Blindish

Overview

Blindish is a prototype for an AI-powered dating app that flips conventional swipe-first UX by prioritizing curiosity and emotional engagement over instant visual gratification. Profile photos are blurred by default and only begin to reveal as conversation unfolds—prompting users to connect beyond appearance.

The Challenge

Modern dating platforms often optimize for rapid decisions based on looks, which can lead to:

• Superficial matches and ghosting
• Emotional burnout from repetitive, shallow interactions
• Limited space for personality to stand out
• A mismatch between UX patterns and user intentions

The Concept

Blindish reframes discovery through progressive disclosure:

• Blurred images that slowly deblur through conversation
• Prompt-driven dialogue curated by AI to spark meaningful engagement
• Tone-aware microinteractions to guide pace and emotional tone
• Earned visibility model: the more intentional the interaction, the clearer the visual becomes

Approach

Design Philosophy

This project was an experiment in building emotionally intelligent UX systems that:

• Slow the pace of interaction to foster reflection
• Use friction intentionally to create psychological safety
• Leverage AI not just for efficiency, but for emotional attunement

Workflow

• Ideation: Used Claude to explore emotional friction and narrative structure
• Flow Mapping: Created dynamic user journeys with prompt-based unlocks
• Prototyping: Built real-time blurring logic in Cursor, backed by Supabase
• UI Components: Generated base components in V0, refined with Tailwind
• User Testing: Conducted informal tests to gauge tone, pacing, and trust

Outcomes

Wins

• Users reported a sense of "earned" connection
• AI prompts helped break conversational inertia
• Blurred UX introduced playful suspense that aligned with the brand

Future Iterations

• Better calibration for photo reveal timing
• Expanded prompt logic for different personality types
• Accessibility improvements for visual impairment

Key Learnings

• Emotional pacing is a viable UX lever
• AI prompts can drive not just interaction but emotional tone
• Friction, when purposeful, creates trust

Tools Used

• Frontend: Tailwind CSS, React, V0
• Backend: Supabase
• AI: Claude for tone design, journey logic, and narrative prototyping
• Build & Deployment: Cursor, Vercel
• Design: Figma for initial concept shaping

Blindish isn’t just a dating app—it’s a question: What happens when UX invites us to feel before we judge?