Alculator
iPhone | Concept, Design, DevelopmentI designed and programmed a simple calculator for iOS to find the beverage with the best bang for the buck. Just enter the alcohol percentage, volume and price!
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c675e7f4b34b7f26db14e605206eb6518fab036473cd2ccb4f719f8f78ef3f3f/cAlc_37.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/900caab056b08f26aabb6506433fcaadf41dfce3026db12534b89fb7058c95e1/Screenshot-2019-02-19-at-16.57.32.png)
Concept
In Sweden, private alcohol consumption is limited to the offers of Systembolaget, the government-owned liquor store. As a teenager taste mattered less than the ensuing dizziness, so naturally a culture of cost-effectiveness and the idea of an A.P.K (Alcohol per krona) app was born.
Years later, I built this app as a fun way for me to learn Swift. As it is my first project I kept it small but more features are planned for the future such as integration with the API from Systembolaget.
Years later, I built this app as a fun way for me to learn Swift. As it is my first project I kept it small but more features are planned for the future such as integration with the API from Systembolaget.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/080ee813c49b4ea1e889af8c56ef9fc93233ae122ce7ac36b0bc6ba29dea7702/apk_01.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/cbf1a62f74cdf05a747750e07d991035ff69164d6f79e34d569c1c214edea1f0/Screenshot-2019-02-19-at-22.55.15.png)
Why code?
As a digital product designer I need to know the limits of the platform I am targeting. Can my ideas actually be implemented, and how long would it take?
There’s always going to be a trade-off between perfection and the time you have at your disposal. Understanding the basics of development allows me to optimise for the given resources, and it makes the hand-over much easier!
There’s always going to be a trade-off between perfection and the time you have at your disposal. Understanding the basics of development allows me to optimise for the given resources, and it makes the hand-over much easier!
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c08a2bf9a07517ee26ccdbdce12e11a93f4dc469abac73a5ace0e8bdd3fd972b/apk_02.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/cf4386bc5b80df1ca8cb0cf54b2cb78b44cface87df3b9d2778b697570bf760d/Screenshot-2019-02-19-at-17.03.20.png)
Look & Feel
I wanted the app to be extremely easy and straight-forward to use for potentially intoxicated users. I opted for a well-known layout with clear contrast and big type. The colors for the UI and categories are taken from Systembolaget’s brand identity.
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1a54944b222134a57c08be04568b352daa7bfda64bae2a95079a186952c80de5/apk_03.png)
![](https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/f5936cc3b90f47698b534ff80e015f68d4a87c170040fb7a02e15e3119c81991/Screenshot-2019-02-19-at-23.07.11.png)
Process
I started by setting up the project in Xcode using Storyboards. The ability to have a visual overview where you link the elements together and set up the layout and constraints was a nice introduction to programming.
The further I got the more I realised that I had overlooked in the design. As a developer you are forced to think about all the details. No matter how experienced you are as a designer, you will inevitably overlook things that a developer is forced to think about. Even with a technical background and years in the industry I ran into several valuable a-ha moments.
The further I got the more I realised that I had overlooked in the design. As a developer you are forced to think about all the details. No matter how experienced you are as a designer, you will inevitably overlook things that a developer is forced to think about. Even with a technical background and years in the industry I ran into several valuable a-ha moments.