How Do We Create a Better Dating Experience? CMB's Approach to User-Centric Design

Where does building a positive dating app experience begin?

It might start with a new feature idea or the adoption of the latest technology. But for the CMB product team, it starts somewhere else: understanding the challenges people face when building new relationships.

While many people share the desire to meet someone, everyone approaches dating differently. Some struggle to find someone they genuinely connect with. Others find it difficult to start a conversation after matching or turn an online interaction into an in-person date.

So how does CMB understand what daters need and translate those insights into a better dating app experience?

We spoke with Grace, Growth Product Manager at CMB, about how the team listens to users, improves the dating experience, and designs product features that help people build more meaningful connections.

1. Understanding Daters: The Foundation of a Better Dating App

Q. When building a dating app, how do you understand what people are really looking for in a relationship? Are preference settings enough to understand compatibility?

Grace: The preferences users set when they first join are an important starting point. But they don't always tell us everything about how compatible two people might actually be.

That's why CMB's recommendation system also considers how people behave as they use the app. It learns from who they like, who they pass on, and who they choose to have conversations with. Over time, these interactions help the system better understand individual preferences and mutual compatibility.

What matters to us isn't simply how much activity happens within the app. We also care about whether people exchange contact information, meet in person, and ultimately build meaningful relationships, including marriage.

Q. What are some dating challenges that people in their 20s and 30s experience but don't always talk about?

Grace: One of the biggest challenges is dating fatigue.

Meeting new people can be exciting at first, but constantly swiping through profiles and starting conversations can eventually feel like having another job. When matches don't lead to meaningful conversations or real-life dates, the experience can become even more exhausting.

Many people also feel anxious about making the first move or struggle to turn an online conversation into an actual date.

We don't think these challenges can simply be solved by telling users to put themselves out there more. Instead, we ask ourselves how the product can make dating feel a little easier and more comfortable.

Q. What’s a surprising insight about how Gen Z daters date, is it any different from the millennials?

Grace: One thing that really stood out to us was realizing that seeing more profiles and getting more matches doesn't necessarily lead to a better dating experience. Increasingly, daters seek out calmer, more intentional dating experiences.

In fact, having too many options can create dating fatigue and sometimes make it harder to build meaningful connections. This insight helped reinforce CMB's product philosophy of "Quality over Quantity", which is why we continue to deliver a batch of bagels daily, rather than to introduce endless swiping. This is a feature that has remained in CMB since the beginning!

Another interesting finding was that users were increasingly interested in features that help them express their personalities and preferences. In 2026, close to 6 in 10 of Gen Z daters completed their profile prompts, up from 54% in 2025.

This suggests that people want to share more about themselves beyond profile photos and basic information. By expressing their personalities and interests, they can help potential matches get a better sense of who they are before starting a conversation.

2. Beyond the Match: Creating More Meaningful Dating Experiences

Q. Are there any small details in a dating app that can make a positive difference in someone's experience?

Grace: Starting a conversation is a good example.

Just because two people match doesn't mean they always know what to say next. Features like Topic Suggestions help reduce that initial awkwardness and make it easier to break the ice.

We also display a verification badge on profiles that have completed Selfie Verification. This helps users confirm that the person they're interacting with has completed the verification process and connect with greater peace of mind. 

Ultimately, we want to respect our users' time and intentions. That's why we focus on recommending people who are more likely to be compatible, rather than simply showing as many profiles as possible.

Q. How do you design a dating experience that encourages genuine connections rather than simply keeping people engaged in the app?

Grace: We think about how interactions within the app can naturally lead to real-life connections.

For example, Real Dates is a feature that gently encourages two people to meet in person after they've matched and started chatting. It's about helping people take the next step, rather than letting their interactions end with online conversations.

What's important to us isn't how many profiles someone swipes through each day or how long they spend in the app. We believe the more meaningful outcome is helping people meet someone they genuinely connect with and build a real relationship.

A Better Dating Experience Starts with Listening to Daters

Creating a better dating app experience isn't simply about adding more features. It's about understanding what people need, recognizing the challenges they face, and finding thoughtful ways to make connecting with others easier.

From expressing yourself through your dating profile to starting a conversation and eventually meeting in person, every small detail can make a difference.

At CMB, we're continuing to listen to our daters and improve the experience around what matters most: helping people build meaningful connections.

Because a better dating experience isn't measured by how long someone stays in an app. It's measured by the meaningful connections they make along the way.