Jino: Relationship Companion App
Jino: Relationship Companion App
The relationship growth companion for ambitious couples
The relationship growth companion for ambitious couples
Industry
Consumer Social
Consumer Social
Skills
Design System
Design System
Prototyping
Prototyping
Product Strategy
Product Strategy
Team
Carolyn Tung (Design Founder & UX Designer)
Carolyn Tung (Design & Development)
Timeline
Nov 2025
Nov 2025
MY ROLE
Context
Context
Jino is a relationship growth companion for ambitious, emotionally intelligent couples. It is a lightweight app that creates opportunity for shared rituals for connection, emotional presence, and goal tracking. The goal of Jino is to help couples maintain emotional closeness and personal development while preserving individuality and a strong sense of self.
Jino is a relationship growth companion for ambitious, emotionally intelligent couples. It is a lightweight app that creates opportunity for shared rituals for connection, emotional presence, and goal tracking. The goal of Jino is to help couples maintain emotional closeness and personal development while preserving individuality and a strong sense of self.
PROBLEM
Some relationships fail because couples struggle to balance ambition with emotional presence.
Some relationships fail because couples struggle to balance ambition with emotional presence.
In some circles, self-development culture runs rampant. For these people, self-optimization and independence often come before relationships. Especially among Gen Z, being in a relationship can even be seen as a threat to one’s individuality or ambition. Many ambitious, goal-driven people want relationships that help support their personal growth.
In some circles, self-development culture runs rampant. For these people, self-optimization and independence often come before relationships. Especially among Gen Z, being in a relationship can even be seen as a threat to one’s individuality or ambition. Many ambitious, goal-driven people want relationships that help support their personal growth.
COMPETITIVE RESEARCH
Why isn't there a go-to relationship app that has monopolized the industry yet?
Why isn't there a go-to relationship app that has monopolized the industry yet?
Despite huge market demand and cultural obsession with relationships, no app has become the definitive category leader. According to my competitive research, most existing apps optimize for connection by cultivating memories and reflection. But scrapbooks and journal prompts aren't the same as showing up for your partner emotionally.
Despite huge market demand and cultural obsession with relationships, no app has become the definitive category leader. According to my competitive research, most existing apps optimize for connection by cultivating memories and reflection. But scrapbooks and journal prompts aren't the same as showing up for your partner emotionally.
This leaves a massive unsolved gap: How do couples maintain closeness without becoming codependent or losing individuality? No existing app has a compelling answer.
This leaves a massive unsolved gap: How do couples maintain closeness without becoming codependent or losing individuality? No existing app has a compelling answer.
MY APPROACH
Product Strategy: Defining the MVP
Product Strategy: Defining the MVP
Competitors focus on diaries, memories, or journal prompts, but not the actual behaviors that keep couples aligned. To solve emotional drift, Jino needed to create daily rituals that address the root cause of the problem. Instead of designing another "couple diary." I designed behavioral loops to drive connection.
Competitors focus on diaries, memories, or journal prompts, but not the actual behaviors that keep couples aligned. To solve emotional drift, Jino needed to create daily rituals that address the root cause of the problem. Instead of designing another "couple diary." I designed behavioral loops to drive connection.
Jino is built around four behavioral loops:
Jino is built around four behavioral loops:
1. Daily Emotional Loop
Mood → Visibility → Nudge → Reflection
1. Daily Emotional Loop
Mood → Visibility → Nudge → Reflection
2. Connection Loop
Affection → Reciprocity → Appreciation
2. Connection Loop
Affection → Reciprocity → Appreciation
3. Growth Loop
Individual goals → Mutual accountability → Celebration
3. Growth Loop
Individual goals → Mutual accountability → Celebration
4. Autonomy Loop
Solo time → Recovery → Reconnection
4. Autonomy Loop
Solo time → Recovery → Reconnection
UNDERSTANDING MY ICP
Preserving whimsy and play for couples set on achieving their goals
Preserving whimsy and play for couples set on achieving their goals
Most relationship apps are split into two extremes:
Most relationship apps are split into two extremes:
1) Ultra-cute, gamified Asian-market apps → charming branding + playful mascots, but held back by inconsistent English localization and cluttered UX
1) Ultra-cute, gamified Asian-market apps → charming branding + playful mascots, but held back by inconsistent English localization and cluttered UX
Or 2) Premium Western apps → polished, but often corporate and lifeless
Or 2) Premium Western apps → polished, but often corporate and lifeless
Neither experience resonates with the couples I’m designing for: Gen Z Asian or Asian-adjacent audiences who value both emotional intentionality and personal ambition (ex. a couple who might be building a company together while also loving Pokémon, Sanrio, or Studio Ghibli).
Neither experience resonates with the couples I’m designing for: Gen Z Asian or Asian-adjacent audiences who value both emotional intentionality and personal ambition (ex. a couple who might be building a company together while also loving Pokémon, Sanrio, or Studio Ghibli).
ART DIRECTION & BRANDING
Defining the brand vision
Defining the brand vision
I set out to create a visual identity that sits between those two worlds:
Expressive illustrations inspired by KakaoTalk/WeChat sticker culture
A premium, wellness-inspired brand
A playful mascot, like Duolingo or 365 Memories
I set out to create a visual identity that sits between those two worlds:
Expressive illustrations inspired by KakaoTalk/WeChat sticker culture
A premium, wellness-inspired brand
A playful mascot, like Duolingo or 365 Memories
FINAL DESIGN
Designing the first-time user flow for user stickiness and retention
Designing the first-time user flow for user stickiness and retention
A relationship product lives or dies in the first five minutes. For an MVP whose business model is dependent on user stickiness and behavioral loops, I needed to ensure that onboarding was quick and optimized for low click rate. I approached this by providing social logins and minimal form elements so that users completed key sign up in < 5 screens.
A relationship product lives or dies in the first five minutes. For an MVP whose business model is dependent on user stickiness and behavioral loops, I needed to ensure that onboarding was quick and optimized for low click rate. I approached this by providing social logins and minimal form elements so that users completed key sign up in < 5 screens.
Next, instead of dumping users into a blank home screen, the first-time user flow prompts them to complete key rituals (ex. daily check-ins or sending a voice note). With an example Connect Day streak calendar and preview cards, the empty states also teach the user what the app will feel like once they consistently use the app. This primes users for loops that drive retention.
Next, instead of dumping users into a blank home screen, the first-time user flow prompts them to complete key rituals (ex. daily check-ins or sending a voice note). With an example Connect Day streak calendar and preview cards, the empty states also teach the user what the app will feel like once they consistently use the app. This primes users for loops that drive retention.
Once shipped, I plan on testing user stickiness and retention using the following Success Metrics:
Day 7 retention on Daily Standups
Weekly Connect interactions per user
Pair Connection Days per week
Once shipped, I plan on testing user stickiness and retention using the following Success Metrics:
Day 7 retention on Daily Standups
Weekly Connect interactions per user
Pair Connection Days per week
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Competitive research revealed that most relationship apps rely on either ads-driven engagement or an aggressive premium paywall with no middle ground. Both models disrupt the emotional experience, especially for my ICP, so I had to rethink the business model from first principles.
Instead of centering monetization around screens or feature gates, I reframed Jino around daily rituals that naturally create long-term value. Designing for ritual allowed the product to demonstrate its worth over time, making Jino Premium feel like a worthy investment.
Approaching design through a business lens prevented me from churning out a feature factory by prioritizing user stickiness and retention. As a result, the business model emerged from designing a system where daily commitment and relationship growth feel worth paying for.
Competitive research revealed that most relationship apps rely on either ads-driven engagement or an aggressive premium paywall with no middle ground. Both models disrupt the emotional experience, especially for my ICP, so I had to rethink the business model from first principles.
Instead of centering monetization around screens or feature gates, I reframed Jino around daily rituals that naturally create long-term value. Designing for ritual allowed the product to demonstrate its worth over time, making Jino Premium feel like a worthy investment.
Approaching design through a business lens prevented me from churning out a feature factory by prioritizing user stickiness and retention. As a result, the business model emerged from designing a system where daily commitment and relationship growth feel worth paying for.