erin—j—lee
Designing features that spark joy.
Couplet
Event-focused dating app in Boston.
Challenge
Design an app that gears audiences to events around Boston.
Duration
January - April 2024
Role
Product Designer
Brand Designer
UX Researcher
Tools
Figma
FigJam
Illustrator
Opportunity
A chance to get the younger audience into the arts through meaningful connections.
PROCESS HIGHLIGHTS
CONTEXT
Couplet aims to redefine the dating app experience by moving away from the typical swipe culture. The app focuses on creating genuine connections among users based on shared experiences rather than superficial appearances. The goal is to provide a contemporary platform for fostering authentic relationships, be it romantic or platonic.
PROBLEM
How do we get younger crowds into the arts?
Local events, especially those organized by nonprofits, need more visibility and engagement, particularly with younger audiences. This disconnect hampers personal connections and affects the vibrancy and financial stability of local cultural and nonprofit sectors.
Authentic connections on the first date
Traditional social and dating apps often prioritize superficial connections, leading to unsatisfactory experiences.
Local art event visability
Working with Art Boston, Joyraft, and various other event sites, Couplet aims to increase participation at these events.
SOLUTION
Curate an app that matches people based on mutual events, creating a fun first date for users and more participation in local events.
Couplet proposes a dual solution: a mobile app that connects people through shared interests in events rather than superficial swipes.
TRY ME I'M INTERACTIVE
AUDIT
Fostering meaningful connections on the first date.
Traditional social and dating apps often prioritize superficial connections, leading to unsatisfactory experiences.
Hey, are you down to grab drinks?
At Couplet, we’re raising the bar for dates that are actually worthwhile.
Our branding matches our values: bold, vibrant, and playful.
By integrating event data from sources like ArtsBoston into a modern, user-friendly interface, Couplet encourages users to discover and attend local events together, fostering genuine relationships and community involvement. The app will feature user and event-matching systems, creating a dynamic and engaging way to explore local culture and meet like-minded individuals.
RESEARCH
Competitors or helpful resources, partnership
Trying to break into an already saturated industry like dating apps may strike as a risky move for the founders, however, combining dating with event planning, a whole new niche in the market is formed.
S’more
Hinge
Duo
Joyraft
Eventbrite
Yelp
Bumble
Tinder
Couplet
COUPLET’S INDUSTRY COMPETITORS
FEATURE COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
USER PERSONAS
CLIENTS
Clients with a purpose
Jon and Victoria are who came up with the idea of Couplet. Victoria, a nonprofit research and consulting professional, saw a struggle to engage younger and more diverse audiences within the arts. Jan, a software engineer, recommended a partnership with our team to bring the initial app idea to life.
When the client approached us, Couplet was in the conceptual stage, requiring us to build the product from scratch.
FEATURE SPOTLIGHT
Matching with the first date in mind.
I was tasked with the process of matching and figuring out how to get users to initiate first date plans. We wanted the matching experience to be intuitive without presenting useless information. This meant ensuring users could see other profiles and effortlessly find common interests, characteristics, or qualities.
SITE MAP: MATCHING + MESSAGING
V1. MATCHING FLOW + FIRST DATE DECISIONS
EXPLORING MESSAGING FEATURES
DECISIONS
A time crunch leading to creative solutions
One of the main challenges I had to tackle was how users would plan dates. With our limited timeline our engineers would not be able to complete a functional in-app messaging system so it was back to the drawing board.
V2. MATCHING FLOW + FIRST DATE DECISIONS
FINAL DESIGNS
Messaging outside of the app
From copylink to status updates, our team debated many different solutions before landing on the username reveal. Once you match with another user, their Instagram or social media of choice will be unveiled and planning can be conducted out of the app. Couplet shows what events both profiles have liked so planning can be easily sent through DMs.
CONCLUSION
Not a traditional dating app
Traditional social and dating apps often prioritize superficial connections, leading to unsatisfactory experiences. Additionally, local events, especially those organized by nonprofits, need more visibility and engagement, particularly with younger audiences. This disconnect hampers personal connections and affects the vibrancy and financial stability of local cultural and nonprofit sectors.
An app for the people and the arts
As an application, Couplet goes beyond the conventional dating app model. It aspires to catalyze meaningful connections while contributing to the local economy and addressing the needs of nonprofits and small businesses. Couplet is a purpose-driven platform dedicated to facilitating genuine connections and positively impacting communities.
REFLECTION
The balance between social media and connections
Traditional social and dating apps often prioritize superficial connections, leading to unsatisfactory experiences.
Getting users back into the app
As a business and design major, one question I asked most often was "after [this action] what incentive does the user have to go back onto the app?" I think asking this question played a vital part in not only emphasizing the dual feature of the app but also the interactions.