Couplet
Redefining dating app culture
IMPACT
Delivered robust user research, high-fidelity prototypes, and design specs
TOOLS
ROLE
UX designer
UI designer
UX researcher
TIMELINE
Jan - May 2024 (15 weeks)
TEAM
5 designers,
9 developers,
1 project lead
SKILLS
User research
Mobile design
Interaction design
Visual / brand design
OVERVIEW
Engaging younger audiences in the arts
Couplet approached Generate with a bold idea: rethink dating apps to foster deeper connections through shared experiences, not just the "hot-or-not" swiping mechanics dominating the current market.
We designed a mobile app that matches users based on events they’d attend together, turning dating into an act of exploration and community-building.
THE CHALLENGE
How do we move beyond appearance-driven "swipe" culture?
Post-pandemic, arts organizations and local venues have struggled to reengage younger audiences. At the same time, nearly half of Americans under 30 use dating apps (Pew, 2023), but many feel burned out by surface-level interactions.
Couplet posed a bold question: What if dating apps could do more than spark romance? What if they could rekindle connection with local culture, too?
RESEARCH
What today’s daters want (and what’s missing).
User interviews, competitive analysis, and secondary research
We analyzed dating apps and adjacent platforms (Eventbrite, Meetup, Dice), conducted interviews with 12 adults (aged 18–35), and snooped around Reddit threads.
Our insights highlighted an opportunity to differentiate Couplet by framing it as not just a dating app, but a tool for cultural engagement and experience discovery.
While some dating apps can bring out the worst behaviours, these other online spaces can do the opposite, because people are sharing something they enjoy.
BBC News
The biggest reason [for dating app burnout] is the inability to find a good connection with someone else, with 40% of all respondents saying such.
Forbes
A Reddit User
•
r/ask
Everyone I know who is using online dating is exhausted by it. Dropped communications, difficulty forming connections and ghosting are the norm. Ostensibly it should be an easy way to meet people. Why is the process so ineffective and exhausting?
970
A Reddit User
•
r/OnlineDating
I just find that I have this feeling that it’s not going to lead anywhere from the start and I’m just waiting for it to end.. like I’m trying to convince myself I like someone more than I do.
61
A Reddit User
•
r/ask
Online dating is not meant to actually work. You're not supposed to meet people who are a good match. You're supposed to be single so you give them money.
42
The hardest part about dating these days isn’t meeting people… it’s finding someone you actually have something in common with beyond just being single.
It’s like we’re all talking, but no one’s really saying anything.
User Interview
Dating app fatigue: an opportunity arises
DESIGN STRATEGY
How we went about rewriting the rules of attraction.
Reframe the matchmaking mechanic
Instead of matching based on looks or bios, we matched users based on shared interest in experiences, be it an open mic, food crawl, or local zine fair.
Make the app feel like a playground
We leaned into whimsical branding to contrast Couplet with slick, performative dating apps. The product felt exploratory and warm… more like an invitation than a pitch.
Center the real world, not the digital feed
We designed Couplet to encourage getting off the app and into the world. Everything, from local event discovery to match prompts, was created to bridge digital interest with in-person experience.
Couplet's final designs
Mobile app
Our primary deliverable, refined through research, insights, and many design iterations before being handed off the the dev team for implementation.
Registering and logging in
An intuitive onboarding experience: tutorial and setting up preferences
Discover events (and people) that suit your interests
Send likes and review your matches
Branding
Our secondary deliverable. We created a comprehensive brand book that detailed all of our branding work: brand values, tone, brandscape, color, type system, logomark construction, visual elements, icons, and components.
Logo
Colors
Primary Color
Lavender
Secondary Color
#E7D4FA
Indigo
Accent
#6B5DBE
Coral
Accent
#FBA4A4
#F84949
Couplet's branding and identity
Couplet's final brand book
TAKEAWAYS
What I'll keep in my back pocket.
A few new North Star design principles for my toolkit
Thinking beyond the screen
Designing with real-world contexts in mind, like how and where users interact with the app, ensures the solution fits seamlessly into their daily routines.
Empty states are opportunities
Designing engaging and instructive empty states can turn a potentially confusing moment into an opportunity for education and encouragement.
