How I revamped an MVP app into a polished design system & 1.0 release
Stars Align Mobile App
Consumer native mobile app | In development
Product design and UX content design for an astrology based dating app
OVERVIEW
Two years ago, the startup Stars Align launched an astrology dating app with an MVP design to test the market and validate the concept. Despite gaining initial traction, user feedback indicated that the app's look and feel needed to be more appealing and updated. The business goals were to increase user retention, improve engagement, and attract a larger user base. As the UX/UI designer, I was tasked with redesigning the app from its MVP version to a polished 1.0 release. I also led content design efforts, writing brand messaging and aligning all copy across the mobile app and website to the new brand messaging, including prompt engineering for generative AI features.
Previous UX/UI
DESIGN PROCESS
User Research: I conducted user interviews and surveys to gather insights about the target audience's preferences, pain points, and expectations from an astrology dating app. The research revealed that users valued a clean, modern, and intuitive interface that didn't overemphasize trite mystical/celestial color palettes.
Competitive Analysis: I analyzed popular dating apps and astrology-related apps to identify industry trends, best practices, and opportunities for differentiation. This analysis helped inform the redesigned app's design direction and feature set.
Design Ideation: Based on the research findings, I created mood boards, sketches, and wireframes to explore different design concepts. I focused on creating a minimal and sleek aesthetic that would appeal to the target audience while maintaining a sense of magic and mystery associated with astrology.
Visual Design: I developed a cohesive visual language for the app, including a color palette, typography, and iconography aligned with the astrology theme. The color scheme consisted of neutrals with accents of purple to evoke a premium feel with references to the celestial. I used modern sans-serif fonts to enhance readability and create a clean look.
UI Design: I designed high-fidelity mockups of key screens, including the onboarding flow, user profile, match suggestions, and messaging interface. I paid close attention to usability principles, ensuring the interface was intuitive, easy to navigate, and visually appealing. I incorporated subtle animations and transitions to enhance the user experience and create a sense of delight.
Interactive Prototype: I created an interactive prototype using prototyping tools to simulate the user flow and test the usability of the redesigned app. The prototype allowed stakeholders to experience the app firsthand and provide feedback before development.
Generative AI Integration: I led the prompt engineering for the one million+ potential permutations of compatibility matchups, resulting in a resource-efficient way of serving users with personalized content. This involved collaborating closely with the AI team to develop and refine the prompts, ensuring the generated content was accurate, engaging, and aligned with the app's brand voice.
PRODUCT OUTCOMES
The redesigned dating app includes the following key features and improvements:
Short Onboarding: A concise onboarding process that quickly engages users without losing their interest and offers prompts to the users based on their astrology.
Horizontal Match Feed with Compatibility Preview: A unique match feed with horizontal scrolling and a compatibility preview modal, promoting an "anti-swipe left culture."
Profile Design: A redesigned user profile layout that emphasizes common interests and includes a compatibility launch screen.
Compatibility Reading: An engaging feature that unlocks content sections based on user interaction, promoting user engagement and time spent in the app.
Enhanced Messaging Experience: An improved messaging interface that seamlessly navigates between chat, profile, and compatibility reading, with the ability to send horoscopes and compatibility reports to matches.
AI-Powered Astrology Readings: Personalized astrology readings powered by generative AI fill in the gaps where human-written content is not available.
BUSINESS IMPACT
The prototype of the app has helped facilitate successful VC conversations, resulting in capital acquired. The app is set to launch in Summer 2024, and the team is excited to measure its impact on user engagement, retention, and growth. The redesigned app, with its modern aesthetic, intuitive interface, and AI-powered personalized content, is expected to:
Increase user retention by providing a more engaging and personalized experience
Improve user engagement through features like a compatibility reading and enhanced messaging
Attract a more extensive user base with its appealing design and unique features
Demonstrate the potential of generative AI in creating scalable, personalized content for dating apps
As the app launches and gathers user feedback, the team will continue to iterate and refine the design and features to ensure that they meet users' evolving needs and preferences.