Project overview

Local roots, global reach: This project was originally designed in Spanish and has been adapted to English for international showcase.

The product

Cuba’s premier Android App Store. Designed to bridge the digital gap, it serves as the nation’s primary ecosystem for mobile software distribution, meeting the massive demand of a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Responsibilities

As the Lead Designer, I owned the complete creative and user experience strategy. I architected the brand identity from scratch and led the end-to-end design lifecycle—spanning UX Research and Writing to high-fidelity UI, motion design, and interactive prototyping.

The problem

Due to international sanctions and infrastructure limitations, global platforms like Google Play are largely inaccessible in Cuba. Apklis was conceived as a sovereign alternative—a high-performance marketplace designed to bypass these barriers and provide millions of users with a reliable, locally optimized mobile ecosystem.

The goal

To architect a dual-platform ecosystem (Web & Android) that empowers the Cuban developer community. Our objective was to build the nation’s first digital marketplace, enabling local creators to commercialize their products and providing users with a reliable, native software hub.

My role

As the Lead Designer and sole creative force on the team, I maintained full ownership of the design spectrum. I navigated the entire product lifecycle independently—from high-level UX strategy and research to the execution of brand identity, UI systems, and motion design.

Project tenure

From July 2018 to September 2019, I led the design through its most critical stages—from the initial brand conception to the successful launch of both the Web and Android platforms. I remained the driving creative force as the marketplace scaled to meet its first major wave of national adoption.

Brand design

Brand identity

Apklis represents the intersection of technology and sovereignty. By combining the APK extension with the fleur-de-lis (a symbol of independence), the brand captures its purpose: providing a powerful, autonomous platform for the Android community.

A symbol of endemic identity

To reinforce the concept of sovereignty, I selected the Phoebis Avellaneda—a butterfly endemic to Cuba—as the brand’s visual centerpiece. Through a process of geometric synthesis, the icon transforms a local natural treasure into a modern symbol.

The geometry of nature

The final mark is the result of a geometric construction. By repeating six circles with proportional diameters (multiples of 4), I created a balanced, symmetrical form that reflects the brand’s stability. The color scheme honors the species' biological essence, grounding the technical construction in organic authenticity.

Logotype integration

The final mark is a cohesive integration of the icon and a customized version of Lato. I introduced subtle structural modifications to the typeface to ensure visual weight consistency with the icon’s geometry. This balance enhances legibility at various scales, maintaining a professional and modern digital presence.

Getting to know the user

User research summary

I conducted a mixed-methods research study, including field interviews and social media surveys across diverse demographic groups. The goal was to identify the specific friction points—such as connectivity constraints and payment barriers—that local users faced with international app stores.

Pain points

Too much publicity

Users reported high levels of frustration with excessive publicity and irrelevant suggestions. There is a clear threshold of tolerance; users accept promotional elements if they are non-intrusive and limited in frequency.

Security & Accessibility barriers

In the Cuban market, users face a significant lack of centralized, verified access to local applications. To fulfill their digital needs, users are forced to rely on unofficial third-party sites or unverified internet sources.

Unlocking the local app economy

For years, Cuban developers lacked a formal channel to reach their audience and generate revenue. The inability to access foreign marketplaces led to a stagnant local ecosystem.

Unreliability

Beyond accessibility, unreliability was a major pain point. Without a centralized authority, users frequently encountered corrupted files, outdated versions, or malicious software.

Problem statement #1

Laura is an altruistic young student who needs an all-in-one place to keep her apps updated because there is not a reliable apps store for Cuban market.

Persona: Laura Martínez

Age: 22

Motto: “Helping others fills me with joy”

Education: Third year of university

Hometown: Havana, Cuba

Family: Mom, Dad and a dog

Ocupation: Student

Description: Laura is in her third year of college. She adores her cell phone and in addition to playing games with it, she also solves everyday tasks like paying bills and doing checklists. Her elders come to her for advice on using technology, and she enjoys helping them. Although she tries to keep up with the latest versions, it is a recurring problem that the Cuban applications that she uses cannot be easily updated.

Goals

Easy way for non-tech-savvy people to access Cuban apps.
To be able to update all my apps, Cuban and foreign ones in one place.

Frustrations

Often, even if I explain someone in detail how to get an app, it is hard because there is not only one way to do it, right now you have to find it in the wide internet.
I can’t update my Cuban apps and games reliably.

User journey map: Laura Martínez

Goal: Update Cuban apps installed on her phone.

Action	Task list	Feeling adjective	Improvements opportunities
Select app to update	Find in the phone which app needs to be updated. Select one.	Hopeful Confused	Feature to list outdated installed apps.
Find the app in internet	Look for the app in internet. Try to find it in a secure site. Find reviews from other users about the reliability of that site.	Fearful Bored Lost	Better wayfindings.
Download app	Check if in fact there is an update for the app. Download app.	Hopeful Happy	Feature to list the available updates.
Install app on device	Install app. Find out if that version is compatible with the owned device.	Hopeful Nervous	Feature to provide only compatible updates.
Give feedback to developer	Find out if there are social network pages to give feedback to the developer. Write and send opinion and wait for response.	Bored Indifferent	Feature to rate apps. Feature to write reviews about experience with apps.

Conclusion after Laura's journey map

According to the users represented by this person, a centralized site is needed where Cuban applications can be found. It is also important to be able to install and keep them up to date easily.

Problem statement #2

Roberto is a software developer who needs a platform to safely sell his products and get feedback from his users because there is not a service like that for Cubans developers in the market.

Persona: Roberto Cruz

Age: 45

Motto: “Creating useful applications helps move society forward”

Education: Computing engineer

Hometown: Havana, Cuba

Family: Wife and two kids

Ocupation: Software developer

Description: Roberto is a proficient software developer. His profession requires him to be creative and innovative to create apps which solve real problems, and he loves it. For him, this is a way to make a better world by giving people the tools to solve common issues. But often he struggles with the fact that in Cuba there is not a platform to publish his products.

Goals

To be able to publish apps.
Get revenue from published apps.
Get feedback from users.

Frustrations

I don’t have a reliable way to reach as much people as possible.
It is hard for me to cover my expenses because the revenue from my products is not stable.
I don’t know what the users think about my apps.

User journey map: Roberto Cruz

Goal: Publish software product, get revenue and feedback from users.

Action	Task list	Feeling adjective	Improvements opportunities
Find a site in internet to publish or create one	Search for available services to publish from Cuba. Or create own site or blog to publish.	Discouraged Lost Hopeful	Service to publish apps.
Create publicity for the product	Create pages in Social Networks to show products. Buy advertising in Social Networks.	Creative Enthusiastic	Feature to announce the latest releases.
Get pay by the user	Include feature in app to block it till the user pays. Include in app payment info.	Hopeful Expectant	Service to sell apps.
Get feedback from users	Review Social Networks comments to find out what users think. Answer users questions. Create polls to have quantitative feedback.	Motivated Open-minded	Feature for users reviews. Feature for ratings.
Interact with users	Using Social networks find out user's most wanted new improvements and features. Provide updates announcements.	Helpful	Feature for users opinions. Feature to list outdated apps.

Conclusion after Roberto's journey map

After analyzing this persona, a clear goal is to allow Cuban developers to publish and commercialize their applications. In addition to creating a direct channel of communication with end users to get valuable feedback that will translate into better products.

Competitive audit

Google Play and Apkpure (apkpure.com) were analyzed as direct competitors. From this study it was concluded that their information architectures are correct, mainly the categorization of the apps published there, for example the differentiation between games and applications for another purpose. The market gap they leave is that they do not cover the Cuban public, which will be taken as an opportunity by Apklis.

Information architecture

For the information architecture more categories where defined, this is a reduced version of the full diagram.

Starting the design

Web app exploration

Paper wireframes exploration #1

The goal here was to explore which layout could fit better with the web app objective and information architecture.

Paper wireframes exploration #2

Paper wireframes exploration #3 (Developer views)

This draft shows the Admin section, which will be available only for users with developer accounts. From here, developers can see insights from their published apps.

Web app digital wireframes

The pursued goal here was to allow accessing main features with as less interaction as possible. At the same time the detailed view of a certain app allows more interaction in its scope and gives developers the chance of gathering feedback about their publishing.

Web app low-fidelity prototype

The flow is simple, from Home page it is possible to reach an app detailed view, filtering and going to Developer view.

Mobile app exploration

Paper wireframes exploration #1

The desired result here was to organize the existing applications same as in Web app and add a bottom bar to quickly reach the main app sections.

Paper wireframes exploration #2

Mobile app digital wireframes

Here the intentions were presenting the app with onboarding screens, so the user lands in what it can offer. Furthermore, giving quick access to main features without multi level navigation.

Mobile app low-fidelity prototype

A straight forward flow, with just two navigation levels. After onboarding, from Home view, the rest of sections can be accessed and also the apps detail view from where they can be installed and rated.

Usability study findings

Using the Low fidelity prototypes done in Figma, it was possible to test in real devices, so several users were asked to interact with them to gather insights.

1Users could navigate easily across the web app and the android app.

2It was easy to download an app in web app.

3Find an app detail view and install it in the android native app was a straight forward flow.

4An admin view helps developers get insights about their publishing.

5The way to rate and comment about an app to interact with its developer was perceived as usable.

6I was in charge of brand design, UX Research, UX Writing, Wireframing, Prototyping, Motion Design and UI Design.

Refining the design

Web app high-fidelity prototype

Error pages

Mobile app high-fidelity prototype

Accessibility considerations

1The hierarchy of sections, titles and navigation was carefully revised so that when optimizing the application for screen readers, the feedback was accurate and according to what exists on the screen.

2The option to record comments was added in the functionality of evaluating an app, to facilitate that people with writing problems could also give their opinion.

Going forward

Takeaways

Impact

This product has a web version and an android native app; the firs one is widely used and accepted by Cubans and the second one counts with 7 588 121 downloads till December 7th, 2021. The impact has been really positive and the product’s objective was fulfilled, mainly because now Cuban developers can sell their apps there.

What I learned

Through this project I was able to get started in the world of software development and understand how the industry works. It was my first professional experience in a team where I was able to practice my communication skills and to work in tandem with other engineers. It opened my mind and made me confirm my love for product design.

Next steps

1During the first version of the product, it was made only for Cubans which native language is Spanish, so in further updates one of the steps to follow is internationalization. Including other languages will make the product grow and be used by foreign people.

2Coming back to the product and make a full review with an accessibility approach.

Check other works