2024-2025
Product Design x PM X Engineering
https://qlu.social/
QLU Social is a mobile app for professionals seeking authentic, lasting networks. Its mission is to help users form and deepen connections, prioritizing meaningful interactions over surface-level networking.
As Head of Product Design, I led strategy, mentored the design team, and contributed hands-on. The challenge: conversations on QLU often died after a few messages. This wasn’t just a UX issue—it threatened the app’s core promise and retention.
Engagement was low. Connections formed through roundtables and group chats, but most fizzled within days.
Data: UXCam showed short-lived exchanges.
Interviews: Users admitted they had no reason to continue chatting once the initial spark faded.
“I connect with someone, we chat for a bit… and then it just dies.”
Problem Statement:
Connections were happening, but without a mechanism to sustain them, most chats went silent within a week.
We combined quantitative and qualitative research:
Tracked daily message activity.
Interviewed users who had joined roundtables or started chats.
Key insight: Users wanted to stay in touch but didn’t know how to do it without feeling awkward or forced.
We ran cross-functional workshops with design, product, dev, and QA. After exploring dozens of ideas, we landed on streaks.
Inspired by Snapchat and Duolingo, streaks could encourage ongoing interaction but reimagined for professional networking.
After iterations and testing, we launched streaks with these mechanics:
Tap an emoji to send a streak.
The recipient has 24 hours to respond.
As streaks grow, new emojis unlock.
Extra taps boost visibility with an animated bubble and counter.
This simple ritual kept connections alive without forcing heavy conversation.
This was one of the most creatively demanding projects. We experimented with visuals, micro-interactions, and flows, testing each round with users.
As a design leader, I kept cross-functional teams aligned, mentored juniors, and ensured the emotional tone of the feature matched the app’s mission.
Users began sending streaks regularly.
Conversations restarted organically.
Engagement and retention both lifted.
“It’s such a simple thing, but it keeps me reaching out and staying connected.”
Exactly the behavior we set out to encourage.
The project proved that the best ideas come from collaboration. Streaks wasn’t just a mechanic—it was a signal that QLU cared about building connections, not just enabling communication.