Opportunities/Challenges

Uncover Me had a successful physical product but wanted to bring that same depth of connection to mobile users. They provided us with robust user personas and user flows, but needed a team to bring it all to life—digitally. Paper Crane jumped in, eager to design an intuitive app experience that mirrors the intimacy of the card game and gives Uncover Me’s team an opportunity to market expansion packs to grow their revenue potential.

The challenges in this project included building an app with a user experience that draws in users and keeps them coming back. As a non-mobile-first game, user acceptance testing was vital to creating an app that maintained this high bar for emotional tone and usability, gathering several rounds of feedback from real users.

The Solution

We approached this project with empathy and intention—knowing that intimacy can't be rushed or forced. The app needed to feel warm, intuitive and quietly powerful. The core strategy centered around user flow optimization, UI/UX alignment with the brand’s emotional tone and thoughtful social mechanics.

Part of creating this solution, included:

• User Flow Mapping: Built out and refined every part of the user journey, from onboarding to daily engagement loops.
• UI/UX Design: Skinned the entire app with visuals that reflect the original card game’s aesthetic. Added animations and haptic feedback to deepen immersion.
• App Architecture: Developed in React Native to support cross-platform deployment.
• Notification Systems: Built in email, push, and in-app notifications to drive re-engagement.
• Social Mechanics: Integrated intuitive CTAs and sharing tools—allowing users to bring friends into the experience, even if they weren’t yet account holders.
• Monetization: Built a payment gateway for purchasing new card packs, upgrading the in-app experience.
• User Testing & Iteration: Conducted several testing rounds—starting with internal reviews and then broader UAT sourced by the client. Adjusted app orientation, reformatted UI, and incorporated user feedback at every stage.

Results

Quantitative Results:

• Successfully launched on the App Store (link below)
• All core features met or exceeded expectations in UAT
• Payment system and user engagement flows fully functional and stable across devices

Qualitative Results:

• Client praised the intuitive UX and fluid user flows, especially given the challenges of translating a non-mobile-first game
• Testers consistently noted the app felt emotionally on-brand and inviting
• Social and sharing features received strong feedback for lowering barriers to gameplay
• Final UAT session was described by the client as “awesome”—users stayed engaged longer and felt the app added genuine value to their relationships

Download Uncover Me on the App Store and Google Play Store.

Key Takeaways

Through our work on this project, we’ve learned:

• Converting analog intimacy into a digital experience takes more than good design—it requires understanding emotional context and reducing friction at every step.
• Small touches like haptic feedback and intentional animations go a long way in creating emotional resonance.
• Involving real users early and often leads to a better product—especially when the subject matter is as personal as this.

The strategy worked because it prioritized human connection, not just technical execution. By focusing deeply on user flows and reducing cognitive load, we made the app feel like an organic extension of the original game—and of the users' relationships.