Streaks: Designing for Deeper Connections on QLU Social
Ali Abid
About the Clent
QLU Social is a mobile app for professionals seeking authentic, lasting networks. Its mission is to help users form and deepen connections, prioritizing meaningful interactions over surface-level networking.
About the Project
As Head of Product Design, I led strategy, mentored the design team, and contributed hands-on. The challenge: conversations on QLU often died after a few messages. This wasn’t just a UX issue—it threatened the app’s core promise and 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.”
Problem Statement:
Connections were happening, but without a mechanism to sustain them, most chats went silent within a week.
Research & Insights
We combined quantitative and qualitative research:
Tracked daily message activity.
Interviewed users who had joined roundtables or started chats.
Key insight: Users wanted to stay in touch but didn’t know how to do it without feeling awkward or forced.
Ideation & Strategy
We ran cross-functional workshops with design, product, dev, and QA. After exploring dozens of ideas, we landed on streaks.
Inspired by Snapchat and Duolingo, streaks could encourage ongoing interaction but reimagined for professional networking.
Designing the Feature
After iterations and testing, we launched streaks 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 & Execution
This was one of the most creatively demanding projects. We experimented with visuals, micro-interactions, and flows, testing each round with users.
As a design leader, I kept cross-functional teams aligned, mentored juniors, and ensured the emotional tone of the feature matched the app’s mission.
Results
Users began sending streaks regularly.
Conversations restarted organically.
Engagement and retention both lifted.
“It’s such a simple thing, but it keeps me reaching out and staying connected.”
Exactly the behavior we set out to encourage.
Building an AI product? Let's talk.
I'm Ali, a fractional product and design lead for seed to Series A AI startups. I make an AI product's output clear enough that people act on it without a manual. One AI feature I designed lifted user sessions 70%.
If you don't have a head of product or design yet, that's the gap I fill. We can start with a 4-week audit or a monthly retainer.
Or message me right here on Contra.
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Posted Jun 16, 2026
Designed Streaks, a reply mechanic that restarts dead conversations on QLU Social. As Head of Product Design, I led the strategy, the team, and the design.
