Green Flag
From Swiping to Real Life: Designing a More Human Dating Experience
Green Flag is a dating platform I founded to help singles build meaningful, in-person connections through thoughtfully curated, offline events. Our mission is to create a more human approach to modern dating: one grounded in emotional intelligence, community, and fun.
We build technology to support and scale in-person events, from seamless sign-up flows to matchmaking tools and post-event interactions.
Role: Founder, Lead Designer, Product Manager
Scope: Product strategy, brand development, user research, and growth marketing
Platforms: Web
Year: 2024
Impact
+$2,300/month
revenue within 4 months of launch
48%
profit margin with hostless event flow
2,000+
users signed up
20%
attendee repeat rate
Problem
Through research, testing, and early user interviews, I identified three core challenges in the dating space
Digital Fatigue
People were exhausted by dating apps and burned out from endless swiping, ghosting, and superficial conversations.
Desire for Authentic Connections
There was a clear craving for real-life interaction. Users weren’t just looking for a better app; they wanted a better way to meet people.
Inefficiency of Swiping
Swiping took forever. People were investing hours with little payoff and no guarantee of a real-world meeting. I saw an opportunity to build something more efficient and intentional.
Opportunity
How might we create a scalable dating event experience that feels personal and fun, while using technology and automation to make it easy to run and grow?
Goals
Business Goal
Validate demand for in-person dating events and prove a scalable business model
User Goal
Make it easy and enjoyable for singles to meet quality matches in real life without the stress or time sink of dating apps.
Design Process
01 / Research & Discovery
I began with interviews, surveys, and observational research to understand the pain points of app-based dating. Users were overwhelmed by choice, discouraged by inauthentic interactions, and frustrated by how long it took to actually meet someone. I also tested early versions of the app and event concepts to validate interest in in-person dating experiences.
02 / Flow Mapping
With key insights in hand, I mapped out separate user journeys for new and returning users, event signup, and post-event engagement. I focused on minimizing friction, from booking to follow-up, and designed each step to feel intuitive, encouraging, and clear. This included flows for ticketing, matching, and communications for event-day logistics.
03 / Wireframes
I created mid-fidelity wireframes to bring the experience to life and validate core interactions. These helped me test how users moved through event discovery, sign-up, and post-event match submission. Early feedback revealed that users really wanted to understand who would be at the event. As a result, I added gender counters and attendance limits.
04 / Visual Concepts
Once the core structure was working, I explored visual design directions. Since Green Flag needed to appeal to men (our limiting demographic) without alienating women, I developed a bold, casual look that felt trustworthy and fun. I experimented with color, typography, and iconography to strike a balance between playful and bold.
05 / Final Designs
The final UI prioritized clarity, mobile usability, and emotional warmth. I streamlined content, simplified actions, and ensured the design was consistent across event types and flows. I also built a flexible design system that allowed me to quickly test and iterate on new ideas, like hostless events.
The MVP
For the MVP, I focused on building just enough functionality to test demand, deliver a great event experience, and gather actionable feedback. The core experience centered around three key pillars:
Event Signup
I designed a mobile-first, frictionless sign-up flow that made it quick and easy for users to browse events, learn what to expect, and reserve a spot. I prioritized clear details (date, location, gender balance, vibe) and lightweight onboarding to reduce decision fatigue and drive conversions. Early feedback helped me refine CTA placement, surface social proof, and set better expectations, leading to higher attendance and fewer drop-offs.
Automated Communication Design
I built a series of automated emails to guide users through the full experience, confirmation, reminders, what to expect, and post-event follow-up. Every message was intentionally designed to build trust, ease anxiety, and keep users engaged. I A/B tested subject lines and content tone to find what resonated, and used visual consistency and clear hierarchy to make each email scannable and on-brand.
Post-Event Matching
After each event, I sent a follow-up google form that allowed attendees to select people they’d be interested in seeing again. If there was a mutual match, I triggered a match email with light, friendly copy and clear next steps. This system helped eliminate the pressure of live rejection while still offering closure and momentum (feedback we gathered from our customers). As a fast follow to our initial MVP release of the above two items, we build post-event matching into the product.
Reflection
Green Flag has been one of the most rewarding and impactful projects of my career. I took it from concept to launch, leading product strategy, research, design, growth, and operations.
By centering empathy, clarity, and real-life connection, I built a product that didn’t just fill a market gap, it gave people a genuinely better way to date.
I didn’t just ship once and walk away. I listened, learned, and iterated constantly:• I ran user interviews and post-event surveys to refine formats, content, and tone
• I tested different event sizes and learned that 40–60 attendees created the ideal balance of variety and intimacy
• I adjusted onboarding flows and signup prompts to improve gender balance and engagement
• I tracked every feature I launched and made data-driven decisions based on signup rates, rebooking rates, match submissions, and email open rates