Construction — 2025
Taking a paper-based field process fully digital
An offline-first inspection app and control centre replacing clipboards and re-typed reports.
6 days → live
Reporting lag
100%
Inspections with evidence attached
3 weeks
To first on-site prototype
Client
National services operator
The problem
Site inspections were captured on paper, photographed, emailed and then re-typed into a spreadsheet. Reports reached management up to a week late.
The challenge
Teams work in areas with no reliable connectivity, on shared devices, often wearing gloves. The tool had to be faster than paper or it would be ignored.
Discovery
We ran the first prototype on live sites in week three. Everything that slowed an inspector down by more than a second was cut.
The solution
A large-target, offline-first mobile app with automatic evidence capture, and a control centre that compiles reports the moment a device reconnects.
Technology
- React Native
- Offline sync
- Object storage
- Reporting service
Outcome
Inspections now arrive complete and structured. Management reporting moved from weekly to immediate.
- — Reports available the moment an inspection is submitted
- — Photographic evidence attached to every finding by default
- — Full audit trail for compliance and disputes
Inside the build
Field app
Designed for gloves, glare and no signal.
Sync engine
Conflict-safe reconciliation on reconnect.
Control centre
Programme-level view across all active sites.
What we learned
- — If the digital tool is slower than paper, paper wins.
- — Prototyping on the actual site beats every workshop.