User Profile
Online dating often feels like a highlight reel—just a series of polished photos and short bios that barely scratch the surface of who someone truly is. To bridge that gap, I designed a dating app that blends the best of social media and meaningful matchmaking. Drawing inspiration from Instagram and Hinge, I introduced an interactive stories feature, allowing users to share glimpses of their daily lives beyond static images. I also reimagined the idea of sending "roses" by incorporating classic hearts, keeping the experience both engaging and familiar. To cater to different dating styles, I designed two UI variations—one with a fun, playful energy and another with a refined, timeless aesthetic—giving users the freedom to express themselves in a way that feels most authentic.
Elevating User Engagement Through Authentic Interaction
In response to the prevalent issue of superficial interactions in online dating, I designed a feature-rich app that encourages genuine connection. By integrating interactive stories and offering two distinct UI styles, the experience feels both personal and expressive—inviting users to connect beyond just bios and profile photos.
"I think the most common complaint that people have about dating apps is that they don’t feel authentic. You don’t get to know someone, you just see a polished version of them."
Justin McLeod, CEO of Hinge
Reimagining Modern Dating Through Emotional Design
When I began this project, the goal was clear: create a dating experience that moves beyond surface-level swiping by integrating real moments and authentic self-expression. Inspired by Hinge’s “designed to be deleted” ethos, I focused on building deeper engagement while learning from how Hinge successfully uses prompt-based profiles, limited daily likes, and intentional friction to foster more meaningful interactions.
Crafting a Cohesive UI That Speaks to Personality
I reimagined every visual element—from iconography to interaction microdetails—to better communicate user personality and intent. With two distinct UI styles, one bold and playful, the other soft and sophisticated, I gave users a choice in how they present themselves, without compromising usability or familiarity.
Rewriting the Rules of Connection with Stories and Design Flexibility
In today’s online dating landscape, users often feel reduced to photos and generic bios. Taking cues from Hinge’s high success rate in generating long-term relationships through interactive prompts and limited exposure, I introduced a feature that felt natural yet fresh: stories. These time-bound, daily glimpses help users share everyday moments that might not belong in a static profile, giving conversations more organic starting points. I also decluttered the navigation and consolidated all call-to-actions to reduce decision fatigue, boosting daily engagement. Each page was stripped down to only the most essential actions, allowing emotional connection to take center stage. By prioritizing thoughtful UI/UX choices, I’ve created a product that feels more like a friend introducing you to someone new than a dating platform trying to gamify love.
Blending Aesthetics With Strategy for Emotional Resonance
In dating apps, clever UX and emotionally resonant design are just as vital as algorithmic matchmaking. Understanding that Hinge’s model of limited swipes increases perceived value per interaction, I adopted a similar mindset—ensuring every touchpoint from animation to layout design guided users with intentionality.
Personalization That Converts to Connection
Along with encouraging authentic interactions, I incorporated personalization through mini badges and preference-based filters that subtly guide compatibility without overwhelming the user. Drawing inspiration from Hinge’s smart prompts and compatibility questions, I surfaced relevant content like “You both enjoy hiking” or “Both love late-night board games” inside user stories. So far, early feedback shows that users are spending more time exploring profiles and engaging through story replies, indicating a promising shift toward deeper connections.
Enabling Self-Sufficiency With Modular Design Tools
To support future iterations, I built the app using a component-based design system with support for rapid experimentation and modular testing.
This empowered us to:
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Launch A/B tests on story formats and profile layouts in real-time
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Make live updates to content without engineering support
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Scale new UI themes for targeted user demographics
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Implement a dynamic onboarding flow that adjusts based on user intent (dating casually vs. long-term)
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Easily plug in or test new monetization features like “priority views” or “super likes.”
