Scrapbook V2

Rebuilding Scrapbook: From Baby Dev to Pro

I've been a web developer for a few years now, but I still vividly remember my early days rapidly learning web development during my Master's degree in Software Development. I was a 'baby dev' with just 6 weeks of web development under my belt when I had to choose a final project for my Master's degree in Software Development. I knew I wanted to build something that meant a lot to me. Something with a real-world application, not just a technical exercise.

As I thought back on my time spent working in social care, an idea started to form. I envisioned an online portal where people could store their cherished memories - photos, stories, even snippets of audio - and share them with friends, family, and carers. A digital scrapbook, with pages of precious moments, and personal interests, easily accessible and designed to prompt reminiscence. My research at the time confirmed that reminiscence therapy is incredibly beneficial for people with dementia, helping to enrich their lives and maintain connections.

An early wireframe for the homepage. Using 'skeuomorphic' design to mimic the look of a physical scrapbook. Probably not the direction I'd go with it now.

Scrapbook v1.0

Take a look at the hero image for this blog post and you'll see the very basic wireframe of a 'scrapbook' page that served as one of my first wireframes ever! And oh boy, it's...something. I knew my design skills were limited but I focused on the core functionality, knowing that as time progressed those skills would improve. For Scrapbook v1.0, I opted for Python with the Django framework. It was a steep learning curve, but thanks to Leif Azzopardi and David Maxwell's Tango with Django and a LOT of Stack Overflow, I managed to build a functional application.

The UI may have had its issues, and it was hardly ready to roll out to care homes nation-wide, but the core idea was there. Users could upload media, store collections, save YouTube links, and even browse a collection of in-person game and activity prompts. I worked with my first APIs, most noticeably to let users search for and save songs which held significance to them, and store them as part of their multimedia pages.

Despite the relief I felt submitting it as a final project, I knew I wasn't finished with it. Now, with some experience under my belt, it's time to get back to it.

The Next Chapter: Scrapbook Reimagined

As well as ticking Scrapbook v2.0 off my dev bucket list, I wanted to touch on some other goals of annacodes.dev. So, for this project I'm combining a deep dive into ReactJS, with learning a new framework - Next.js. This stack will allow me to build a much more dynamic, responsive, and scalable application than I could have ever dreamed of with my original version.

I'm looking forward to expanding the functionality significantly. Beyond just storing memories, I envision integrating new activities that could be done in a care home setting. Not every care home can afford a dedicated activity coordinator, and I truly hope Scrapbook could become a valuable resource, offering engaging and stimulating activities designed to encourage interaction and reminiscence. Perhaps a digital jigsaw puzzle made from a family photo, or a music bingo game based on uploaded music.

To Be Continued...

This blog post is just the beginning. A declaration of intent to be held accountable to, and a chance to take a moment and reflect on the original Scrapbook v1.0. Stay tuned for updates, challenges, and breakthroughs as I go.

When I shared Scrapbook v1.0 with my facilitator and drama therapy network there was a lot of interest in the project coming to full fruition, and I'm excited to finally be giving it the professional treatment it deserves.