Wishlist App

4 min read · Mobile Design · Visual Design · Branding · Interaction Design · Product Strategy · Prototyping

Giftodactyl started as a way to showcase some mobile and product design work that I can actually share publicly, but now I’m building it for real to tackle the constant chaos of managing gift-giving for my family. 

We’re big on gifts, but over the years, our systems have gone from basic text lists to convoluted spreadsheets and encrypted Signal groups just to avoid spoiling surprises. Despite all that effort, we still end up with duplicates, lost requests, and constant miscommunication.

At first, our gift lists were basic texts, which quickly led to duplicates and confusion. Google Sheets seemed promising, but broken links, vanishing cells, and endless frustration made it a nightmare. Privacy also helped push us from Sheets to Airtable and then into Signal groups, each system increasingly complex and ironically less useful. We really just need a flexible app that can manage the lists without sacrificing privacy or sanity.

Giftodactyl is designed to handle anything from ultra-detailed online product requests (links, images, prices, done!) to vague (set of nice King Size Sheets... you pick), offline, or intangible (movie night with the whole family) items. 

My approach combines the ease of messaging apps with the structure of shopping platforms, making it feel natural for everyone, even the most tech-avoidant relatives, while still handling nuanced privacy and group dynamics.

Gift conversations are nonstop, which means I'm constantly soaking up real-world insights. The ideal Giftodactyl experience needs to be as effortless as chatting but flexible enough for everyone's quirks and preferences.

This app could easily end up feeling sterile or overly commerce-y, which is not the vibe I’m going for. I wanted a brand that’s playful and a little ridiculous, but still holds together. The name already leans absurd, so the challenge has been making that feel intentional instead of random. In my head, Giftodactyl is a prehistoric delivery creature, kind-of a stork Santa situation, and the brand builds from there.

Giftodactyl has moved beyond early concepting and now has a fully defined wireframe system. These wireframes have been the basis for ongoing feedback and iteration, primarily using my Balsamiq mockups.

I've developed high-fidelity screens far enough to establish the visual direction and UI patterns. Rather than fully building out every screen in Figma, I’m holding that phase intentionally light. The goal is to avoid redundant effort and reserve deeper visual iteration for the build process itself, which will happen in FlutterFlow.

I'm continuing to learn FlutterFlow in my spare time so that I have the foundation I need when it's time to build the MVP. Planning and strategy live in Google Workspace, and I'm starting to explore where AI might meaningfully support the experience in future phases.

Giftodactyl started as a clean portfolio piece, but it's evolved into a full product. Design choices are now being driven by how it fits into users' lives, especially around holidays, events, and real-world reminders. 

The interface is built to support simple, thoughtful interactions without getting in the way. Privacy and usability remain core priorities.

As of late July 2025, I'm refining the interaction model and preparing the design for transition into a functional MVP.

I’ve been focusing on active engagement, like using the Home tab as an activity feed, and thinking through what makes the app feel timely and relevant to real users. 

The work is ongoing, and wearing every hat on the project means the final 20 percent takes time to get right.

Visuals aren’t ready to publish widely, but I’m happy to walk through design decisions and in-progress thinking one-on-one.