Separating better

A new mobile app, which can help guide parents through the separation process, find effective ways of co-parenting, and sort out disagreements, all with the wellbeing of their child in mind.

The business

A little about OnePlusOne and the goals of the project.

For 50 years, OnePlusOne have specialised in creating evidence-based early intervention resources to help people build and maintain healthy relationships. They do this by applying the latest relationship research to their knowledge of behaviour change theory.

OnePlusOne secured funding from the Department of Work and Pensions to develop an app for parents going through separation. The app aims to help parents manage the separation process independently, reducing pressure on the family court system by offering practical and emotional support to prioritise children's well-being.

What prompted the project

Lack of emotional readiness is a significant barrier to making co-parenting arrangements. Research shows that when parents are pushed to engage before they are emotionally ready, they risk becoming entrenched in the system. OnePlusOne had previously created the Emotional Adaptation to Relationship Dissolution Assessment (EARDA), this was to be placed at the start of the user journey to assess the user’s emotional readiness.

Parents with lower emotional readiness will therefore be guided to start with video-based learning to equip them with coping, communication, and conflict resolution skills developed from the evidence and evaluation of OneplusOne’s digital behaviour change intervention, Getting it right for children.

My role in the project

As the Product Manager and UX Lead for this project, I played a pivotal role in shaping its direction and ensuring its success from inception to completion. My responsibilities included the procurement and ongoing management of the development agency to maintain alignment with project goals. I also developed and implemented a comprehensive project roadmap, meticulously tailored to each persona’s needs to ensure a user-centric approach throughout the process.

Challenges

1. Budget & timeline

Given the project's funding was from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), we faced strict budget and timeline constraints. The project was subject to evaluation, requiring us to develop and launch the pilot version of the app within three months, with the full live version scheduled for completion within six months.

2. Onboarding journey

As an evaluated project, it was crucial to strike a delicate balance between effective data gathering and ensuring users could access the app with minimal friction. This required finding solutions that addressed both needs without compromising the quality of the data or the overall user experience. Specific hurdles for the user were around the consent page, needed for the evaluation and the length of the onboarding journey and sheer volumes of questions asked.

3. Parenting plan feature

This feature is complex, as it involves linking two user accounts to facilitate collaboration on a detailed co-parenting plan for their child or children. Several factors needed to be carefully considered:

Preventing users from becoming trapped in a loop of unresolved issues.
Ensuring the language used remained constructive throughout their interactions.
Addressing data protection concerns, ensuring that this section of the app was the only part shared, with all content requiring approval from both parties.

My approach

1. Budget & timeline

Given the nature of the constraints our primary focus was to deliver an MVP. My process involved capturing and prioritising key user needs, and identify feasible solutions that were high value low effort/cost. This meant our team were able to focus on delivering the 'must have' features to meet our business goals and user needs.

2. Onboarding journey

Using analytics, I made informed decisions about the onboarding journey, focusing on strategies to maximise user engagement. I conducted user interviews to gather insights that further shaped our design and development processes. Specific hurdles for the user were around the consent page

3. Parenting plan feature

I collaborated closely with our research lead and content team to design a notification system that was strategically activating when users repeatedly revisit the same section. These provide relevant information or gentle prompts to encourage progress in the conversation, preventing users from becoming entrenched in unproductive dialogue. We developed a rigorous testing plan to ensure the feature was implemented accurately, with a strong emphasis on maintaining user privacy throughout the process.

How its going so far

Screen shot of the video section of the Separating better app.

Screen shot of the homepage of the Separating better app.

Screen shot of the advice and guidance section of the Separating better app.

What's next

The implementation of an AI chatbot. I have already identified and engaged with a third-party supplier. I have been collaborating with key stakeholders to build the chatbot's persona, once terms are agreed we will begin testing. The goal is to provide users with an additional point of contact within the app, assisting them in navigation while also gathering valuable insights on user behaviour and any issues encountered.

I am integrating a shared calendar into the parenting plan, designed to serve as a centralised point of contact for all aspects of the child's needs. This allows parents to coordinate and plan their child's life comprehensively, ensuring they are aware of upcoming events. We will need to ensure that personal calendars are kept separate, with robust security measures implemented to protect user privacy.