Clara for Daters

Clara is an app that helps users dedicate time to dating, reflect honestly on their dates, and plan their next steps accordingly. It is the first ever gamified relationship management tool that takes the anxiety and weight out of modern dating.

I worked under the direction of Sarah Jutras from Huzzah Studio as a freelance UX designer, along with a product manager from The Product Consult, and founder, Jillian Romero Chaves, to get Clara’s MVP completed.

This project contained both web and iOS designs for Clara (the dating app) and for Clara Open (the matchmaker experience).  One of the biggest challenges, like with any MVP,  was trying to fit as many key features into initial launch as possible.

Through Jillian's extensive research and monthly check in calls and events with daters and matchmakers, we identified key pain points among single men and women:

• Repeating unproductive dating patterns
• Uncertainty about their dating approaches
• Challenges in finding suitable partners

Matchmakers also expressed a desire to expand their networks beyond existing connections and sought a platform to discover new clients and potential matches.

Common issues included dating fatigue, lack of clarity on what’s working, and the struggle to find meaningful connections. For matchmakers, the challenge was connecting beyond their immediate network. Clara aimed to address these pain points by offering intentional journaling, a focused user profile (Clara Card), and a search feature for connecting with ideal matchmakers.

• Clara Card: Enhanced user profiles to include values and desired partner attributes, facilitating deeper self-reflection. Introduced a QR code feature for easy sharing of profiles.
• Prospect Logging: Enabled users to track and assign statuses to potential matches, aiding in the organization of their dating journey.
• Post-Date Journaling: Provided a space for users to reflect on their dates, encouraging thoughtful evaluation of compatibility and experiences.

While we aimed to include a 'dating insights' feature to offer users analytics on their dating habits, it was postponed for future development based on user feedback.

Outcome: The MVP successfully integrated these features, offering users a structured and mindful approach to dating. By focusing on self-awareness and intentionality, Clara is making dating a more reflective and mindful experience, allowing for users to not only look at dating history, but dating trends that could offer insight and further clarity into finding their match.