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Study Case 3 - SimpleWeather Check

/portfolio/3-meteoapp/ map[name:Alamparelli]

## SimpleWeather Check - Mobile Weather Application

Note: SimpleWeather Check is a fictional company created for this study case. This project was developed for learning purposes and technical skills demonstration.

SimpleWeather Check Logo

MeteoApp MVP

A minimalist weather application designed to answer “How should I dress today?” in 3 seconds. Clear weather information without distractions.

# About the Project

What is MeteoApp?
MeteoApp is an iOS mobile application that provides essential weather information with a minimalist approach. It solves the problem of weather apps being overly complex and cluttered with unnecessary features, advertisements, and excessive notifications.

This project transforms the weather consultation experience by focusing on what truly matters: current conditions and the next 24 hours, presented in a clean, distraction-free interface that respects users’ time and attention.

# Role & Responsibilities

Role Contribution
iOS Developer UX/UI Design & SwiftUI Development
Key Focus Areas WeatherKit Integration, Theme System
Timeframe 4 weeks (80 hours)
Tools SwiftUI, WeatherKit API, Xcode
Deliverable Functional TestFlight version

# Objectives

The 5 main MVP objectives:

  • Simplify weather consultation to a 3-second experience
  • Focus on essential information: current conditions and next 24 hours
  • Eliminate distractions with clean, minimalist design
  • Personalize with flexible theme system and unit preferences
  • Ensure smooth performance across all iPhone models

# Process

## ✏️ Research Phase - Business Requirements Analysis

During initial consultations with SimpleWeather Check’s leadership team, they shared comprehensive market research and user frustration data from their existing web platform users.

Key findings from SimpleWeather Check’s market analysis:

  • User pain points: Current weather apps average 15+ data points per screen, causing decision paralysis
  • Usage patterns: 92% of weather app opens are for “today’s weather” - yet apps bury this in complexity
  • Attention economy: Users spend average 45 seconds finding basic weather info in traditional apps

SimpleWeather Check’s strategic positioning:

  • Existing web service already validates the minimalist approach with positive user feedback
  • Mobile expansion targets users seeking quick, actionable weather information
  • Brand values: Clarity, simplicity, and respect for users’ time
  • Critical success metric: Time from app open to weather comprehension under 3 seconds

Strategic direction confirmed: Based on SimpleWeather Check’s vision “Weather, clear and distraction-free”, we validated that the MVP should focus exclusively on current conditions and 24-hour forecast. Features like UV index, air quality, and weekly forecasts were deliberately excluded to maintain focus.

Key Insights:

  • Users need weather info for immediate decisions (clothing, umbrella, activities)
  • Information hierarchy must prioritize current temperature and conditions
  • Visual design should use the brand colors (#6D747C slate gray, #87CEEB sky blue) exclusively
  • No weather-specific color coding (no red for hot, blue for cold) to maintain brand consistency

## 📐 Design

Minimalist design strategy strictly adhering to SimpleWeather Check’s brand guidelines with exclusive use of slate gray (#6D747C) and sky blue (#87CEEB), creating a cohesive visual language.

Design Decisions:

  • Clean typography with high contrast for instant readability
  • Subtle animations (0.3-0.8s) for polish without distraction
  • Card-based layout for clear information hierarchy
  • Horizontal carousel for 24-hour forecast
  • No weather icons with multiple colors - monochrome approach
  • Consistent spacing and breathing room

## 🔧 Development

SwiftUI architecture with WeatherKit API integration. The decision to migrate from WeatherAPI to WeatherKit provided better iOS integration and generous API quotas.

Tech Stack:

  • SwiftUI for native iOS interface
  • WeatherKit API for weather data (Apple’s native solution)
  • UserDefaults for preference persistence
  • CoreLocation for optional geolocation
  • Triple theme system (automatic/light/dark)

# Technical Challenges

## WeatherKit API Migration

Initial development used WeatherAPI, but migration to WeatherKit provided better iOS ecosystem integration. This required adapting to Apple’s authentication system and different data structures while maintaining the same user experience.

## Triple Theme System

Implementing a three-way theme system (automatic/light/dark) with SwiftUI’s ColorScheme presented unexpected complexity. The optional ColorScheme binding required custom logic to handle the automatic mode while respecting system preferences.

# Outcome

Users can now check weather conditions and make clothing decisions in under 3 seconds, with a distraction-free experience that respects their time and attention while maintaining the SimpleWeather Check brand promise of clarity.

# Learnings

## Technical Discoveries

  • WeatherKit API advantages for iOS-native development
  • Complex state management for triple theme systems
  • Performance optimization for smooth 60fps scrolling
  • Importance of animation timing for perceived performance

## Design Insights

  • Less is more: Users appreciate focused functionality
  • Brand consistency trumps conventional weather app patterns
  • Subtle animations enhance without distracting

## Impact on Future Projects

  • Value of strict scope management for MVP success
  • Importance of brand guideline adherence
  • Benefits of native API solutions over third-party services

# Technical Specifications

Core Requirements:

  • Platform: iOS 16+ (SwiftUI)
  • API: WeatherKit (Apple Weather)
  • Storage: UserDefaults for preferences
  • Connectivity: Online-only with graceful error handling
  • Location: Optional CoreLocation integration
  • Performance: 60fps scrolling, <1s load times

Deliberately Excluded from MVP:

  • Weather maps
  • Multi-day forecasts beyond 24 hours
  • Precipitation probability percentages
  • Wind speed and direction
  • Humidity levels
  • UV index
  • Air quality metrics
  • Weather alerts/notifications
  • Multiple saved locations
  • Widget extensions
  • Apple Watch app
Home Screen
Current weather with search
Home screen showing Brussels weather at 20°C with sunny conditions
City Search
Autocomplete city selection
City search with autocomplete showing filtered results for user input
Settings Page
Preferences and themes
Settings screen with temperature units, theme selection, and location toggle

# Client Testimonial

“The developer perfectly captured our vision of ‘La météo, claire et sans distraction’. The decision to use WeatherKit and the execution of our minimalist design philosophy exceeded expectations. Our users now have exactly what they need, nothing more, nothing less.”
— SimpleWeather Check Product Team (by Claude Code)

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