SnapConnect
New Product feature to revolutionize how snapchatters establish connections on the platform
Role
Product Designer
Tools Used
Figma
Adobe Software
Team
Product Manager
Product designer
Core experience
Skills Leveraged
Prototyping
UX/UI Design
UX Research
A solution to ease the user pain point of manually inputting their profile description.
reduce onboarding friction by automatically generating interests, descriptions,
and conversation starters.
Instead of swiping on photos alone, users connect through shared interests and prompt responses. This shifts discovery from appearance-first to intent-first.
Project Overview
Daily return incentives via 24-hour chat windows
Solution Overview
SnapConnect is a new discovery experience inside Snapchat that shifts connection from random adds to intentional matches.
It introduces context-rich profiles, prompt-based matching, and progressive trust building.
Chat features unlock gradually as trust is built.
AI assists with icebreakers and monitors risky behavior, balancing exploration with safety.
User Research
Defining the problem space
SnapConnect is a concept feature designed to improve how users discover and connect with new people on Snapchat.
While Snapchat excels at maintaining existing friendships, discovery of new connections feels unintuitive and transactional.
This project explores how UX design can introduce intentional social discovery without compromising Snapchat’s values of privacy, safety, and playfulness.
It all began when, as a Snapchat user for over 10 years, I started feeling frustrated by how difficult it was to discover and connect with new
people on the platform. To understand how users currently discover new connections, I conducted short qualitative interviews and a
comparative perception survey between Snapchat and Instagram. Users consistently reported that Instagram feels intuitive for discovery,
while Snapchat feels hidden and effort-heavy.
Many Snapchat users struggle to discover new people in a way that feels safe and intentional.
The existing Quick Add feature encourages low-context, low-intent interactions, making discovery feel awkward and impersonal.
Design Opportunity
This research revealed an opportunity to redesign discovery so it:
• Provides context before connection
• Encourages intentional interaction
• Reduces cognitive overload
• Maintains Snapchat’s playful, low-pressure tone
Design Goal
Encourage mutual, intentional connections
•Reduce friction and cognitive load
•Build trust progressively
•Align with Snapchat’s privacy-first culture
Encourage mutual, intentional connections
Design Systems
Impact
SnapConnect has the potential to significantly increase user engagement by introducing a discovery experience that is both intentional and habit-forming. The swipe-based discovery flow encourages repeated interaction, naturally extending session time and daily returns through lightweight, dopamine-driven feedback loops similar to other high-engagement interfaces. From a business perspective, SnapConnect unlocks new monetization opportunities, such as premium swipes, boosted visibility, or enhanced discovery features, without disrupting Snapchat’s core experience. Additionally, the onboarding inputs and interaction signals generated through SnapConnect from interests, prompts, matches, and swipe behavior provide high-quality data that can strengthen Snapchat’s AI systems. This data enables more relevant discovery feeds over time, creating a virtuous cycle where personalization improves engagement, engagement improves relevance, and relevance drives long-term retention and revenue.
Next Steps + Reflection
Following the project, I received strong feedback and conducted additional user research with multiple individuals familiar with Snapchat’s product ecosystem. One of the most valuable insights came from a conversation with a legal professional from a counsel team, who highlighted the importance of safeguarding discovery features on a platform with a large underage user base. As a next step, SnapConnect would explore implementing age verification as a protective layer ensuring discovery experiences are age-appropriate while preserving user privacy. This approach balances innovation with responsibility, reinforcing trust while allowing the feature to scale safely.
Working at Snapchat over the summer was an incredibly fun and exciting experience, and one I’ll always be deeply grateful for. Moving from New York City to Los Angeles to start this new chapter. I’m thankful for the people I met, the lessons I learned, and the opportunity to contribute to a product used by millions. This experience will always hold a special place in my journey.
Email Me