Scaffold

A key challenge was reducing friction in the application process while keeping content clear and easy to navigate on a small screen. The key focus was to make grant information simpler to find, easier to understand, and faster to act on, so fewer deadlines and funding options will be missed.

High-level goals were to:

Early user research was conducted through visiting a construction site and reaching out to skilled tradespeople through referrals and personal networks. The findings helped clarify the project’s direction and supported what to focus on.

Missing Grant Deadlines, Giving up on Grants? Why?:

The results showed that missed deadlines are not only about eligibility, but also about the difficulty of finding and applying for grants. Eventually, that could lead to giving up their careers.

The research insights were synthesized into a user persona to guide the design process. This persona represents a skilled tradesperson who faces challenges in finding and applying for grants due to scattered information and time constraints.

Four insights shaped a clear expectation: financial resources should be easy to find, simple to understand, and quick to act on.

Key Findings:

Scaffold logo created from the letter S and stacked block shapes to represent a strong foundation.

Typography follows the same principle: one typeface supports a strong hierarchy for titles and labels, while a highly legible typeface is used for longer content to reduce reading fatigue on small screens.

Lo-Fis:

Hi-Fis:

Grant information needed to be easy to read at a glance without missing critical details. Scaffold focused on three core features that reduce friction and help users act on opportunities faster.

The brochure layout was designed to grab attention with Scaffold’s bold logo and a concise slogan. A subtle grid pattern in the background references scaffolding and reinforces the visual identity.

The business card uses the same colour palette to maintain brand consistency. Soft curved edges create a distinctive, approachable look, helping the card stand out while staying aligned with the overall brand.

This work highlighted the real-world differences between RGB and CMYK. Multiple rounds of print testing helped refine the colour palette and improve consistency from screen to print.

It also reinforced the value of strong grid systems in print design—supporting clearer hierarchy, alignment, and spacing across both the brochure and business card layouts.

Scaffold’s promotional video was created to showcase strong product storytelling from insight to narrative. The concept was built from a research-backed moment: a skilled tradeswoman was able to keep her career path without giving up because of financial struggles.

A complete storyboard and script were developed independently to translate that insight into a clear, emotionally grounded story angle. The final video premiered on pitch day in front of 300 attendees to introduce the app concept and reinforce Scaffold’s core message:

Resources exist, Roadblocks don't have to.

Traditional workflow average 112 min (Scenario:Google search → eligibility review → application drafting). With Scaffold average is 15 min, including creating a profile and applying eligible grants. It took average 3m to re-applying eligible grants, excluding essay writing.

What I learned from Scaffold project:

Scaffold's next steps are to expand into more grants and regions, and to add more features, such as keeping personal documents secure in the app so users can apply directly from the app and track the process. Scaffold's core proposition will always be to help tradespeople find financial support, because no one should pause or stop a career path due to a lack of accessible financial support.

Resources exist, Roadblocks don't have to.