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Case Study

NextBestie.

Find a bestie for every occasion.

A personality-driven friendship matching app built for the people who crave real, soul-aligned connections — not just followers.

Year 2023
Role UI/UX Designer
Platform iOS & Android
Category Social App
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
NextBestie App Mockup
Personalized Matches
Secure Chatting
Bulletin Board
NextBestie App Mockup
The Problem

Making friends as an adult is broken.

You move to a new city. Or your friend group drifts apart. Or you've simply grown into someone different — and the people around you haven't. You know the feeling: surrounded by people, but genuinely lonely.

Existing apps don't help. Dating apps aren't built for platonic connection. Social media gives you an audience, not a friend. And forcing friendships through proximity — co-workers, neighbours — rarely leads to the kind of deep, vibe-matched bond people actually crave.

"It's hard to find someone who gets you — same vibes, same values, without the extra drama."

No dedicated platonic platform

Every major social app is built around dating, networking, or broadcasting — none are purpose-built for genuine friendship.

Surface-level compatibility

Proximity-based matching — co-workers, neighbours — rarely results in deep, values-aligned friendships that actually last.

Disconnected after relocating

Starting over in a new city means losing your social circle overnight — with no good way to rebuild it intentionally.

"

NextBestie was born from a personal story. Star Martin, a filmmaker and artist from East St. Louis, relocated away from her best friend of 20+ years and found herself struggling to rebuild genuine connection. She didn't just want an app — she wanted a movement. A love letter to platonic intimacy.

Star Martin
Star Martin Founder, NextBestie
The Idea

Friendship, made intentional.

NextBestie replaces chance encounters with a purposeful, quiz-driven matching system — connecting people on shared values, communication styles, and interests rather than just location.

01

Take the Quiz

Answer questions about your personality, values, interests, and communication style. The more honest, the better your matches.

02

Meet Your Match

Get connected with soul-aligned people who share your vibe — not just your zip code. Browse, filter, and reach out when it feels right.

03

Build Together

Chat securely, join the community Bulletin Board, and use Travel Mode to carry your social life wherever life takes you.

Core Features

Built for real
human connection.

01

Personality Quiz Matching

A custom quiz maps your personality, values, and communication style to surface the most compatible matches — cutting through surface-level introductions to find people who truly get you.

Matching
02

Encrypted Messaging

Every conversation is end-to-end encrypted. Chat freely and authentically — no ads, no algorithms scanning your DMs, just a safe space for genuine connection to grow.

Privacy
03

Bulletin Board Community

A shared community space featuring weekly newsletters, discussion forums, and topic boards. A place to engage, share, and feel part of something bigger than a one-on-one chat.

Community
04

Travel Mode

Moving to a new city? Travelling for work? Activate Travel Mode to find compatible friends in any location — so your social life moves with you wherever life takes you.

Location
05

Post-Meetup Reflections & Safety Tools

After every meetup, share how it went. Reflection tools help improve future matches and build a track record of safe, positive interactions — making the platform smarter and safer with every connection made.

Safety
Who It's For

For the soft girls, big dreamers,
and creative loners.

✈️

The Relocator

Just moved somewhere new and starting from scratch — ready to rebuild a real social circle intentionally.

🎨

The Creative Soul

An artist, writer, or filmmaker who wants friends who understand depth, nuance, and big conversations.

🌙

The Introverted Extrovert

Social but selective — craving meaningful one-on-one bonds over large, draining group dynamics.

💫

The Intentional Connector

Done with surface-level small talk. Ready to build friendships rooted in shared values and authentic vibes.

User Research

Understanding the people.

Research shaped every design decision — from onboarding to matching to messaging.

Key Insights

Users feel socially disconnected despite being constantly online

Trust issues arise with random friend-making apps that lack safety features

Strong desire for personality-based matching rather than appearance-based algorithms

User Survey 47 respondents · 2026
Feel lonely despite being active on social media 89%
Uncomfortable using dating apps for platonic connection 74%
Prefer personality matching over appearance-based discovery 91%

Qualitative interviews + online survey conducted across target demographic

User Persona

Designed for real people.

Sarah

Sarah

Graduate Student · Age 21–28

  • New York, USA
  • Female
  • Young professional
  • Recently relocated to a new city
The Explorer

Interests

  • Attending art exhibitions and cultural events
  • Exploring new neighbourhoods, cafés, and bookshops
  • Creative hobbies — photography, journaling, music
  • Joining interest-based communities and workshops

Motivations

  • Building genuine, soul-aligned friendships after relocating
  • Creating a support network outside work or school
  • Meeting people who share her values and depth
  • Moving beyond followers to real connection

Pain Points / Frustrations

  • Dating-style swiping feels awkward for platonic connections
  • Social media follows rarely turn into real friendships
  • Hard to find people with genuine shared interests in a new city
  • Existing apps prioritise appearance over personality

Needs / Expectations

  • A safe, personality-driven platform built for friendship
  • Matching based on values, interests, and communication style
  • A comfortable, low-pressure way to start conversations
  • Trust and safety features to feel secure meeting new people
User Journey

From first tap to first bestie.

01

Onboarding

App introduction and value proposition

02

Personality Quiz

Interest and value selection

03

Match Discovery

System suggests compatible friends

04

Connection

User sends friendship request

05

Chat

Conversation begins safely

06

Friendship

Long-term bond and community

NextBestie User Flow Diagram
Wireframes

Early layout exploration.

Conceptual wireframes were skipped in favour of a direct high-fidelity UI design approach — moving quickly from research insights to polished screens.

NextBestie Low-fidelity Wireframes
Design Decisions

Every choice has a reason.

Design isn't decoration — each decision was intentional, grounded in research and emotional impact.

Soft Colour Palette
→
Emotional comfort and a non-threatening, welcoming tone
Rounded UI Elements
→
Friendly interaction cues that feel approachable and safe
Card-Based Matching
→
Easy, scannable browsing without overwhelming the user
Minimal UI
→
Reduced cognitive load — letting connection feel effortless
Design Iterations

Refined through each version.

V1

Basic Layout

Initial structure and core navigation — establishing the foundation

V2

Improved UX Flow

Refined onboarding and matching — based on early user feedback

Final

Polished UI

Full visual system, motion design, and feature completeness

NextBestie Before & After UI Comparison
Testing & Feedback

Validated by real users.

01

Users preferred interest-based matching over proximity or appearance-based algorithms

02

The emotional tone of the UI increased user engagement and time in-app

03

A simpler onboarding flow significantly reduced early drop-off rates

"

I moved to London for work and was honestly dreading starting over socially. NextBestie matched me with two people who were into the same obscure stuff I am — we've been hanging out every week for three months now.

P
Priya M. 26 · London, UK
"

Dating apps made me uncomfortable — it always felt like there was a hidden agenda. NextBestie just felt clean and safe. I matched with my current best friend on day two of using it.

J
Jordan T. 23 · Toronto, CA
"

The personality quiz actually worked. My match had the same weird sense of humour and communication style as me. We clicked instantly — something that usually takes months to find organically.

A
Aisha K. 29 · New York, US
Outcome

Friendships built on intention.

Improved Social Discovery

Clarity in how people find meaningful connections — no more guessing or awkward cold outreach

Meaningful Friendship Building

Focus on deep, personality-matched connections that last beyond a few exchanges

Reduced Digital Loneliness

Designed to turn online interactions into real-world bonds and genuine human warmth

What I Learned

Lessons that shaped me.

01

User Psychology in Social Apps

Designing for emotional resonance — not just functionality — is what separates a tool from a movement.

02

Designing for Emotional Comfort

Colour, spacing, and tone carry emotional weight. Every pixel either builds trust or erodes it.

03

UX Flows are as Important as UI Visuals

A beautiful screen means nothing if the journey to reach it is confusing or frustrating.

Get the App

Your next bestie is waiting.

Available on iOS and Android. Free to download — because great friendships shouldn't cost a thing.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play

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