MATCH & SWAP: Get Matched. Meet up. Swap Skills. Learn Something New. (Updated 7/29 with Design Ideas)
An online platform that matches a "mentor" and "mentee" who have common interests and values, and a complimentary sets of skills. Your "Match & Swap" profile would work a bit like a dating site - answering a series of questions so that the other person may get to know you, and the platform can appropriately match you with someone you would be interested to meet. In addition to personal profile questions, you would be able to select skills or topics you are interested in learning more about such as: "Italian Cooking", "Vehicle Mechanics", "Gardening 101", "Golf", "American History", "Internet 101", "Digital Camera Basics", "Woodworking" etc... You will be matched with someone who you will likely enjoy and learn from.
How would you describe your idea in one sentence?
"MATCH & SWAP" is an online service that builds relationships by matching people based on three categories of information: 1) Values and interests 2) Skills/knowledge they are able to share and 3) Skills/knowledge they would like to acquire. (Think: Match.com meets Skillshare)








The "Match & Swap" Concept does just that. It also goes one step further, to match people based on skills they would like to acquire, thereby creating mutually beneficial relationships. By also taking personalities and values into account, people may meet to exchange a particular skill, but the likelihood that a meaningful relationship could grow out of this interaction is greater!
USABILITY:
- The Site would be designed SO simply and visually that sign up would not be complicated for users without much online experience. See below for some design guideposts that would be followed to make sure older adult users are able to understand it quickly. Additionally, I think it is important to have a very simple homepage, with an explainer video for new users. I think AirBnB's explainer video is a good inspiration point. It is approachable and easy to understand...maybe the Match and Swap video would also incorporate some "demo" shots to help people understand how to sign up. Also love Mint.com's explainver video - so clear.
For additional design and UX inspiration, see images.
Design guideposts from the National Institute of Aging on designing for older users:
First Design Guidepost:
Make it clear how the information on the website is organized. Users should easily be able to determine what information your site offers and how it is organized. They should be able to figure out a starting point and predict what type of information a link will lead them to. It should also be clear how they can find more information as well as how to return to previously visited pages.
Second Design Guidepost
Keep the website structure simple and straightforward. A broad and shallow site hierarchy reduces complexity and makes it easier for visitors to learn how information is organized.
Third Design Guidepost:
Break information into short sections. Giving people a small amount of content at one time makes it easier for them to grasp and recall information.
Fourth Design Guidepost:
Group related topics visually. Use page layout to show how information is organized.Write a clear, informative heading for each section. Clear headings give people anchors on the page and help them select desired content.
The website would need to be very minimalist, especially in the sign up process, to draw attention to what is being asked of the user (the questions that they need to fill out). With minimalist and "clean" sites being also considered modern, I think that there is an elegant solution to the design that would appeal to both user groups. Please see images for some very rough mockups to give an idea of how simple the site (and sign up process) would be.
MEET UP LOCALES:
- People who have been matched and would like to meet up could do so at a public place (coffee-shop, park, etc) and then could meet at each other's house or anywhere they wish. Users would be asked to provide site location of their meet-up to give future users ideas on where to meet.
OFF-LINE OPPORTUNITY:
Per a variety of comments and builds for this idea (thank you, contributors!) I'd like to add an "offline" component to this idea. "Match & Swap" could organize in-person events in the community that would be a kind of "speed dating" environment. You would have a few minutes with a "mentor" or "mentee" to get to know each other, and then you would move on to the next person. At the end of the session, you could approach someone who has complimentary skills, to arrange another meeting. This would help create a more inclusive experience - accessible by those who may not be online.
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CommentArushi gupta