Date Escape: The Perfect Solution to Awkward Dates

Date Escape: an app for awkward situations

Online dating has become an epidemic, and with it, the prevalence of awkward and uncomfortable situations. Whether it's a date that's not working out or an unexpected emergency, finding an excuse to leave can be challenging. That's where Date Escape comes in. Developed by the web and design team at Carswell Gould, Date Escape is a web app that provides users with the perfect escape route from awful dates.

The app was created during the annual PubHack event in Portsmouth, where creatives, developers and other top agency talent compete for coveted awards by responding to a brief. The CG team took on the theme of 'awkward situations' and came up with the innovative solution of Date Escape.

Our Approach

The app offers a variety of excuses, ranging from minor housemate emergencies and police warnings to simulated house fires, that users can use to leave a date. The app also includes a panic button, which when pressed, calls the user and texts their phone with the chosen excuse.

The app was developed using the Sencha Touch Javascript framework, which enabled the team to quickly prototype usable layouts and style them with the project’s creative and design using CSS. Additionally, the app links into the Twitter API to provide the user’s avatar image and the Twillio for SMS and phone call functionality.

The Outcome

The team’s hard work and innovation paid off, as they walked away from PubHack with an award for ‘Best Design’ and were runners-up for ‘Best Overall Project’. Since its debut at PubHack, Date Escape has received coverage in local and national media and has been revamped for release before Valentine’s Day. The app has been praised for its ingenuity and its ability to provide users with a quick and easy solution to an uncomfortable situation.

Disclaimer: This project is non-commercial and purely a proof of concept built for fun. Despite the fun-nature of this project, it showcases the team’s ability to come up with innovative and practical solution in a high-pressure, time-sensitive environment, and their design and technical skills to deliver a polished and functional product in a short amount of time.

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