Overview

Low message initiation and response rates were stalling user engagement and retention—especially among male users. Messaging had become a blocker to connection, not a catalyst. Internal research confirmed it as one of the top pain points across the platform.

What I did

I led the strategy and design for Quick Hello (QH), an AI-driven messaging assistant built to unlock more relevant, human first impressions:

Audited platform-wide messaging patterns with research, uncovering behavior gaps—generic intros, low personalization, and poor reciprocity
Partnered across data science and product to design a system that used profile signals to generate context-aware, emotionally intelligent conversation starters
Avoided the pitfalls of canned replies by focusing on tone, timing, and resonance—testing iteratively across user cohorts and refining through live feedback loops
Positioned the feature not just as a UX enhancement, but as a behavior shift—lowering cognitive load while increasing emotional signal

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Outcomes

ncreased message sends and response rates among low-engagement segments

Users reported greater confidence in starting conversations, citing improved quality and authenticity

Feature insights informed broader personalization strategy across Zoosk’s core experience

Demonstrated how responsible AI could improve not just engagement metrics, but human connection—online and off

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