Look for a Minimal Lovable Product (MLP) and not only the standard MVP. This is one of the insights from an interview with Tamara Saribekyan, as part of the TouchBase Reach Out series.
Follow Tamara on LinkedIn and check out HappyUI
You can watch the interview here, or read the transcript, lightly edited for clarity.
Yohay Elam: Hi everyone. Thanks for watching or listening. Welcome to the latest episode of the Reach Out series. I’m Yohay Elam, founder of TouchBase, an app that tackles loneliness by helping foster meaningful connections.
Today I’m excited to be joined by Tamara Saribekyan, founder and CEO of Happy UI Design Studio and a product designer. Thanks for being here, Tamara.
TS: Thanks for inviting me.
YE: Before we dive into today’s topics, I’d love to hear a bit more about you. Could you introduce yourself and share how happiness became part of your professional journey?
TS: Sure. I come from a creative background with a foundation in marketing, which has helped me a lot throughout my design career. But the journey hasn’t been smooth—it’s been bumpy. For many years I tried to figure out what I really wanted to do, what sparks my soul.
That’s one of the big challenges many people face today. That’s what led me to dive deeper into mental health—to understand myself better, to clarify my goals, and to build a life that aligned with them. Eventually, I discovered my passion for design. Later, that interest naturally merged with the mental health field, but that’s a broader story we can explore later.
YE: That’s a fascinating background. Your work centers around designing for happiness. UX usually emphasizes efficiency, usability, and aesthetics. But you go one step further by focusing on emotional well-being. How can UX design actively contribute to creating more happiness in people’s lives?
TS: UX is often defined by usability, functionality, and aesthetics, but at its core it’s also about empathy—understanding people and psychology. At Happy UI Studio, we deliberately choose industries that impact people’s lives in positive ways—self-development, wellness, nutrition, yoga, meditation. These are aimed at helping people live happier, healthier lives.
Beyond that, we also apply design techniques that add joy to the user experience. But the biggest factor is choosing industries and projects where the outcome itself promotes happiness. That’s the foundation of our work.
YE: So you start by working with companies in sectors that promote happiness, and then layer on design principles that enhance it. Could you share some of those principles?
TS: One approach we use is based on the idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When we design a product, we look beyond functionality. We ask: Who is the user? What are their needs? What challenges are they facing? What meaning can we embed behind the functions?
A concept we love is the Minimum Lovable Product (MLP). Everyone knows MVP—Minimum Viable Product—but MLP goes further. It’s about not just functionality but delight—adding small details that make the user feel special.
That could be an engaging onboarding experience, a subtle animation, or a thoughtful interaction. In today’s world, where users are flooded with products, you need these sparks of delight. Otherwise, experiences can feel flat.
A simple analogy: getting a plain black coffee versus a beautifully made caramel latte. Both are coffee, but the second delights you. That’s what we aim for in design.
YE: I like that—MLP. And I’ll admit, I start my mornings with plain black coffee, but I do move into more “sophisticated” ones later in the day.
Here at TouchBase we’re tackling loneliness by encouraging people to reach out to loved ones. From your perspective, how can UX help combat loneliness without feeling forced or artificial?
TS: I think TouchBase is doing a great job in this space. Despite all the technology we have, people are lonelier than ever. Right now, much of the focus is on human–AI interaction. But I believe the real priority is human-to-human connection.
UX can play a big role in encouraging people to interact more meaningfully, to step out of their homes, and to connect with each other. Products that foster those experiences are key.
YE: Are there examples of UX solutions that successfully reduce loneliness and strengthen connections?
TS: One app we worked on suggested outdoor experiences based on personal preferences. Users could invite their friends and attend events together. It helped reduce the planning effort, while encouraging people to do something they enjoy with others.
Apps like Meetup or Eventbrite also do this well. They give lonely people easy ways to find activities and meet like-minded people. Technology works best when it gets people together in real life.
YE: So the key is that these apps bring people physically together. Online events are valuable, but there’s something different about in-person interaction.
TS: Exactly. Online events are helpful and time-efficient, especially for remote workers. But physical gatherings provide the deeper connections people crave. Humans are social creatures—we need each other to survive and thrive. Real-world interactions are essential for mental health.
YE: Speaking of the future—AI is evolving at breakneck speed. How do you see technology shaping happiness and reducing loneliness in the years to come?
TS: I’m excited about how AI is being used in the mental health field. I’ve tested some products that act like AI therapists or chatbots. For people who are completely alone in a given moment, these apps can provide immediate support and constructive conversations. That’s powerful.
But I want to stress that AI doesn’t have emotions. It can’t truly empathize or replace human connection. The role of AI should be to help us understand ourselves better, to learn, and to support us—but not to take over our lives. Balance is key.
YE: Right. There’s always a risk of overusing AI. And this ties back to UX design too—because when designing for emotions, there’s always the ethical question: where’s the line between encouraging use and manipulating people?
TS: It’s a delicate balance. In our studio, we test concepts carefully with real users before rolling them out. We want to see how people actually feel. It’s too easy to slip into manipulation.
Dark patterns are a big red flag for me—things like fake scarcity (“only one room left”), misleading sign-ups, or sneaky subscriptions. Those tactics manipulate users, and we’re firmly against them. Ethical design means respecting users’ choices and focusing on real value.
YE: That makes sense. Stepping back from technology, how do you see community and social interaction evolving in recent years?
TS: I think communities are thriving. As an expat in Barcelona, I’ve seen how many groups exist, both online and offline, where people can connect around shared interests. Platforms like Meetup, WhatsApp groups, even Facebook communities—these have become powerful ways for people to find belonging.
Both virtual and in-person events have value. Virtual events are time-saving and convenient, but in-person ones provide the deeper human connection that many people desperately need.
YE: Agreed. There’s something about being in the same physical space that makes a difference.
We’re nearing the finish line of this interview. I’d like to end on a hopeful note. What gives you optimism about our ability to combat the loneliness epidemic moving forward?
TS: It’s true that sometimes it feels like technology is pushing us in the opposite direction. But what gives me hope is that we’re still human. We still have agency. We decide how to use AI and other technologies.
If we use them wisely—to learn, to grow, to connect—then technology can be a force for good. It’s about combining our consciousness with the tools we have to build better lives.
YE: Beautifully put. Is there anything else you’d like to add before we wrap up?
TS: Just to remind people not to neglect their mental health. Work on yourself, invest in your well-being, and don’t put it off. Happiness is something you can nurture.
YE: Absolutely. Without health—including mental health—everything else becomes harder.
Thank you very much, Tamara, and thanks to everyone for joining us today. Follow TouchBase on social media—we’re also running face-to-face events to bring people together. Stay in touch, and see you soon.
TS: Thank you.