case study
CIAM — one build, both app stores
Put the organisation's content directly in its audience's hands on both major mobile platforms, without funding two separate native builds.
- Client
- Ministry organisation
- Project
- Cross-platform mobile app
- Status
- In progress
the problem
What needed solving
Organisations distributing content to a regular audience run into a specific wall: a website reaches people who remember to visit, while an app reaches people where they already are. Building separately for iOS and Android doubles both the initial cost and every future update, which puts it out of reach for most organisations this size.
the approach
How we solved it
A cross-platform build producing both iOS and Android apps from a single codebase, with content syncing from a central source so routine updates do not require a new store release. Android shipped first; the web version is in final testing.
Cross-platform architecture
One codebase targeting both platforms, keeping build and maintenance costs proportionate.
Content sync
Content updated centrally and pulled by the app, avoiding a store submission for every change.
Android release
Built, submitted and shipped to the Play Store.
Web version
A companion web build, currently in final testing.
Offline handling
Sensible behaviour when the connection drops, which on mobile data it regularly does.
what it does
Key features
- Single codebase targeting iOS and Android
- Live on Android
- Central content sync without app store resubmission
- Companion web version in final testing
- Offline-tolerant behaviour
the hard part
Challenges
App store submission is routinely the least predictable part of a mobile project, and first submissions are commonly rejected for fixable policy reasons rather than technical ones. Content sync also had to be designed so non-technical staff could publish without touching a release process.
results
Measured outcomes
We don't publish performance figures for this project because analytics weren't in place from the start, and quoting numbers we can't substantiate would be worthless to you. We're happy to walk through the project in detail on a call.
services used
What this project involved
The services that did the work on this build.
service
Mobile App Development
Most organisations do not need two separate native apps — they need one product that works properly on both iOS and Android.
service
Web Development
A website should do work: bring in enquiries, answer the questions your customers keep asking, and make your business look like the serious operation it is.
Have a project like this?
If something here looks close to what you need, tell us about it and we'll give you an honest view of what it would take.