Dating apps have a fundamental trust crisis. Users face fake profiles, catfishing, harassment, and superficial connections built on appearance alone. The swipe-based model encourages disposable interactions rather than meaningful compatibility, leaving people frustrated and unsafe.

Bammby was designed to directly address these core issues by replacing the broken swipe model with verification-first matching. Instead of quantity-focused interactions, we built a system that prioritizes quality connections through mandatory identity verification, AI-driven compatibility scoring, and user-controlled profile access that puts safety and intentionality at the center of every interaction.

Through surveys with 13+ users and in-depth interviews, I uncovered critical insights: 76% considered identity verification non-negotiable, 62% were frustrated by fake profiles, and 68% wanted matches based on shared interests rather than just looks. Additionally, 41% had faced harassment on dating platforms, revealing a clear need for better user control and safety measures.

I created four key personas that shaped our design decisions: intentional daters tired of casual swipes, newcomers wanting guidance without complexity, busy professionals needing efficient smart matching, and safety-conscious users requiring strong verification and reassurance after bad experiences.

My approach centered on "trust first, connection second." Every interaction from onboarding to messaging reinforced safety and authenticity. Instead of optimizing for engagement metrics, I designed for meaningful connections through verified identities and compatibility-driven matching.

I designed a flow that flips traditional dating: personality-driven onboarding trains AI to calculate compatibility percentages, facial verification ensures profile authenticity (fail the check, start over), and a profile request system using digital roses creates intentional interactions while reducing harassment. Ghost Mode allows premium users to browse anonymously, crucial for high-profile individuals who traditionally avoid dating apps due to professional concerns.

Balancing user safety with ease of use required careful consideration. The verification process needed to be thorough without feeling invasive, while the rose system had to create value without becoming a paywall. I also had to design for diverse user comfort levels with technology and dating apps.

The results validated our trust-first approach: 10,000 downloads on day one, #1 ranking in both App Store and Google Play dating categories, and sustained 3,000+ daily active users. Most importantly, 78% of beta testers said they'd switch from their current dating app to Bammby, indicating strong product-market fit.

Sometimes the best innovation isn't adding more features, it's fixing fundamental problems that make people want to delete apps entirely. Building trust into every interaction created a differentiated experience that users actually wanted, proving that prioritizing safety over engagement metrics can drive both user satisfaction and business success.