Everwish
Everwish
Student project at University of Toronto
Student project at University of Toronto
Reducing decision friction between couples by supporting shared wishes and shared decisions
Reducing decision friction between couples by supporting shared wishes and shared decisions
Timeline
3 months
(Sept - Dec 2024)
3 months
(Sept - Dec 2024)
Collaborators
Amy Ho, Ariba Malik, Joanna Lau, Peter Huang
Amy Ho, Ariba Malik, Joanna Lau, Peter Huang
Skills
UX Design
Testing & Iteration
User Research
UI/Visual Design
Skills
UX Design
Testing & Iteration
User Research
UI/Visual Design
OVERVIEW
What if gift-giving didn’t rely so much on guessing?
As my first UX project at the University of Toronto, this open-ended, semester-long team project gave me space to explore a topic that felt everyday and personal.
THE PROBLEM
THE PROBLEM
It’s difficult for couples to decide on gifts because of unclear preferences, hesitation around commitment, and the emotional pressure of choosing “the right” gift. - something I personally struggle with :(
This challenge led us to ask:
It’s difficult for couples to decide on gifts because of unclear preferences, hesitation around commitment, and the emotional pressure of choosing “the right” gift. - something I personally struggle with :(
This challenge led us to ask:
It’s difficult for couples to decide on gifts because of unclear preferences, hesitation around commitment, and the emotional pressure of choosing “the right” gift. - something I personally struggle with :(
This challenge led us to ask:
"How might we help couples clarify preferences and reduce pressure when deciding on gifts? "
SOLUTION
Introducing Everwish …
A collaborative gift-planning system that helps couples make shared gift decisions through reactions, feedback, and gradual commitment.
A collaborative gift-planning system that helps couples make shared gift decisions through reactions, feedback, and gradual commitment.
A collaborative gift-planning system that helps couples make shared gift decisions through reactions, feedback, and gradual commitment.
HOMEPAGE
Keeping both partners in sync
Centralizes upcoming celebrations and recent gift ideas, surfacing shared activity and progress at a glance to support ongoing planning.
ADD WISH
Add wish with a link
Add wish from website
Add wish from website
Flexible entry for gift and experience ideas
Allows partners to capture gift or experience ideas without committing to a date or specific celebration, with the option to keep wishes private for surprises.
CELEBRATION WISHLIST + REACT
Shared visibility + Shared agency
Enables quick reactions to wishes while keeping both partners aligned on options and preferences as they narrow down choices together.
RESEARCH
Initial Research Direction
This project began with a broad interest in gift-giving as an everyday yet emotionally charged practice. We wanted to understand how people choose gifts, what makes a gift feel meaningful, and where friction or anxiety tends to emerge in the process.
This project began with a broad interest in gift-giving as an everyday yet emotionally charged practice. We wanted to understand how people choose gifts, what makes a gift feel meaningful, and where friction or anxiety tends to emerge in the process.
This project began with a broad interest in gift-giving as an everyday yet emotionally charged practice. We wanted to understand how people choose gifts, what makes a gift feel meaningful, and where friction or anxiety tends to emerge in the process.
Research Method
Jump to
Background Research
Background Research
Why gift-giving feels harder than it should
Recipients value sentiment over price
Meaning, personalization, and shared memories matter more than cost.
Recipients value sentiment over price
Meaning, personalization, and shared memories matter more than cost.
Recipients value sentiment over price
Meaning, personalization, and shared memories matter more than cost.
Givers overthink and play it safe
Fear of “getting it wrong” leads to hesitation, second-guessing, and safer choices.
Givers overthink and play it safe
Fear of “getting it wrong” leads to hesitation, second-guessing, and safer choices.
Givers overthink and play it safe
Fear of “getting it wrong” leads to hesitation, second-guessing, and safer choices.
Closeness raises expectations
The closer the relationship, the more emotional weight a gift carries.
Closeness raises expectations
The closer the relationship, the more emotional weight a gift carries.
Closeness raises expectations
The closer the relationship, the more emotional weight a gift carries.
(Flynn & Adams, 2009; Galak et al., 2011; Baskin et al., 2014; Belk, 1979; Ward & Broniarczyk, 2011; Lowrey et al., 2004; Caplow, 1982)
(Flynn & Adams, 2009; Galak et al., 2011; Baskin et al., 2014; Belk, 1979; Ward & Broniarczyk, 2011; Lowrey et al., 2004; Caplow, 1982)
(Flynn & Adams, 2009; Galak et al., 2011; Baskin et al., 2014; Belk, 1979; Ward & Broniarczyk, 2011; Lowrey et al., 2004; Caplow, 1982)
User Interview
User Interview
We interviewed 10 participants to understand how they experience gift giving as both givers and receivers.
Key Insights
Key Insights
Gifting Is Emotionally Risky (8/10)
Uncertainty about whether the gift will be liked, feel sufficient creates stress and second-guessing.
Gifting Is Emotionally Risky (8/10)
Uncertainty about whether the gift will be liked, feel sufficient creates stress and second-guessing.
Gifting Is Emotionally Risky (8/10)
Uncertainty about whether the gift will be liked, feel sufficient creates stress and second-guessing.
Q: What do you find most challenging about gift-giving?
Q: What do you find most challenging about gift-giving?
Q: What do you find most challenging about gift-giving?
Romantic gifting carries the highest emotional weight. （7/10）
The closer the relationship, the more emotionally loaded the gift feels
Romantic gifting carries the highest emotional weight. （7/10）
The closer the relationship, the more emotionally loaded the gift feels
Romantic gifting carries the highest emotional weight. (7/10)
The closer the relationship, the more emotionally loaded the gift feels
Q: Who and when do you usually exchange gifts with, and how does it differ?
Q: Who and when do you usually exchange gifts with, and how does it differ?
Q: Who and when do you usually exchange gifts with, and how does it differ?
Co-creation reduces uncertainty on the "right" gift.（7/10）
Gift givers test ideas through interaction, confirmation, and observation to feel sure the gift will land well.
Co-creation reduces uncertainty on the "right" gift.（7/10）
Gift givers test ideas through interaction, confirmation, and observation to feel sure the gift will land well.
Co-creation reduces uncertainty on the "right" gift.（7/10）
Gift givers test ideas through interaction, confirmation, and observation to feel sure the gift will land well.
Meaning and shared experience make a gift valuable（9/10）
The emotional effort behind a gift and the memories it creates more than its material worth.
Meaning and shared experience make a gift valuable（9/10）
The emotional effort behind a gift and the memories it creates more than its material worth.
Meaning and shared experience make a gift valuable（9/10）
The emotional effort behind a gift and the memories it creates more than its material worth.
Q: How do you figure out what the right gift is?
Q: How do you figure out what the right gift is?
Q: How do you figure out what the right gift is?
Competitor Analysis
Competitor Analysis
What gifting platforms optimize
Most gifting platforms are designed for efficiency. They help users decide what to buy, coordinate purchases, and prevent duplicates by structuring exchanges around transactions.
Most gifting platforms are designed for efficiency. They help users decide what to buy, coordinate purchases, and prevent duplicates by structuring exchanges around transactions.
Most gifting platforms are designed for efficiency. They help users decide what to buy, coordinate purchases, and prevent duplicates by structuring exchanges around transactions.
Collection-first
Coordiantion-first
Commerce-first
Hover to see breakdown
Hover to see breakdown
Where interaction happens
Where interaction happens…
Gifting platforms organize choices, but the interaction behind them lives outside the platform.
Gifting platforms organize choices, but the interaction behind them lives outside the platform.
Gifting platforms organize choices, but the interaction behind them lives outside the platform.
Hover to see breakdown
Hover to see breakdown
What each platform supports
If interaction lives outside the platform, what exactly is being supported and what isn’t?
If interaction lives outside the platform, what exactly is being supported and what isn’t?
Gift Planning
Gift Planning
Shared wishlist
Shared wishlist
Group gifting
Group gifting
Add via external link
Add via external link
In-platform purchasing
In-platform purchasing
Anonymous claiming
Anonymous claiming
Gift guides
Gift guides
Priviate list control
Priviate list control
Budget visiblitiy
Budget visiblitiy
Coordination
Coordination
Collaborative Editing
Collaborative Editing
Commenting
Commenting
Occasion Tracking
Occasion Tracking
Event-based gifting
Event-based gifting
Event-based exchanges
Event-based exchanges
Event teminder
Event teminder
DEFINE
Refined Direction
Refined Direction
Our research revealed that romantic gifting represents the most emotionally demanding form of gift-giving, yet current platforms mainly support logistics.
Seeing this gap, we pivoted our focus to couples and asked:
Our research revealed that romantic gifting represents the most emotionally demanding form of gift-giving, yet current platforms mainly support logistics.
Seeing this gap, we pivoted our focus to couples and asked:
Our research revealed that romantic gifting represents the most emotionally demanding form of gift-giving, yet current platforms mainly support logistics.
Seeing this gap, we pivoted our focus to couples and asked:
How might we help couples clarify preferences and reduce pressure when deciding on gifts?
How might we help couples clarify preferences and reduce pressure when deciding on gifts?
User Personas
User Personas
From our research, we developed two target users to embody the key gifting behaviors and pressures within romantic relationships.
From our research, we developed two target users to embody the key gifting behaviors and pressures within romantic relationships.
From our research, we developed two target users to embody the key gifting behaviors and pressures within romantic relationships.
Meet The Couple
Gary and Gigi are in a 2-year romantic relationship, living together in Toronto. They celebrate big moments together through gifts and shared experiences. （e.g., anniversary)
Gary and Gigi are in a 2-year romantic relationship, living together in Toronto. They celebrate big moments together through gifts and shared experiences. （e.g., anniversary)
"I want to plan something thoughtful , but I’m not sure I’m choosing right :( "
Gary
26 | PhD Student
Goal
To give Gigi a thoughtful experience for their anniversary celebration.
Concerns
Struggles with indecision and fear of getting it wrong
Wishes he could better understand Gigi's preferences instead of having to guess
Gigi
25 | Designer
“It’s something we’re celebrating together, don’t want him stressing about it alone.”
Goal
To feel understood while co-creating the experience with Gary.
Concerns
Doesn't want a generic celebration/gift
Wants to contribute without turning it into a checklist
Gary
26 | PhD Student
"I want to plan something thoughtful , but I’m not sure I’m choosing right :( "
Goal
To give Gigi a thoughtful experience for their anniversary celebration.
Concerns
Struggles with indecision and fear of getting it wrong
Wishes he could better understand Gigi's preferences instead of having to guess
Gigi
25 | Designer
“It’s something we’re celebrating together, don’t want him stressing about it alone.”
Goal
To feel understood while co-creating the experience with Gary.
Concerns
Doesn't want a generic celebration/gift
Wants to contribute without turning it into a checklist
"I want to plan something thoughtful , but I’m not sure I’m choosing right :( "
Gary
26 | PhD Student
Goal
To give Gigi a thoughtful experience for their anniversary celebration.
Concerns
Struggles with indecision and fear of getting it wrong
Wishes he could better understand Gigi's preferences instead of having to guess
Gigi
25 | Designer
“It’s something we’re celebrating together, don’t want him stressing about it alone.”
Goal
To feel understood while co-creating the experience with Gary.
Concerns
Doesn't want a generic celebration/gift
Wants to contribute without turning it into a checklist
IDEATION
Experience Principles
Experience Principles
Designing for relational clarity
With the problem space defined, we distilled key relational tensions into experience principles to guide solution exploration. The experience should help couples:
With the problem space defined, we distilled key relational tensions into experience principles to guide solution exploration. The experience should help couples:
With the problem space defined, we distilled key relational tensions into experience principles to guide solution exploration. The experience should help couples:
Make expectation visible
Make expectation visible
Make expectation visible
Enable mutual pariticipation
Enable mutual pariticipation
Enable mutual pariticipation
Support simplifed decision-making
Support simplifed decision-making
Support simplifed decision-making
Feature Ideation & Prioritization Matrix
Feature Ideation & Prioritization Matrix
A mobile communal wishlist for couples centered on co-creation
We explored many potential features and product formats, prioritizing those that most directly support relational clarity for the MVP.
We explored many potential features and product formats, prioritizing those that most directly support relational clarity for the MVP.
We explored many potential features and product formats, prioritizing those that most directly support relational clarity for the MVP.
Design Exploration
Design Exploration
How Couples Add and React to Wishes?
We mapped a task flow to understand how couples would create and interact with the MVP, a shared wishlist, and then explored these interactions through early wireframes to ensure the core experience supports co-creation.
We mapped a task flow to understand how couples would create and interact with the MVP, a shared wishlist, and then explored these interactions through early wireframes to ensure the core experience supports co-creation.
We mapped a task flow to understand how couples would create and interact with the MVP, a shared wishlist, and then explored these interactions through early wireframes to ensure the core experience supports co-creation.
INITIAL USER FLOW
INITIAL USER FLOW
INITIAL LOW-FI WIREFRAME
INITIAL LOW-FI WIREFRAME
INITIAL USER FLOW
INITIAL USER FLOW
INITIAL LOW-FI WIREFRAME
INITIAL LOW-FI WIREFRAME
Mid-Fi Wireframe
TESTING + ITERATION
Testing
Testing
We got to test out our initial wireframes to evaluate the core flow of adding wishes and reacting to a partner’s list, conducting a total of nine usability sessions.
We got to test out our initial wireframes to evaluate the core flow of adding wishes and reacting to a partner’s list, conducting a total of nine usability sessions.
METHODS
Expert playback: Feedback session with 2 UX professionals
Expert playback: Feedback session with 2 UX professionals
Usability Testing: 7 participants, conducted in person
Usability Testing: 7 participants, conducted in person
Iteration
Iteration
Flow revision: Reconstructed the setup flow to decouple task for fliexibility
During testing, we found that the setup flow was too rigid and did not align with users’ mental model of gift planning. We decoupled collaborator setup, wishlist creation, and wish creation into flexible steps. The updated flows are highlighted below—hover to see details.
During testing, we found that the setup flow was too rigid and did not align with users’ mental model of gift planning. We decoupled collaborator setup, wishlist creation, and wish creation into flexible steps. The updated flows are highlighted below—hover to see details.
Hover over
Hover over
fo testing insights
fo testing insights
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Major Screen Revision
Provided an easier way to add gift
Issue
Issue
Suggestion
Suggestion
Manually entering gift details felt tedious
Manually entering gift details felt tedious
Auto-fill gift details from the link
Auto-fill gift details from the link
Clarified gift updates with visual cues and real-time feedback
Issue
Issue
Suggestion
Suggestion
Hard to notice when new gifts are added
Hard to notice when new gifts are added
Sort new items to the top with highlight
Sort new items to the top with highlight
Gift reaction status is not visible (rating)
Gift reaction status is not visible (rating)
Add indicators to show reaction status
Add indicators to show reaction status
Simplified gift reactions
Issue
Issue
Suggestion
Suggestion
Five-star ratings felt excessive for gifts
Five-star ratings felt excessive for gifts
Use like/dislike instead of ratings, and comments
Use like/dislike instead of ratings, and comments
Gift details lacked context beyond description
Gift details lacked context beyond description
added indicators to enable quick reaction stutas
added indicators to enable quick reaction stutas
FINAL SCREENS
FINAL PROTOTYPE
NEXT STEPS & REFLECTION
PLACEHODER - WILL ADD VERY SOON