Introducing

Taro is a project evolving into a diverse friends matching platform, fostering real-life connections through discovery and event partnerships.

Timeline

Kickoff

Meet with stakholders and understand the business

UX Research

To understand user behaviors, needs, motivations, and pain points.

Ideation

To create a product that offers the best possible user experience.

Validation

To visually guide the user through a product's interface
& stakeholder feedback.

Timeline

Kickoff

Meet with stakholders and understand the business

UX Research

To understand user behaviors, needs, motivations, and pain points.

Ideation

To create a product that offers the best possible user experience.

Validation

To visually guide the user through a product's interface
& stakeholder feedback.

Team Members

UX Lead

Hannah Mei

Stakeholders

Hank, Coco & team

Shiny Cui

Fiona Zhao

Hailey Fu

Daryl Li

Hongqian Li

Initial Problem Statement

“How might we
improve the initial

profile creation and

ongoing profile development?”

Problem statement

UX Research

Current user experince

UX Research - User Interviews and HMW

User Pain points

Paint-point 1

Users wish to build relationships in-person by exploring interests together

but they tend to take these connections to other chatting apps to further connections.

Recruiter 1

Paint-point 2

Users struggle to build trust and transparency with friends-making apps

but at the same time they wish to see more enriched profiles for better matches.

Recruiter 2

People want to form meaningful in-person connections.

How might we guide users through a simple profile setup and encourage ongoing updates?

People want to establish connections by diverse information in different perspectives.

How might we help users build trustworthy profiles that feel safe, meaningful, and foster genuine connections?

Paint-point 2

Users struggle to build trust and transparency with friends-making apps

but at the same time they wish to see more enriched profiles for better matches.

Recruiter 2

Paint-point 1

Users wish to build relationships in-person by exploring interests together

but they tend to take these connections to other chatting apps to further connections.

Recruiter 1

Painpoints

UX Research

Key Insights

WHO

Dating partner seeker & Deep connection seeker

WHAT

Users need engaged and enriched profiles

WHAT

Encourage users to enhance and update their profiles

HOW

Guided and engaging profile creation

UX Research

Key Insights

WHO

Dating partner seeker & Deep connection seeker

WHAT

Users need engaged and enriched profiles

WHAT

Encourage users to enhance and update their profiles

HOW

Guided and engaging profile creation

Personas

Age

Location:

San Francisco, CA

Family:

Single/No Kids

Occupation:

Software Developer

Alex grew up in a suburban area close to San Francisco and excelled in academics, particularly in computer science. His work as a software developer often requires long hours and doesn’t leave much time for a busting social life. He’s always been more reserved, finding it challenging to meet new people, especially after his close friends moved away. Feeling the need for connection, he turned to friend-minded apps with the hope of findings like-minded individuals for both platonic and potentially romantic relationships.

Goal

Finding the ideal partner
Building a solid romantic
relationship

Motivations

Looking for possible dating partner.

“Dating app is like bridge that help me know more people.”

Age

Location:

San Francisco, CA

Family:

Single/No Kids

Occupation:

Software Developer

Michelle, a vineyard manager residing in San Raman, CA with her daughter, relocated to the area a year ago. She works on the weekends and takes 2 days off in the weekdays. She enjoy exploring new restaurants and engaging in outdoor activities with her friends. However, she longs for a close-knit group of friends to share her time with. Making new friends is her current desire, but being relatively new ti the city, she’s uncertain about where to begin.

Goal

A space to naturally connect with others without feeling pressured.
The ability to be vulnerable & authentically themselves when meeting new people, without the fear of judgment or pretence.

Motivations

Kind, Thoughtful, Loyal

“I really want to make friends but i just don’t have the time or energy to put into building those relationships. I feel like i have to present the best version of myself in order to be liked by someone new, it’s too much pressure.”

UX Research

Competitive Analysis

Asian Users

U.S Users

Events APP

Ideation

Narrow down ideas & features

Goal

We aim to design a profile experience that is simple to set up, encourages ongoing updates, and builds trust for meaningful, genuine connections.

Feature 1

How to enrich profiles creation process and improve user loyalty?

Adding gamified methods in profile creation to encourage user fill out more info like interest and prompts

Feature Focus

Adding more types of info into the profile and encourage ongoing updates

Feature 2

How to build trust and foster connection?

Introducing “TARO Verified” badge to signify authenticity

Feature Focus

Adding more types of info into the profile and encourage ongoing updates

Feature 3

How can we help users discover events that foster genuine, meaningful connections?

AI-powered event discovery to suggest interest-based events tailored to user profiles

Feature Focus

Adding more types of info into the profile and encourage ongoing updates

Additional use-cases should also be improved with the enhanced profile functions.

Feature 3

Tying enhanced profile to events and other use casses

Features & Painpoints

Ideation

Narrow down ideas & Stakeholder check-in

Painpoints

Solving users pain points of not finding value in current profile content

Feature 2

How can enhanced profiles improve user loyalty?

Gamified methods to add engagement + profile info

Feature Focus

Adding more info into profile (deep info)

Feature 3

Tying enhanced profile to events and other use casses

Additional use-cases should also be improved with the enhanced profile functions.

Features & Painpoints

Ideation

Narrow down ideas & features

Deeper profile info

Profile Creation
Reward system
 Making my profile look “pretty”

Using my new profiles

Getting more matches learning more about others

Long term profiles

Reward profile loyalty  Small daily interactions to improve profile

Ideation

User flow

Agile Design workflow overview

Lo-fi Wireframing

Stakeholder review & early testing

Highfi iteration & Final Validation

Lowfi Design spec handoff

CUJ1: Profile Creation

As a new Taro user, I want to create an authentic and engaging profile by verifying my identity and using gamified visuals for interests, so others can trust and connect with me. I also want to showcase my full personality through multiple photo albums, fostering deeper, genuine connections.

CUJ 2: Ongoing Profile Updates

As a returning Taro user, I want to keep my profile fresh and engaging by earning more swipes through enriching my profile, so I stay motivated to update it over time. I also enjoy a welcoming experience with playful, inclusive language and characters that make me comfortable showcasing myself.

CUJ 3: Icebreaker and Event Ratings

As a Taro user joining a chat or event, I want to answer icebreaker questions before starting conversations, so I can connect more easily with others. After events, I want to leave reviews and ratings to reflect my experience and help improve the community while staying engaged with the platform.