About the client
QLU Social is a mobile app for professionals seeking authentic, lasting networks. Its mission is to help users form and deepen connections, prioritising meaningful interactions over surface-level networking.
About the project
As Head of Product Design, Ali led strategy, mentored the design team, and contributed hands-on. The challenge: conversations on QLU often died after a few messages. That was not just a UX issue, it threatened the app’s core promise and its retention.
The problem
Engagement was low. Connections formed through roundtables and group chats, but most fizzled within days.
- Data. UXCam showed short-lived exchanges
- Interviews. Users admitted they had no reason to continue chatting once the initial spark faded
I connect with someone, we chat for a bit, and then it just dies.
Connections were happening, but without a mechanism to sustain them most chats went silent within a week.
Research and insights
Quantitative and qualitative research ran together.
- Tracked daily message activity
- Interviewed users who had joined roundtables or started chats
Key insight. Users wanted to stay in touch but did not know how to do it without feeling awkward or forced.
Ideation and strategy
Cross-functional workshops ran with design, product, dev and QA. After exploring dozens of ideas, the team landed on streaks.
Inspired by Snapchat and Duolingo, streaks could encourage ongoing interaction, reimagined for professional networking.
Designing the feature
After iterations and testing, streaks launched with these mechanics.
- Tap an emoji to send a streak
- The recipient has 24 hours to respond
- As streaks grow, new emojis unlock
- Extra taps boost visibility with an animated bubble and counter
This simple ritual kept connections alive without forcing heavy conversation.
Collaboration and execution
This was one of the most creatively demanding projects. The team experimented with visuals, micro-interactions and flows, testing each round with users.
As design lead, Ali kept cross-functional teams aligned, mentored juniors, and made sure the emotional tone of the feature matched the app’s mission.
Results
It’s such a simple thing, but it keeps me reaching out and staying connected.
Exactly the behaviour the team set out to encourage.
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Reactivated conversations | +35% |
| Weekly active chats | +28% |
| Retention among streak users | 3x higher |
| Streak users sending 3+ per week after week one | 65% |
Reflection
The project proved that the best ideas come from collaboration. Streaks was not just a mechanic, it was a signal that QLU cared about building connections, not just enabling communication.