MOOD MATCH

Matched people with a relevant place to go out based on their vibe and preferences.

Tools Used

Mood Match mobile app displayed in a wooden hand-held phone mockup

Introduction

Mood Match is a mobile app that recommends where to go out based on a person’s mood, available time and location, whether they are heading out alone or with friends. This case study follows the project from competitor and user research through personas, information architecture, flows and business model, to the design system and the final screens.

Understanding the Challenge

Going out should feel spontaneous, but planning it rarely does. I started by defining the goal, the problem and the people it affects, then looked at what the apps they already use get wrong.

Context

The Goal

Mood Match was created to make going out simple and inspiring. The app’s goal is to connect people with experiences that match their mood and vibe whether solo or with friends.

The Problem

People often find it hard to plan where to go out. Existing apps give outdated or scattered information and don’t match the user’s mood or group needs. This causes wasted time, confusion and missed chances for fun experiences.

Target Users

Men and women aged 20–30, living in urban areas and going out frequently.
City visitors who want local experiences even without knowing the city.

Competitors

Competitors
Criterion	Easy	Zappa	Tiuli	Karamel
Discovery	Nearby venues by category	Events by date and venue	Trails by region and difficulty	Activities by category
Freshness	Open-now filter	Dated event listings	Season filters, user trail updates	Not verified
Personalization	Favorites/history; tailored suggestions not checked	Favorites; tailored suggestions not checked	Route filters; tailored suggestions not checked	Not verified
Group planning	Not verified	Not verified	Not verified	Group activities listed, shared planning not checked
Booking	Not verified	Ticket purchase	Not verified	Not verified
Trust signals	Ratings and reviews	Official event details	Route details and user updates	Provider listings; verification not checked
Official sources	easy.co.il	zappa-club.co.il	tiuli.com/tracks	karamel.co.il

Mood Match opportunities to test

Match nearby options to mood and budget, not only venue category.
Show opening hours and availability before someone heads out.
Help friends compare a shared shortlist and agree on one place.

Research & Insights

A quantitative survey of 40 people and a round of in depth interviews, turned assumptions into evidence and the patterns that came back became the two personas the rest of the project was designed around.

User Survey

First Research Method: Quantitative survey. Sample Size: 40

Survey findings 1–2

75% of participants go out at least once a week — The majority of participants **go out at least once a week**. The target audience has **high engagement** with leisure activities.

Planning difficulty survey: strongly agree 16, agree 10, both 7, disagree 3, strongly disagree 4 — 65% reported **difficulty planning quickly and easily** to decide where to go.

Survey findings 3–4

52.5% use apps or websites to plan outings — Just over half of users **typically use apps or websites** to plan outings.

65% say current apps do not match their mood or atmosphere — Most users feel **existing apps do not help** them find places that match their mood or desired atmosphere.

Survey findings 5–6

40% say app information is outdated or incomplete — Among those who do use apps, **40% said the information is outdated or incomplete**.

70% would use personalized recommendations — The majority of participants agreed they would use an app that gives **personalized recommendations**

Interviews

Second Research Method: Qualitative in depth semi structured interviews using voice to text AI transcription. Sample Size: 6

Yuval (23):

“You end up jumping between Google, WhatsApp, and apps like Easy, and in the end you just get lost. An app that organizes everything in one place would make the process much easier.”

Ron (25):

“Many times I don’t even know what I feel like doing. If something could suggest ideas for me, it would help me actually go out instead of staying stuck at home.”

Talia (22):

“I arrived at a place that Easy showed as open, but it was closed. If an app gave me reliable, updated info, I would trust it and use it more.”

Roi (28):

“Usually I wait for a friend to organize the night. If it doesn’t work out, I just go back to sleep. If there was a way to plan together easily, it would really help.”

Ilan (20):

“Most apps don’t feel real, what they show in photos isn’t what you actually get. I want something that feels authentic and reliable.”

Yaniv (24):

“Too many ads or fake recommendations would turn me off. If it’s not real or trustworthy, I just won’t use it.”

User Personas

Dani Levi

University Student

Tel Aviv, campus

23 years old

Goals

Find places that match his energy and mood quickly.
Save time by skipping endless searches online.
Discover affordable, student-friendly hangouts nearby.

Frustrations

Too many apps to compare for a place that fits his mood and budget.
Unclear hours or availability can derail plans.
When no one makes a plan, he stays home.

Needs

Nearby suggestions filtered by mood and budget.
Clear opening hours and current availability.
An easy way to suggest a place or join friends.

Product implication

Lead with nearby places matched to his mood and budget, with opening hours and availability visible.

Michal Cohen

Marketing in Tech

Tel Aviv, apartment

29 years old

Goals

Organize group outings that fit everyone’s vibe.
Enjoy calm, quality experiences after busy workdays.
Discover authentic, local spots to share with friends.

Frustrations

Friends struggle to agree on one place.
Too many options and reviews to compare.
Online listings often misrepresent the atmosphere.

Needs

Compare places by shared preferences.
Reliable details about atmosphere and crowd.
Shortlist and share options with friends.

Product implication

Show places matched to the group’s vibe, with reliable atmosphere details.

The Solution

Going Out Made Effortless
A mobile app that helps people find where to go out fast, simple and stress free. By analyzing users’ preferences, time and location, it recommends nearby experiences.
Personalized Experiences, Instantly
Using a based mood system, the app personalizes suggestions to both individuals and groups. It brings one smooth flow so users can stop scrolling between apps.

Structure & Flow

A mood based recommendation flow that replaces scrolling between apps. This chapter covers what the product does, how its content is structured, how people move through it and how it earns.

Information Architecture

User Flow

I chose these scenarios from the two personas to highlight key moments where the app creates value: helping Dani quickly find a place that matches his mood and budget, and helping Michal coordinate group plans smoothly so everyone can choose a place that fits their shared vibe without long discussions or wasted time.

Business models

Affiliate marketing

The app earns a small commission whenever users book tickets, order rides or make a purchase through integrated links like taxis or event platforms directly from the recommendation screen.

B2B

Entertainment venues pay for promotion inside the app through personalized coupons offered in the rewards system. Users receive these rewards after leaving a review, which helps improve the suggestions.

Advertising Revenue

Non-intrusive ads appear only on the home screen, never during active user flows. This provides steady income without harming the user experience or cluttering the interface

Design Evolution

From the first wireframes through the design system to the finished screens, this chapter follows how the interface took shape, and closes with the landing page that presents it.