Development
Delivery Models
Global 
The idea for Connected Railway was born out of how an entire industry operated. In the UK’s railway sector, job placement wasn’t structured, digital, and fair. Contracts were handed out via WhatsApp threads and Facebook groups. Who you knew often mattered more than what you could do. Thousands of skilled workers (especially women and newcomers) were shut out of opportunities.
Behind the scenes, the process was just as chaotic. Contractors weren’t hired directly by Network Rail. Instead, they applied through multiple recruitment agencies; juggling up to three at a time (one primary, two secondary). The primary agency held compliance responsibility, while job offers from secondary companies required behind-the-scenes approvals, often through fragmented communication. Switching agencies meant more admin. Changing your primary company is possible, but only if you know the right steps.
Another challenge was safety
compliance. Every contractor must pass tests, complete drug and alcohol
screening, and scan a QR-coded ID before every shift.
Connected Railway was built by people who knew the rail industry
inside out not by a tech team.
During the discovery phase, we spoke directly with the people this platform was meant to serve: contractors, recruiters, and training providers. What emerged wasn’t just a list of feature requests. It was a clear picture of an industry held back by inefficiencies and exclusion.
Here’s what we uncovered:
Job access was inconsistent and unfair
Contractors relied on WhatsApp threads or personal referrals to hear about openings. If you weren’t “in the loop,” you didn’t get the job, regardless of your qualifications.
Recruiters couldn’t move fast enough
Agencies had no real-time tools for outreach or tracking applications. Finding the right match meant juggling spreadsheets and gut instinct.
Poor visibility into qualifications and availability.
Contractors lacked a standardized profile. Agencies couldn’t filter candidates by training, location, or availability. This often resulted in last-minute hires or no-shows.
Training pathways were unclear
Many contractors didn’t know which providers were verified or how to plan their certifications. This created bottlenecks in compliance-heavy roles.
Newcomers were routinely overlooked.
Without a centralized system, hiring often favored familiar names. Skills and readiness took a back seat to familiarity.
No way to forecast or measure hiring efficiency
For an industry dependent on precise scheduling and safety standards, the lack of data or reporting made long-term planning nearly impossible.
When the founder of Connected Railway approached us, he wasn’t looking for someone to simply “build an app.” He had no background in software and had never led a tech project before. But what he did have was a deep understanding of the broken hiring process on the UK railway and a bold vision to fix it.
We turned deep industry knowledge into a real product, explaining technical nuances without jargon or pressure. Our team mapped flows, tested features, and made room for feedback at every step. Daniel joined every call, challenged us to simplify, and kept us focused on what contractors need.
I’ve never felt this supported. You explained things simply, helped us prioritize, and actually cared about the product. I don’t think I could build this with anyone else.
Whether you’re an industry expert or a first-time founder, you don’t need to know how to code to launch something powerful. You just need the right team who listens, guides, and builds with you.
Let’s talk. We’ll help you turn your industry know-how into a product your users will love.
In a 1-month discovery phase, we interviewed recruiters and contractors, audited competitors, and mapped feature expectations.
We found that speed-to-market was crucial, so we defined an MVP that could go live in 5 months, with a clear post-MVP roadmap.
Document requirements and vision
Define technology approach for the solution and vision
Design user experience for (MVP) Web/Mobile Apps
Provide narrowed estimate renge
Concept design of main screens for investors
The MVP included four key components, each designed to serve a specific user group and deliver immediate operational value across mobile, web, and admin interfaces.
Mobile App (iOS and Android)
For Contractors
Web App
For Recruitment Agencies
Admin Portal
Marketing Website
Contractors receive instant push notifications when a new job matches their skills and availability.
→ Built using Firebase and Flutter, with dynamic matching logic that filters by qualifications, availability, and location.
Contractors can mark when they’re free to work, helping agencies avoid overbooking and streamline scheduling.
→ Custom-built calendar component with real-time backend sync to reflect current contractor availability.
Users can set a location radius to only see jobs within a preferred distance from where they live or work.
→ Implemented with Google Maps API and geospatial logic to support radius-based filtering.
Agencies get a preview of how many relevant contractors match a job before publishing it.
→ Custom algorithm estimates talent fit by comparing job requirements with contractor profiles and historic behavior.
Agencies can visualize candidate availability by role, skill, and region to plan recruitment ahead of time.
→ Integrated into the contract creation flow with live data to support proactive hiring decisions.
Behind the scenes, the platform runs on a modern cloud-based setup designed to support a growing contractor base and expand into other regulated industries like aviation or maritime. Security comes first: all admin access is VPN-restricted, data stays within the UK/EU, and everything is fully GDPR-compliant.
Our DevOps workflow ensures fast, stable releases across development, staging, and production environments, with new updates shipping weekly. The architecture is built to scale effortlessly as new markets are added.
Our design team worked in Figma from low-fidelity wireframes to polished prototypes, collaborating closely with developers for smooth handoff. We took cues from platforms like Indeed andWorkable, but reimagined the experience for mobile-first, blue-collar environments, where every second counts and simplicity wins.
Discovery achievements behind the launch
MVP launch snapshot
If you’re building something for a regulated, outdated industry, we’d love to hear what you’re working on.
We speak both tech and business.
And we know how to go from zero to live.
What we built it’s a repeatable foundation that can be customized for other fragmented, legacy job markets.
The platform architecture, admin logic, and matching engine are all adaptable. The product could scale to aviation, security, shipping, and energy with minimal rebuilds.
