Reigniting Real Connections
Reel You was created as part of my General Assembly UX Design Immersive, where I had the freedom to define my own problem space. I chose to explore the dating app landscape — criticized for burnout, superficiality, and declining trust.
Skills
UX/UI · User interviews · Interaction Design · Usability Testing · Visual Design · Branding
My Role
UX/UI Designer
Timeline
2-week sprint
01
Overview
The Brief
A dating platform reported a 5% drop in paying users, signaling growing app fatigue. My task: reimagine an experience that rebuilds trust, re-engages users, and sparks a 10% lift in paying subscribers by Q2 2025.
My Challenge
Instead of taking a broad approach, I focused on frustrations often overlooked in dating app design — those of men. This pushed me to deepen my empathy, sharpen my research, and challenge assumptions throughout the process.
The Solution
Reel You
A dating app concept that puts authenticity first — designed to reduce male frustrations with dating apps and create space for genuine connection.
Link to prototype
02
Key User Insights
Conversations with my male friends often turned into venting sessions about dating apps. The spark of connection had been replaced by pressure, judgment, and ghosting. To explore these frustrations further, I conducted 6 user interviews with men aged 20–30 in Singapore. Four recurring themes emerged:
Low Effort Profiles
Surface-level bios made conversations dull.
“Girls just say they love bubble tea and dogs — how do I respond to that?”
High Expectations
Men felt judged on looks and job titles.
“Dating in Singapore is harder because everyone has high expectations”
Distrust of Apps
Lack of transparency in algorithms lowered trust.
“Apps make you more visible at the start, then your likes drop till you pay.”
Catfishing Scares
Overly curated photos led to disappointment.
“I met someone who looked totally different from her pictures.”
Alex
26 · Data Analyst · High Digital Literacy
Meet Alex
Alex is a thoughtful Gen Z professional in Singapore who’s tired of one-sided, shallow interactions. He puts in effort but often feels overlooked, leaving him frustrated and burned out. What he really wants is a space where people show up as their true selves.
Pain Points to Gain Points
From these insights, I reframed the challenges into design opportunities. These How Might We questions became the foundation for ideation:
01 One-sided effort
HMW create clearer signals of mutual interest so effort feels worthwhile?
02 Surface-level profiles
HMW help users express personality beyond photos and generic prompts?
03 Hard to spark connection
HMW design features that naturally lead to dynamic, exciting conversations? |
Ideation & Product strategy
Competitor Analysis
To position Reel You strategically, I studied three popular dating apps mentioned by my users, along with social apps known for their focus on authenticity.
Hinge
Strengths: Reputation for serious daters; mandatory profile prompts encouraged conversations; praised for clean UI.
Weaknesses: Prompts still felt surface-level.
Takeaway: Keep prompts, but design them to spark authentic self-expression.
Bumble
Strengths: Conversation-starting prompts; 24-hour expiry encouraged quick replies.
Weaknesses: Female-first approach limited personality beyond initiation.
Takeaway: Find ways for women to showcase personality without always making the first move.
Coffee Meets Bagel
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Product Positioning
Reel You. It’s designed to surface real moments, not polished personas. This inspiration came from a core insight: people crave authenticity. Just like the sea, connections should feel fluid, raw, and full of depth — not filtered or performative.
Core strategies:
Participation required (post a reel before matching)
Community-ranked posts (visibility shaped by users)
Controlled chat initiation (intentional, less pressure)
Limited matches per day (quality > quantity)
branding & Design system
Brand Identity
lallaa
Moodboard
Brand Colors
Header - Sora
32, 43, 45, 345
Body - DM sans
32, 43, 45, 33
primary
cyan
blue
modern coral
coral
reef
icy
blue
off
white
Design System
la lal ala
F7FAFB