A second-year university project in app development, prototyping, and live client collaboration
In my second year at university, I worked on a group project to design and develop a booking app for Chain Net, a local basketball organisation that runs training sessions and matches for young players. The goal? Make it easier for players (and their parents) to sign up for sessions and manage their bookings—all in one smooth, user-friendly app.
In my second year at university, I worked on a group project to design and develop a booking app for Chain Net, a local basketball organisation that runs training sessions and matches for young players. The goal? Make it easier for players (and their parents) to sign up for sessions and manage their bookings—all in one smooth, user-friendly app.
The Brief
Our client, Craig from Chain Net, wanted a platform that:
- Allowed simple, repeatable online bookings
- Saved player details to avoid repeated entry
- Included extras like team names, medical history, and venue updates
- Reflected Chain Net’s existing branding (colours, fonts, and logos)
With just 12 weeks to deliver the project, our team needed to move quickly—from defining requirements to deploying a prototype.
Chain Net's existing branding
My Role
I held three key roles on this project:
Project Manager: I was the main point of contact with the client, Craig. I scheduled meetings, gathered requirements, clarified feedback, and ensured we stayed on track throughout the development process.
Front-End Developer: I built the core user interface using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, implementing features like the booking flow, login system, and event display pages in line with the brand guidelines.
Prototype Builder: Using Adobe XD, I created an interactive prototype early in the process. This helped us test design ideas quickly and gave the client a clear view of how the final app would function.
The Process
We kicked off by researching similar platforms (like Eventbrite and SimplyBook) to understand best practices. From there, we built wireframes and a sitemap before moving into design and development.
Wireframes
Client feedback and user testing played a big role in shaping the final product. Early testers pointed out that text boxes blended into the white background, so we adjusted the contrast and added visual hierarchy. We also introduced a second font to improve readability, both of which the client responded well to.
Initial design
Updated design
Throughout, I facilitated communication between the client and our development team, ensuring feedback was clear, manageable, and implemented on time.
What I Learned
This project taught me how to:
- Translate a client’s business needs into technical solutions
- Lead a small team and manage expectations in a live-client scenario
- Use prototyping to communicate ideas and iterate quickly
- Balance functionality and design in front-end development
- Take and apply feedback in a constructive, efficient way
Outcome
We delivered a working prototype (see below) and a full design walkthrough via Adobe XD. The app allows users to sign up, book sessions, view events, and includes an admin interface for managing those bookings.
The client was pleased with the result and plans to explore further development based on the prototype we delivered. They appreciated our responsiveness to feedback and attention to detail in aligning with the Chain Net brand.
Final Thoughts
Working with a real client added a new layer of accountability and excitement to this project. As both a front-end developer and prototype builder, I gained confidence in turning rough ideas into something polished, useful, and visually aligned with a brand. It was a great introduction to the kinds of collaborative, real-world design challenges I want to keep solving in my career.
Final prototype