Case Study: LUVactually.com
Redesigning LUV Actually: Making Dating Smarter and Sweeter
We teamed up with Niveen, the brilliant founder of LUV Actually, to give her AI-powered dating platform a makeover. The app’s goal? To help users break bad dating patterns, clarify their goals, and find real connection—all with the guidance of a smart AI coach.
Niveen brought her expertise in design and strategy, while we focused on transforming her vision into a seamless, engaging, and polished user experience.
The Challenges of Modern Love
Dating is tough, and users needed:
A trusted source for private, unbiased relationship advice.
Easy access to expert-backed guidance on improving their love lives.
But the app had a few rough edges. From clunky navigation to an overwhelming quiz format and a design that felt unpolished, it was clear we had some work to do.
Breaking Down the Issues
Navigation Nightmares: Key features like “Chat with Ishtar” were hard to find, and returning to previous pages felt like a maze.
Unpolished Looks: Inconsistent fonts and low-contrast text made the app feel less professional, and users struggled with readability.
Trust Issues: The design didn’t inspire confidence, leaving users hesitant to share personal details.
Content Overload: Text-heavy quizzes felt daunting, and the tone sometimes came across as too cheesy or intimate.
The Glow-Up
We dove into the redesign with three key goals:
Streamline Navigation: A fixed bottom bar made exploring the app effortless.
Elevate the Visuals: Sleek branding, consistent fonts, and accessible design gave the app a professional, trustworthy feel.
Inject Fun and Personality: Interactive quizzes, bold colors, and engaging multimedia content brought the app to life.
Heuristic Evaluation: Enhancing Usability & Engagement for LUV Actually
In our heuristic evaluation, we tackled key usability issues to elevate LUV Actually's overall user experience. By aligning the app’s features with established usability principles, we identified pain points and crafted solutions to enhance functionality, engagement, and trust.
Key Improvements:
User Control & Freedom
We streamlined navigation and added essential features like an "undo" or "unsend" option for messages. Additionally, an intuitive "X" button for exiting chats and direct navigation back to the "Chat with Ishtar" screen made users feel more in control.Recognition Over Recall
Navigation was simplified with a fixed top bar and key features, like "Chat with Ishtar" and "Personal Development Quizzes," easily accessible. No more tedious scrolling—users could now find what they need in a click.Aesthetic & Minimalist Design
We improved readability by increasing contrast and font size, ensuring better accessibility and a sleek, modern look. The redesign now follows best practices for user-focused, clear content presentation.
Key Feedback Insights:
Content Overload & Navigation:
Users found the text-heavy quizzes overwhelming and the navigation unintuitive. By breaking up content with engaging visuals and simplifying pathways to key features, we created a smoother, more enjoyable experience.Design & Trust:
The initial design felt unprofessional and raised trust concerns. We revamped the aesthetics with consistent fonts and a polished, trustworthy look that aligned with the brand's vision.Tone & User Engagement:
Users appreciated the AI's friendly tone but desired more personalization options. We introduced customizability, allowing users to tweak their interactions for a less “uncanny” experience.
Next Steps in Ideation:
Through collaborative brainstorming, we focused on:
Simplified navigation with a fixed bottom bar
More interactive content like quizzes, images, and videos
A polished design that communicates professionalism and trust
Expanded content offerings to meet diverse user needs
This strategic ideation phase set the foundation for the redesign, ensuring the platform would resonate with users and deliver a seamless, engaging experience.
Mood Board I created for ideas for branding, colour scheme quiz formats for the redesign.
Low Fidelity Wireframes used in the initial ideation phase when planning out the interface.
High-fidelity wireframe my team member designed and sent to client, she was very unhappy with this design and the deviation from the original branding of the website.
Design Process: From Vision to Wireframe
After getting the green light from our client, we dove straight into crafting high-fidelity wireframes that mapped out LUV Actually's entire user flow.
Key Steps:
Refining Features & Layout
We polished the key features and layout from the ideation phase to match both the client’s vision and user needs, ensuring the design was intuitive and user-friendly.Creating Detailed Wireframes
We developed sleek wireframes showcasing improved navigation, interactive quizzes, and multimedia content—giving a clear picture of the enhanced user experience.Consistency & Accessibility
We made sure fonts, colors, and design elements were consistent and professional, while keeping accessibility in mind with proper contrast and readable fonts for all users.Incorporating Feedback
Based on feedback from the client and stakeholders, we iterated on the wireframes, refining navigation, reducing clutter, and boosting the design’s overall appeal.Ready for Prototypes
With the high-fidelity wireframes approved, we prepped for prototyping, using them as the foundation for creating interactive, user-tested prototypes.
This design phase was all about turning ideas into a sleek, user-centered foundation for LUV Actually’s next steps.
Wireframes I redesigned based off client’s original branding, but elevating it to look more professional. She decided to go with the second design.
User Testing & Feedback: Let’s Make It Even Better
After bringing our high-fidelity prototype to life, it was time to put it to the test with Maze. We wanted to see how users interacted with the design and what areas could use a little extra love.
What Users Loved:
Smooth Navigation
Users were all about the intuitive, easy-to-use design. Finding key features like "Chat with Ishtar" and "Personal Development Quizzes" was a breeze thanks to the simplified layout.Modern Aesthetics
The fresh new branding and cohesive design got major praise! Users appreciated the color scheme, fonts, and overall vibe, saying it perfectly fit the platform’s theme. It was sleek, fresh, and just what they were looking for.
How We Fine-Tuned:
Taking the feedback to heart, we rolled up our sleeves and made adjustments to level up the user experience. We kept the navigation clear, and made sure the branding aligned with user expectations. After some thoughtful tweaking, we crafted a design that was not just polished, but more intuitive and user-friendly than ever.
In the end, user feedback helped us create a more seamless, enjoyable platform that was perfectly in tune with what our audience needed.