MY ROLE
Product designer
UX researcher
TOOLS
Figma
Figjam
TIMELINE
Oct 2024 - Dec 2024
TEAM
2 Product Designers
2 Product Managers
1 Developer
1 CEO
What is the challenge?
Krush, a dating app for 12,000+ Asian millennials, introduced a referral feature to boost growth. But the feature was buried, unclear, and inconsistent — leading to low awareness and poor engagement.
Despite offering rewards, users shared only 2.3 referrals/day, with just 9.5 monthly conversions.
The Solution
Redesigned the referral experience around clarity and trust and design system
The outcome!
Design system + 5 screens
shipped the redesign of referral feature & design systems and received positive feedback on potentially expanding design system throughout the app
98%
positive user satisfaction on the redesign of the referral feature
So, how did we do it? Let's start from beginning
The problem
The referral feature wasn’t working - not because of functionality, but because of experience
It was:
Hidden - Users couldn’t find the referral feature
Unclear - No success or progress feedback led to uncertainty
Inconsistent - Visual misalignment across screens broke trust
The design lacked clarity, feedback, and system cohesion, causing users to disengage
“I sent an invite but never knew if it worked”
-Krush user
Background research
To understand user pain points and system gaps, we ran research focusing on user behavior and interface consistency
Competitor Benchmarking
(4 dating apps)
Flat, one-time rewards fail to keep users motivated
Collected User surveys through Googleforms
(10 user responses, aged 20-35)
Low visibility and unclear rewards stopped users from sharing referrals
UI Audit of current Krush screens
(3 different flows through out the app)
Color, spacing and typography varied across screens
Competitor analysis
To understand why Krush’s referral flow was struggling, I studied how competitors like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and Coffee Meets Bagel handled referrals. The goal was to understand common patterns, identify what worked well, and uncover gaps that could inspire opportunities for Krush.
UI audit of current flows
Pain point 1
Referral feature was hidden and difficult to find
Pain point 2
No feedback when referrals were sent or accepted
Pain point 3
Visual inconsistency
During the audit, I cataloged inconsistencies into a Figma file — mapping typography, color, and component irregularities. This became the foundation for the new design system work.
What we found:
Feature
invisibility
Most users didn’t know referrals existed
Lack of
feedback
No confirmation or progress tracking
Design
inconsistency
Color, spacing, and button states differed across the app
Design opportunity
How might we increase referral engagement while building a cohesive, scalable design system that improves usability throughout the app?
Mapping the existing flow
To start, I mapped the existing referral flow end-to-end to uncover usability issues and inconsistencies
The flow revealed multiple friction points — buried entry paths, missing confirmation states, and uneven component styling
Usability testing of existing screens
To validate our audit findings, we ran quick usability tests on the existing referral flow with 5 active Krush users
Our goal was to understand where and why users struggled to complete referrals
These insights confirmed that the problem wasn’t the feature itself — it was visibility, clarity, and consistency
Visualizing the new flow
We reimagined the referral process into a clear, guided flow that reduces friction, builds trust, and aligns seamlessly through a unified design system
Key improvements:
Persistent banners make referrals instantly visible on key screens.
Unique referral code system: Each user now receives a personal code that can be copied or shared with one tap — eliminating the need to manually enter names or phone numbers.
Simplified referral form: Minimal fields, clear instructions, and auto-generated invite messages.
Real-time success feedback: Confirmation screens and status updates appear immediately after a referral is shared.
Tiered reward visuals: Users can track their progress (Silver → Gold → Platinum) with motivating, consistent UI components.
Old design
New design
Old design
New design
Old design
New design
Each component — banners, buttons, modals, and the new copy-code module — was built as a reusable element in the Krush Design System.
This ensured visual harmony, consistent motion behavior, and scalability for future product features.
Now, let’s explore Krush Design Systems!
Color
Krush’s color palette blends warmth and energy to evoke connection, trust, and playfulness. It reflects both modern dating dynamics and cultural vibrancy rooted in Asian identity.
H1
Find your Krush. Your culture. Your connection.
H2
Find your Krush. Your culture. Your connection.
H3
Find your Krush. Your culture. Your connection.
H4
Find your Krush. Your culture. Your connection.
P1
Find your Krush. Your culture. Your connection.
P2
Find your Krush. Your culture. Your connection.
P3
Find your Krush. Your culture. Your connection.
Icons
Our icons are built on a simple, rounded system that aligns with Krush’s friendly tone. They enhance usability and visual cohesion without distracting from key content or interactions.
Components
Our component library brings together visual clarity and functional reliability. Each element—from buttons to cards—is crafted to reflect Krush’s brand voice while supporting intuitive user flows.
Impact
Words from the client!
The redesigned referral experience made sharing simple, rewarding, and scalable.
By introducing a unique referral code, improving visibility, and aligning design across components, we transformed a confusing flow into a frictionless journey.
The CEO praised the redesign’s depth and expressed strong interest in scaling the design system across the product.
+40%
Projected referral conversion rate (based on user testing )
–65%
Task time reduction after introducing copy/share referral codes.
10+ screens
Consistent design system now applied to 10+ screens, improving developer efficiency and visual quality.
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