Beginning of the build (#2)
It’s been a very busy start to the year for me, so I’ve slowed down on Chillingz recently. But we’re back and better.
I went to Manchester in February for the first time and I must say it is a lively and vibrant city. As a born and bred Londoner it’s easy to think the whole country revolves around London. Being the capital, everything’s basically here: from corporate HQs, entertainment and leisure and opportunities in general. However Manchester has this melting pot of culture and a unique spirit that you can feel immediately you step into the city. Areas like Northern Quarter are booming with vintage clothing stores, Deansgate is buzzing with an atmospheric nightlife scene and The Trafford Centre might make you think you’re in Dubai.
This weekend trip actually gave me a use case for Chillingz: going somewhere for the first time and not knowing what to do. As soon as you open the app and you let it know you’re in Manchester (for example), recommendations that fit your personality would come up on your homepage. If you tell the app that you’re adventurous, chill and a music lover (on the initial onboarding page when you’re creating your account), some of the recommendations that you may see are:
-Manchester Arena for live shows, Manchester Music Tours to visit key landmarks of famous Mancunian artists and record shops
-Northern Quarter to check out vintage clothing shops, creative spaces and nightlife
-Deansgate for the restaurants and bars in the city centre and nightlife
-Urban Playground for arcade and games activities
-The Trafford Centre for a unique shopping experience
-Chinatown for authentic food
-Museums such as the National Football Museum and Museum of Illusions
…and many more depending on how you describe yourself to the app.
The idea is simple: instead of searching endlessly across platforms, the app understands you and recommends activities based on your taste.
To start on the app build, I’ve had to get a database design which was done by my good friend. Essentially, a database design is the architecture behind how the app works. It is how the app stores, organises and receives data. This is important because it gives direction to developers as to how to code the app and with time as the app grows, the backend can be adjusted accordingly.
On the frontend, I’ve been able to connect with a UX/UI designer who has also done some intuitive designs for the app based on how I envisioned them to look like. If you do want to see them - get in touch, you can tell me what you like about it and what you’d want to see in future as the app develops going forward.
And for the hattrick, I’ve connected with a developer who understands the vision for the app and is working on building it out. Their portfolio is really strong and I’m eager to see what the first edition (or the minimal viable product, MVP for the technical heads out there) will look like.
A website will be launching soon where you can sign up for updates on the app, so keep your eyes peeled. We may have a treat for you 😉.
