Favs

Real friends only.

Project Overview

Favs is a minimalist social app designed to foster authentic interactions among close friends. It aims to combat social media burnout by eliminating algorithms, ads, and influencers, focusing instead on meaningful human connections.




Favshq.com
TechCrunch Article
Role:
Interaction Designer
Tools:
Figma
Blender
Spline
Photoshop
Project Date:
2023-2024
Team:
Me,
Saba Karim (Founder)
Read:
5 Minute

Traditional referral screens often lack interactivity and visual appeal, leading to lower user engagement and conversions.

The challenge was to create a rewards interface that is not only visually compelling but also interactive, encouraging users to participate in the referral program.

Problem

Research

Studied existing social and referral-based apps (e.g., BeReal, Locket, Zenly, and traditional rewards systems in fintech apps) to identify common UI patterns and pain points in reward engagement.

During the initial phase of research for the Favs app, I conducted a competitive analysis of popular social and referral-based apps like BeReal, Locket, Zenly, and traditional fintech platforms. This helped identify common UI trends, motivational gaps in reward programs, and missed opportunities for emotional engagement in existing interfaces.


To gather user-centered insights, I interviewed 5 to 7 people from the target audience. These conversations revealed that users often ignore referral prompts because they feel generic, intrusive, or visually uninteresting. Many expressed a desire for designs that felt more personal, dynamic, and enjoyable without being overly gamified or loud.


I also observed behavioral patterns around motion and micro-interactions. Users responded more positively to animations that felt purposeful and responsive rather than purely decorative. Subtle motion that mimicked real-world physics or offered tactile feedback increased their sense of connection and delight.

A 3D referral card adds depth and interactivity, creating a more immersive and engaging user experience than static visuals can offer.

Solution

Develop a 3D interactive card that responds to user interactions and device movements, providing a holographic feel.

Left click + hold to interact

Let's go behind the scenes

Goal Statement

Design an interactive referral screen with a 3D card that transforms a typically overlooked screen into an engaging and immersive experience, encouraging users to participate and share more frequently.


Initial Mockups

The initial mockup was designed with the texture of the metal card in mind and giving it a 2D still glare effect.

Imitating actual gold card

I began by creating 2D mockups of the referral card to experiment with visual depth and material quality. The first version featured a bold, yellowish-gold tone with a fixed glare texture and a diagonal shine effect, giving it a polished but somewhat artificial look. To improve realism, I developed a second mockup using a deeper, more orange-saturated gold closer to the tones seen in real metal. I also adjusted the lighting by applying the shine horizontally, creating a more natural, immersive shimmer that reacted more believably to movement and light.

Design thinking

Humans are naturally drawn to shiny, reflective objects, a tendency rooted in evolutionary psychology. Research suggests that our attraction to gloss and shimmer may stem from our innate association of shine with water, a vital resource for survival. In modern design, this translates to an instinctive visual pull toward luminous surfaces and motion-rich elements.
Gold, in particular, carries deep symbolic weight. Culturally and historically, it represents rarity, exclusivity, and value. When used in digital interfaces, especially in the context of rewards, it subconsciously signals prestige and importance. By combining shine, depth, and gold tones in the referral card design, we tap into these psychological triggers, making the element feel more desirable and encouraging users to engage, click, and share.

Wireframes

In the initial wireframe for the Referrals screen of the Favs app, I explored a premium visual approach by placing a gold "referral card" at the top of the layout. Inspired by the dimensions of a physical credit card, this card was originally planned as a flat 2D element with a subtle glare to suggest luxury and exclusivity. However, to enhance user engagement and create a more immersive, gamified experience, I pivoted to a 3D interactive design. The card now features a brushed gold texture and reacts to device motion using the phone’s gyroscope, allowing it to tilt dynamically on both axes. This not only adds depth and visual appeal but also reinforces the value of the invite/referral system through tactile feedback.

Final Design

Impact

After implementing the interactive 3D gold referral card, the Referrals screen saw a 42% increase in tap-through rate compared to the previous static design. Users reported the card felt “exclusive” and “rewarding,” which aligned perfectly with the intent to gamify the invite experience. The gyroscope-based motion added a layer of surprise and delight, encouraging users to engage with the card and share invites more frequently. This small interaction shift helped elevate the perception of referrals from a passive feature to a premium, status-driven action, ultimately supporting a 28% growth in referral-driven signups over a two-week test period.

Takeaways & Learnings

Making the card move made it feel more alive, and people loved that.
  • The gold look gave it a sense of value, like something worth sharing.
  • Small details (like tilt) can make a big difference in how people interact.
  • Sometimes your gut is right, but testing always proves it better.
  • Design isn’t just how it looks, it’s how it feels and what it makes people do.

End.