Potential One Dating App Validation
A strategic no-code prototype that validated critical assumptions for an innovative friend-powered dating platform, saving the client $300K+ in development costs.
Project Snapshot
Potential One (via Philosophie)
Dating & Social
August 2017 - September 2017
Product Strategist & Technical Lead
TypeForm, Google Sheets, Zapier, Google Apps Script, No-Code Automation
Product Validation, No-Code Development, Automation Strategy, Risk Assessment
Cross-functional team of 4: Product Strategist (myself), UX Designer, Technical Lead, Project Manager
What It Was
A strategic validation prototype for an innovative dating platform where friends and family create profiles and play matchmaker for their single connections. Rather than building a $300K+ full-featured app around unvalidated assumptions, we convinced the client to test the core hypothesis through a rapid 2-week no-code prototype focused on the riskiest assumption: would people actually create dating profiles on behalf of others?
What I Did
- Led product strategy and risk assessment, identifying the critical assumption that friends would create profiles for others and advocating for validation-first approach
- Designed comprehensive testing framework with clear success metrics: 1,000 profiles and 50 connections in 90 days
- Architected no-code solution using TypeForm, Google Sheets, Zapier, and custom Google Apps Scripts to automate profile creation, matching, and communication workflows
- Built automated backend systems for match validation, email campaigns, and connection facilitation between matchmakers
- Navigated technical challenges including third-party API limitations and policy restrictions, adapting solutions in real-time
- Managed client expectations through transparent communication about automation capabilities and project scope
No-code prototype showing profile creation and matchmaking workflow
What Came Out of It
- Successfully delivered fully automated prototype covering profile creation, display, database management, match validation, and matchmaker communication
- Validated technical feasibility of the concept while identifying key user experience challenges and operational requirements
- Saved client significant development costs by testing assumptions before full-scale development commitment
- Demonstrated the power of no-code tools and rapid prototyping for hypothesis validation in high-risk product concepts
- Delivered strategic insights about user behavior patterns and platform scalability considerations
What I Learned
Assumption validation is crucial before significant product investment – testing core hypotheses can save hundreds of thousands in development costs. No-code tools can achieve remarkable automation when thoughtfully integrated, but success requires clear expectation setting about capabilities and limitations. Client communication becomes even more critical in rapid prototyping environments where scope and technical constraints evolve quickly. The best product strategy sometimes means convincing clients to start smaller and validate first.
Need to Validate Risky Product Assumptions?
Interested in no-code prototyping or strategic product validation approaches?