, the current WordMe product is too personal or invading for them to buy as a gift.
Varying communication skills
A lot of couples don't yet have a high level of self-reflection and communication skills.
Lack of emotional intelligence education
Kids are the future and teaching them how to communicate their needs and emotions is crucial. The school system currently doesn't include emotional intelligence education.
Opportunity
Develop a product for communication at work
Develop a new product in collaboration with a company that focuses on communication between team members at work. For example, how to communicate cross-generationally.
Varying communication skills
A lot of couples don't yet have a high level of self-reflection and communication skills.
Lack of emotional intelligence education
Kids are the future and teaching them how to communicate their needs and emotions is crucial. The school system currently doesn't include emotional intelligence education.