GRATR App Project
User Experience Week 8 – Aesthetics and Colour
It’s been a productive few weeks for the GRATR project! I have finalised the core ‘architecture’ of the application, and perhaps more excitingly, pinpointed the design aesthetic that will give GRATR the authentic, human feel I have been aiming for.
Initial efforts in prototyping began following guidance towards learning Adobe XD, focusing first on how the tool works rather than the look. I successfully created a basic prototype with three artboards, sized for a Samsung Galaxy S24, and was able to link the pages in Prototype mode to confirm it works.
https://d.docs.live.net/b3be38b6799f81d7/002%20ARU%20User%20Experience/251027%20Gratr%20v1.xd
While the initial draft of the app structure, generated via Claude AI (see previous User Experience blog post https://theoldtimes.co.uk/2025/11/06/user-experience-social-media-platform-update-2/ , provided a good test of the concept, it still needs the specific look and feel we desire.
As outlined in that earlier post, the victory of Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York has given me design inspiration for GRATR with the colourful nature of his campaign materials, designed by the New York design co-op Forge, giving a truly unique and impactful look and feel.
My limited Adobe skills may inhibit the final result but my plan is to explore options for a similar look and feel for GRATR because the Mamdani branding was praised for being distinctive, grassroots, and authentically “New York,” evoking a traditional, “neighborhood” vibe. I can’t pretend from what you see below that I have quite achieved the look and feel that I am seeking but – I have made a start.
https://1drv.ms/u/c/b3be38b6799f81d7/EZxNqV6LnuVIozsh2BfsW1UB8O8kEGLEhyF3zW51wrmwbw?e=naAcNn
The app is designed as a detailed guide and community space, and *was* split into five easy-to-use sections:
1. GRATR Freedom
2. GRATR Connections
3. GRATR Social Life
4. GRATR Food & Drink
5. GRATR Shopping
I have decided to offer a sixth section ‘GRATR Locality’ which will be used to describe safe and inclusive LGBTQ+ spaces in the home area of the user.
Design Inspiration
I want GRATR to feel authentic and human, not corporate which is among the drivers for taking inspiration from the Zohran Mamdani New York mayoral campaign. Whilst that campaign has been described a representing “New York”, I feel there is cut across to the GRATR ‘vibe’.
My plan is to use a clear, modern font such as Union Gothic (or free alternatives like IBM Plex Sans or Oswald) for most of the text. This style is inspired by hand-painted signs on New Yorl ‘bodegas’ (corner shops) and will ensure the app is both clear and gives a warm, friendly feel, reflecting GRATR’s mission to support isolated LGBTQ+ communities in a warm, kind, generous and ethical way.
Leave a Reply