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Erik Vandergrift

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Erik Vandergrift

December 2025

Butterpad Mobile App

Overview: Butterpad is a production studio that provides a space for local creatives, producers, and photographers to support their creative endeavors. The app allows members to book reservations, connect with others, and learn about updates or features the studio offers.

My Role: Lead UX Designer

Objective

Goals for this app

The stakeholder discussed:

A retro inspired aesthetic that matches the studios appearance.
Allow members to make/edit/cancel reservations.
Accessible and intuitive interface for users to easily navigate

The stakeholder discussed:

A retro inspired aesthetic that matches the studios appearance.
Allow members to make/edit/cancel reservations.
Accessible and intuitive interface for users to easily navigate

Strategy

Mapping out the product

Creating a user flow map to help understand the flow and navigation for the app. After discussing with the stakeholder, calendar, booking, member directory, and settings are going to be the main pages users can interact with. This helps me set up all the different screens for the app.

The stakeholder has a retro dinner/menu inspiration for the brand and app design.

My inspiration came from geometric shapes and bauhaus design. I thought we could turn those values into a meaningful icon system.

Ideation

Testing different styles

I created different possible versions based on the inspiration they sent me. We landed on the last image as we both agreed that one had the simplest layout with a retro aesthetic.

The stakeholder was reworking with the brand colors, so I stuck with black and white for the ideations. We also implemented a checkerboard pattern and a background texture to help with the retro aesthetic.

For the calendar I thought having a key would help users understand what these different circle values mean. As well as having larger boxes mean more time is taken up by a reservation on the first screen.

I thought having your skills displayed helps you gain a better understanding of other members and you can possibly connect with them on a project.

Within account, you can change all your information that's displayed to other, you also have the option to remain anonymous if you prefer.

Outcomes

Reflection and next steps

This is my first app I lead design in that is currently in the app store! I learned a lot about user mapping and how to ensure an app feels intuitive. It was fun and difficult to create an app that has an unique aesthetic without it being too overwhelming.

We're onto phase two, where we will be creating more features such as payments, qr scans, and new locations! Also going to have a landing page for guests to download and learn about the studio through the app.