Trope To Truth

Inspiration

The inspiration for Trope To Truth came from the overwhelming demand for positive WLW representation on platforms like TikTok. While we can’t change the narratives that media corporations choose to prioritize, we saw an opportunity to create a tool that helps queer women navigate this bias and find media that authentically represents their experiences. Our goal is to empower users to discover, celebrate, and connect through stories that resonate with their identities.

What it does

Trope To Truth is a platform designed to help queer women find authentic WLW representation in film and TV. It offers:

Trope-Based Recommendations: Users can explore media by WLW tropes like “Enemies to Lovers,” “Slow Burn,” and “Queer Rebellion.”

Standardized Representation Ratings: Media is rated based on the quality of representation, prevalence of WLW characters, and tropes.

Community Insights: Users can read and contribute to discussions, using keyword tabs and search functions to find relevant comments.

Spoiler-Free Info: Key details like happy endings, mood, and representation prevalence are provided upfront, so users can make informed decisions without spoilers.

How we built it

Research: We started by analyzing TikTok trends, user comments, and existing platforms to understand the pain points of queer women searching for WLW media.

Proto-Persona & User Journey: We created a proto-persona (“The Intentional Viewer”) and mapped out their journey to identify key features and functionalities.

Wireframes & Design: We designed lo-fi and mid-fi wireframes, focusing on intuitive navigation and a clean, user-friendly interface.

Development: Using Figma for design, we built the platform with a focus on accessibility and inclusivity.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was creating the platform’s characteristic rating system for representation-based ratings. This wasn’t just a design task—it was a logic and structural challenge. We had to:

Define Metrics: Determine what factors make WLW representation authentic and meaningful (e.g., prevalence of WLW characters, depth of relationships, happy endings).

Standardize Ratings: Develop a system to objectively rate media based on these factors, ensuring consistency across different films and TV shows.

Balance Complexity and Usability: Make the rating system detailed enough to be meaningful but simple enough for users to understand at a glance.

Additionally, the extensive planning and research required before starting the design process was a significant hurdle. Creating a proto-persona and understanding the user journey and task flow were essential but time-consuming steps. Balancing spoiler-free information with detailed representation metrics was also a delicate task to ensure users could make informed decisions without ruining their viewing experience.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

User-Centered Design: We’re proud of creating a platform that truly centers the needs of queer women, from spoiler-free info to community-driven insights.

Trope-Based Navigation: Developing a system that categorizes media by WLW tropes was a unique and impactful feature.

Community Integration: Building a space for users to share their thoughts and recommendations fosters a sense of belonging and connection.

What we learned

Through this project, we learned that planning and research are critical to designing a solution that truly meets user needs. Creating a proto-persona and mapping out the user journey helped us identify key pain points and design features that address them. We also learned the importance of spoiler-free design and how to balance providing enough information without compromising the viewing experience.