Auri

We built Auri because we were tired of platforms that hide your content and sell your data. Here, your voice matters, your content gets seen, and your privacy is sacred. Unlike the big platforms, we won't cave to outside pressure—Auri exists to protect your voice, not silence it.

As a hybrid designer and developer, I owned the complete product journey from initial concept to shipped beta. Unlike traditional workflows where designers hand off to developers, I designed and built Auri simultaneously—iterating on Swift components in real-time, refining the UX through rapid prototyping, and ensuring accessibility features were built-in from day one.

The project started with identifying core frustrations: existing social platforms hide content, lack accessibility, and compromise user privacy. I conducted user interviews with creators and accessibility advocates to understand pain points. Key insights: Users wanted a platform that felt calm, respected their voice, and accommodated diverse needs. Accessibility wasn't an afterthought—it needed to be foundational.

I established a design system that balanced bold expression with calm usability. The color palette—vibrant oranges, pinks, and blues—ensures high contrast for accessibility while maintaining visual impact. Typography choice: Arsenal SC for the brand mark, paired with system fonts for body text to ensure readability and native iOS feel. All components were designed with both light and dark mode from the start.

Using SwiftUI's rapid prototyping capabilities, I built interactive prototypes directly in code. This allowed me to test accessibility features, animations, and interactions in real-time without switching between design tools and development environments. The messaging interface went through multiple rounds of refinement to balance privacy (end-to-end encryption) with usability.

Built entirely in SwiftUI following Apple Human Interface Guidelines. Implemented custom accessibility modifiers for high contrast modes, dynamic type support, and customizable fonts. The real-time messaging uses a custom Swift backend with end-to-end encryption. Accessibility features include: Customizable font sizes, high contrast mode toggle, reduced motion support, and comprehensive content filtering options.

Deployed to over 100 alpha/beta testers with diverse accessibility needs. Gathered feedback directly through the app and iterated on both design and functionality based on real usage patterns. Results: Positive feedback on the "calm" experience, interface fluidity, and accessibility features. Users appreciated the seamless integration of accessibility options without feeling like an afterthought.