HaveYouMet App Design

A dating app powered by artificial intelligence, designed to simplify intentional dating.

UI/UX Design

Mobile

Information Technology

My Role:

Founding Product Designer

Status:

About to be launched by the end of Sep, 2024

Duration:

Aug 2023 - Present

Team:

1 Product designer, 1 Product manager, 3 AI Engineers, Outsource engineer team

Deliverables:

End to end product design, AI Conversation Design, UI/UX, UX research

Overview

About HaveYouMet.Inc :

n a world where digital dating has become the norm, HYM stands out by bringing the focus back to genuine, in-person connections. Our Mission is creating meaningful connections through the power of AI. Meeting the needs of our community by being built for the digital world, but not trapped online.

Core Idea :

Living in NYC, we recognized a unique opportunity to transform the dating scene. Encountering the common frustrations of traditional dating apps—such as the endless back-and-forth messaging without real interaction or the challenge of initiating conversations and arranging meet-ups—we set out to create a solution.

The Mission

The mission is to simplify the dating experience by using AI to remove the tedious aspects of online dating, allowing customers to focus more on meaningful real-life interactions.

Problem

Inefficient In-App Communication Flow in Dating Apps :

Users of most dating apps in the market struggle with lengthy and unproductive messaging exchanges, leading to a lack of in-person meetings and genuine connections. This frustrating experience could negatively impact user retention, app satisfaction, and overall success in fostering meaningful relationships across various platforms.

Dating apps often impose a narrow set of developer-defined filters that override users' unique preferences,

creating an illusion of choice. This one-size-fits-all approach fails to account for individual compatibility, significantly limiting the potential for genuine connections and leaving users frustrated with the lack of personalized matching options.

How AI Works Here

Your AI companion is focused on compatibility - we provide you with a customized list of suitors based on your desires, not some paywall or algorithm, injecting some magic into your feed to help you find your match.

User Study

Users are frustrated with the inefficiency in online dating,

particularly the endless cycle of messaging without clear progression towards a real-life meeting. They desire quick and effective interactions that fit into their busy schedules.

Users value emotional support, genuine connections, and trust in relationships,

indicating a need for dating apps to foster deeper, more meaningful interactions rather than superficial connections.

Users are pressed for time and seek efficient ways to integrate dating into their lives

highlighting the importance of streamlined processes that minimize wasted effort and maximize the quality of interactions.

The users are looking for tools that help them efficiently transition from online conversations to in-person meetups,

reducing the time spent on unproductive chats and focusing on building real connections.

How AI Works Here

01: Focus on real-life interactions

Simplifies the user journey, making the dating process more efficient and straightforward by eliminating user-to-user chatting.

02: Hassle-free experience

Using AI, we are able to not only find time that works for the two of you, but also make reservations based on your preferences.

03: Efficient profile building

Through natural language processing and AI interaction, our system not only helps users build better and more authentic profiles, but it also helps them to uncover their true wants and desires.

Ideas to action

Key function Wireframes

Main screen

Profile

Invite

Schedule

Availability

Dates

Upcoming Dates

Date Status

Based on our research and user interviews, I created wireframes for the entire app to ensure the fundamental structure and usability are well-planned before diving into detailed design. Here are the wireframes for key features: matching, sending a date invite, and the AI assistant arranging the time and meetup spot.

Usability Testing

We invited 5 working professionals and 2 college students to test our product, with each test lasting around 1 hour.

Task 1: The participants complete their profile(onboarding)
Task 2: To send an invite
Task 3: To conduct a conversation with “Brella” the AI assistant
Task 4: Accept an invite
Task 5: Check meetup info and send notes to the other party
Task 6: To propose a new time on a pending invite

Findings from the testing

Action 1: Provide clear and direct call-to-action buttons for users when they complete their profile during onboarding.
Action 2: Animal test results from chatting with Brella can be more beneficial by providing complementary animal types, assigning animal tags to user’s profile, so they feel encouraged to take that test.
Action 3: Users completed onboarding experience with difficulty due to the inability to re-upload their photos after face verification
Action 4: Visuals on the timeline page: Currently, the page feels like a business schedule. It could be enhanced to create a more romantic atmosphere.

Key features

No Chatting

“I invested a lot of effort into an online conversation, but upon meeting in person, he didn't live up to my expectations. It feels like all that energy and time were wasted. I wish we had met face-to-face sooner.”

Solution

With chatting being removed from the app, we had to commit to making date set up as simple as possible. It uses AI to set up dates, handle logistics like finding times, suggesting spots, and making reservations, thus reducing friction and focusing on real-life interactions.

One-click date set-up

“I don’t know when is the best time to ask a lady out for a meal or a one on one chat.”

Solution

Rather than simply sending "likes" and engaging in endless conversations like traditional dating apps, this app encourages users to directly invite others for in-person meetups. Users set their available time slots each week and choose preferred meetup neighborhoods in NYC. The AI assistant then coordinates schedules with potential matches and makes reservations based on shared preferences.

User generated preferences

“This one-size-fits-all “filters” not only ignores individual compatibility but also severely limits the potential for genuine connections.”

Solution

Users can share their dating preferences with our AI, which will generate customized preference tags tailored specifically to them. This ensures that users are matched with those who truly complement their unique personalities and desires, opening the door to more meaningful and lasting relationships

Unable to display app screens until the product is officially launched.

User to AI Interaction Workshop

Personalized Event and Meetup Spot Recommendations

"It's hard to find time and a place for dating with my busy schedule."

Goal:

AI recommends events, meetup spots, or cafes based on user conversations, considering their hobbies, interests, daily activities, and passions. This personalized approach ensures that each suggestion aligns with what matters most to users and their dates, making every meetup meaningful and enjoyable.

My Tasks

Develop an opening conversation.
Design AI-driven conversations to engage users and encourage them to share more information.
Ensure conversations trigger user interests for better dating suggestions.
Limit conversations to 4-5 rounds.
Keep AI output concise for budget concerns.

Learnings

How AI influences my design

As a product designer, this experience served as a valuable lesson in understanding the importance of balancing cutting-edge technology like AI with user-centric design principles. Initially, our focus on AI led us to overlook the integration of this technology with the core user experience, resulting in a disjointed prototype that felt more like a tech showcase than a user-focused solution.

Upon conducting further user studies and genuinely listening to user feedback, we recognized the need to realign our priorities with the principles of user-centric design. AI is indeed a powerful tool that can enhance the user experience, but only when implemented thoughtfully and in harmony with the needs and goals of the end-users.

Moving forward, I understand the significance of striking a balance between technological innovation and keeping users' best interests at the heart of our design process. This reflection will shape our approach in future projects, ensuring that AI, or any other advanced technology, serves as a means to create meaningful, user-focused solutions rather than becoming the sole focus of our design efforts.

Working as a sole design in the team

Prioritization: With many responsibilities on your plate, it's crucial to prioritize tasks effectively. Focus on high-impact projects that align with business goals and user needs.

Self-Reliance: As the sole designer, I must be self-reliant and proactive. Seek feedback from other team members and users to validate your designs and ensure they meet the required standards.