SoulMatch - Dating App Design
SoulMatch
Dating App Design
SoulMatch
Dating App Design
Designing a dating app that prioritizes meaningful connections over superficial swiping, with an intuitive onboarding experience and engaging matching features.
Challenge
Many dating apps focus on quick swipes and superficial connections, leaving users feeling unsatisfied. Users often struggle with overwhelming choices and lack meaningful ways to express their personality during onboarding.
Design Goal
Create an intuitive, engaging dating app experience that helps users express their true selves and find compatible matches through thoughtful onboarding and matching features.
My Role
I was responsible for research synthesis, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing coordination, and contributing to final UI decisions. I collaborated closely with a Senior Designer and Product Manager and partnered with developers to support design handoff and implementation.
User Research
UX/UI
Prototyping
Wireframing
Usability Testing
Design Handoff
The Challenge
Many dating apps focus on quick swipes and superficial connections, leaving users feeling unsatisfied. Users often struggle with overwhelming choices and lack meaningful ways to express their personality during onboarding.
Design Goal
Create an intuitive, engaging dating app experience that helps users express their true selves and find compatible matches through thoughtful onboarding and matching features.
My Role
Led the entire design process from research to high-fidelity prototypes. Conducted user research, created personas and user flows, designed wireframes and mockups, and built an interactive prototype for usability testing.
User Research
Persona Development
User Flow
UI Design
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Key Differentiator
What Makes SoulMatch Different
What Makes SoulMatch Different
Research
Understanding the Users
Understanding the Users
User Interviews & Competitive Analysis
User Interviews & Competitive Analysis
To better understand modern dating behaviors, I researched how people feel about existing dating apps - what frustrates them, what they value, and what would motivate them to switch.
I conducted 6 in-person interviews with young professionals to explore how users form connections online and what features could support more intentional, trust-driven experiences.
📊 Competitor analysis:
Most dating apps fall into two groups: fast, casual platforms or highly niche communities.
SoulMatch sits in between - designed for committed relationships without excluding a broad audience, combining intentional matching with a more thoughtful experience.
To better understand modern dating behaviors, I researched how people feel about existing dating apps - what frustrates them, what they value, and what would motivate them to switch.
I conducted 6 in-person interviews with young professionals to explore how users form connections online and what features could support more intentional, trust-driven experiences.
📊 Competitor analysis:
Most dating apps fall into two groups: fast, casual platforms or highly niche communities.
SoulMatch sits in between - designed for committed relationships without excluding a broad audience, combining intentional matching with a more thoughtful experience.
Core Insights:
Core Insights:
"In a world full of endless options, all I’m searching for is a real connection."
"In a world full of endless options, all I’m searching for is a real connection."
"In a world full of endless options, all I’m searching for is a real connection."
"In a world full of endless options, all I’m searching for is a real connection."
User Persona & Empathy Map
User Persona & Empathy Map
Based on research findings, I created a primary persona to guide design decisions and ensure the app meets real user needs and created an empathy map to deeply understand our persona’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations when using dating apps.
Ideation
From Insights to Ideas
From Insights to Ideas
User Flow
Created a comprehensive user flow mapping the journey from app download through onboarding to first match, identifying key decision points and potential friction areas.
User Flow
Created a comprehensive user flow mapping the journey from app download through onboarding to first match, identifying key decision points and potential friction areas.
Sketching & Ideation
Sketching & Ideation
Started with rough sketches to quickly explore different UI concepts and interaction patterns before committing to digital wireframes.
SoulMatch begins with intentional onboarding, where users answer meaningful questions to define their values and relationship goals.
From there, users can explore curated matches, send thoughtful messages, and discover personalized date ideas based on shared interests—creating a clear path from intent to action.
Wireframes
Wireframes
Developed low-fidelity wireframes to establish the information hierarchy, layout structure, and core interaction patterns before adding visual design.
Design & iterate
Testing & Refinement
Testing & Refinement
Iteration 1: Onboarding Questions
Iteration 1: Onboarding Questions
Initial testing revealed that users found the text-based question format boring and tedious. I reimagined the experience using swipeable cards with playful illustrations.
BEFORE
Text-only list
AFTER
Visual, swipeable cards
BEFORE
Text-based list
AFTER
Visual, swipeable cards
Iteration 2: Interest Selection
Iteration 2: Interest Selection
The initial interest selection screen felt overwhelming with too many small tags. I redesigned it with larger, more visual category cards that feel easier to scan and select.
BEFORE
Generic interest list
AFTER
Icon-led, customizable interests
BEFORE
Generic interest list
AFTER
Icon-led interests
high-fidelity prototype
Final Design
Final Design
I designed a high-fidelity prototype to fully bring the SoulMatch experience to life. UI elements such as typography, color, spacing, and iconography were refined to align with the brand’s tone — modern, warm, and welcoming.
I designed a high-fidelity prototype to fully bring the SoulMatch experience to life.
UI elements such as typography, color, spacing, and iconography were refined to align with the brand’s tone - modern, warm, and welcoming - while ensuring clarity and usability across the interface.
I designed a high-fidelity prototype to fully bring the SoulMatch experience to life. UI elements such as typography, color, spacing, and iconography were refined to align with the brand’s tone — modern, warm, and welcoming.
Visual Design
Design Principals
The visual design was guided by three core principles to ensure a cohesive experience that resonates with our target users.
Visual Design
Design Principals
The visual design was guided by three core principles to ensure a cohesive experience that resonates with our target users.
Color Palette:
Typography:
Visual Design
Design Principals
The visual design was guided by three core principles to ensure a cohesive experience that resonates with our target users.
Color Palette:
Typography:
Reflection
What I Learned
What I Learned
This project reinforced my belief that great design comes from deeply understanding users and iterating based on real feedback. Every assumption should be tested.
Next Steps:
