"Great communication. I appreciate the standing meeting with continuous updates. The Softjourn team was very quick to respond to issues as well. I'm happy with the result—in fact, I'm 'tickled pink.'"
PM Vitals: Streamlining Construction Audits with Mobile Technology
Transforming paper-based processes into seamless cross-platform mobile experiences with React Native
ABOUT THE CLIENT:
Project:Construction project management tool
Industry:Technology Services
Client since:2016
Technologies:
SERVICES USED:
SERVICES USED:
The Challenge
PM Vitals, a US-based construction project management company, needed a simple mobile audit app that would integrate with their existing cloud-based project management tool and work seamlessly on both tablets and mobile phones. Their biggest challenge was eliminating paper-based processes while ensuring reliable onsite data capture in environments with poor connectivity, such as factory locations.
The Solution
Softjourn's Business Analysts developed comprehensive wireframes and conducted collaborative working sessions to map out optimal user workflows for the audit tool. After evaluating multiple technology options, the team selected React Native for cross-platform development, implementing Redux for state management and offline capabilities to ensure data persistence even when connectivity is interrupted.
Results
The solution eliminated paper-based audit processes and connectivity concerns, delivering an easy-to-use mobile application for managing complex operational, quality, and safety audits. Project managers now have the flexibility to capture analytical data in real-time on their mobile devices while conducting on-site inspections, with 99% code sharing between iOS and Android platforms ensuring efficient development and maintenance.
The Challenge
PM Vitals, a US-based construction project management company, approached Softjourn with an ambitious goal: to revolutionize how their clients conduct onsite project audits. They wanted to move away from paper-based processes and provide greater flexibility through digital data capture.
The requirements were clear but challenging. The audit app needed to be simple, user-friendly, and fully integrated with their existing cloud-based project management platform. It had to work seamlessly on both tablets and mobile phones. Most critically, the solution needed to function reliably in construction environments where internet connectivity could be spotty or nonexistent.
The biggest decision facing both teams was the technology approach: should they invest in native development for maximum performance, or choose a cross-platform solution for broader reach and faster deployment?
Mike Kenefsky, Operations Director at PM Vitals
Softjourn's Approach
Discovery and Planning
Softjourn began with a thorough discovery phase. Our Business Analysts developed detailed wireframes to visualize user workflows for the audit tool. Through collaborative working sessions with the PM Vitals team and Softjourn developers, we mapped out every necessary activity and ensured everyone shared the same vision.
Technology Selection
With functionality defined, we focused on choosing the right technology stack. Softjourn's philosophy is to present clients with clear explanations of technology benefits, showing why one solution may be superior to another.
We evaluated native mobile development against various cross-platform alternatives. Given Softjourn's track record of successful cross-platform applications, React Native emerged as the clear winner. This choice offered significant advantages:
- Dual-platform efficiency: One codebase for both Android and iOS
- Faster development timeline: Reduced time-to-market
- Flexible layouts: React Native's Flexbox makes it easy to build scalable interfaces for phones and tablets
- Framework compatibility: Excellent integration with other tools and libraries
Technical Implementation
Offline functionality was crucial for construction site environments. We implemented Redux to manage application state within a single object tree, paired with Redux-persist to automatically save state updates using React Native's AsyncStorage. This architecture ensures data integrity even when connectivity drops mid-sync.
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Conclusion
The transformation was immediate and impactful. PM Vitals eliminated paper-based audit processes entirely. Project managers no longer worry about internet connectivity when visiting remote factory locations.
The new mobile solution enables easy management of complex operational, quality, and safety audits. Project managers can now capture analytical data in real-time on their mobile devices while walking through facilities and interviewing personnel—no more waiting to enter data later.
"I like working with React Native as this is a fast-growing framework with a very big community, and its efficiency was proven by Facebook. With this technology, we were able to share about 99% of code between iOS and Android platforms. In addition, React Native has many features that make development faster and easier."
Dariy Dzyndra, Cross-Platform Developer at Softjourn
The project delivered exactly what PM Vitals envisioned: a flexible, reliable mobile audit solution that enhances productivity while ensuring data accuracy across diverse construction environments.
Partnership & Recognition
