Vibely
Personality-Based Friendship Finder
Vibely is a conceptual desktop-first platform that helps people find friends based on personality, interests, and shared activities rather than appearance. I designed the project end to end, including research, wireframes, and high-fidelity designs using Figma.
The concept came from noticing how difficult it can be to make friends as an adult, especially outside of school or work. Many existing platforms feel like dating apps or rely on surface-level matching that does not reflect how friendships actually form.
Goal: Design a friendship platform that feels welcoming, low pressure, and more intentional than swipe-based social apps.
Project Overview
Role
Solo junior UX/UI Designer
Responsible for research, wireframing, interaction design, and high-fidelity desktop design.
Tools
Figma
User Interviews
Competitive Analysis
Wireframing & Prototyping
Timeline
3–4 week concept project
Research, Design, and Iteration
Case Study
The Problem
People who want to make new friends often struggle to find platforms that feel comfortable and appropriate. Many social apps prioritize appearance or romantic intent, and swipe based matching can feel performative or stressful. Users are often looking for friends around specific activities rather than vague connections. Most friendship platforms are also mobile first, even though browsing and comparing profiles is easier on larger screens.
Many existing tools do not support thoughtful browsing or compatibility comparisons.
Problem Statement
People who want to form genuine friendships lack platforms that support browsing and comparing potential connections based on personality, interests, and vibe, which can lead to shallow matches or discomfort with existing social apps.
Research
To understand how people approach making friends as adults, I held informal conversations with peers about their experiences, reviewed platforms such as Bumble BFF, Meetup, and Discord communities, and observed how people naturally describe friendships and shared interests.
Key insights
People often search for friends around specific activities rather than general connections. Personality and energy level mattered more than appearance when evaluating potential friendships. Zodiac signs were frequently used as a light compatibility signal. Swipe based systems felt stressful for friendship focused platforms, and browsing or comparing profiles felt more natural than making quick decisions.
Personas
Creative Chloe (26)
An introverted remote worker who enjoys art and coffee outings. Chloe prefers low pressure friendships and dislikes swipe based platforms.
Social Sam (31)
Recently moved to a new city and wants activity based friendships with people who share similar energy levels.
Ideation
Using How Might We questions and sketching, I explored several directions including event based matching and group focused communities. To keep the project focused, I narrowed the concept to compatibility browsing rather than swipe based matching.
Core features
A personality quiz allows users to answer questions about interests, energy level, and preferred activities during onboarding. Interest and vibe tags highlight personality traits and activity preferences on profiles. Zodiac compatibility adds a playful compatibility layer without dominating matches. Distance filters allow users to browse potential friends nearby. Side by side comparison lets users review profiles and compatibility traits at the same time. Activity intent focuses profiles on shared interests rather than long biographies.
Primary Flow
Onboarding Quiz - Browse Grid - Filters - Profile Comparison - Profile Details
Design Process
I began with grayscale wireframes to focus on layout and usability for a desktop first experience.
Key decisions included using a grid layout for easier browsing, adding a side by side comparison view for thoughtful decision making, shortening the onboarding quiz to reduce fatigue, simplifying profile cards to reduce cognitive load, and removing swipe interactions to avoid dating app patterns.
The visual design uses clean layouts, soft color accents, rounded cards, and friendly icons to create a welcoming experience.
Usability Testing
I reviewed early prototypes with peers and gathered feedback by walking through core flows such as creating a profile and browsing potential matches.
Users appreciated the focus on personality rather than photos. Side by side comparison made compatibility easier to understand, and activity based goals made profiles feel more actionable. Zodiac compatibility worked best as a light visual hint rather than a primary matching factor.
Final Design Highlights
Personality First Profiles emphasize traits, interests, and vibe rather than appearance.
Side by Side Comparison allows users to evaluate profiles and compatibility traits quickly.
Zodiac Compatibility adds an optional visual layer that introduces personality to the experience.
The desktop first layout supports grid browsing and easier comparison on larger screens.
Low pressure interaction removes swipe based mechanics common in dating apps.
Outcomes
Feedback suggested the concept felt approachable, thoughtful, and more comfortable than existing social platforms. Several testers noted the experience felt more intentional and less intimidating for making friends.
Reflection
This project reinforced that designing for friendship requires different interaction patterns than dating platforms. Desktop layouts work well for browsing and comparing compatibility, and small details such as tone, icons, and interaction style strongly influence user trust. Careful scoping also helped keep the concept focused and realistic.
Future improvements could include group matching around shared activities and ways to surface local events without adding complexity.