ForumX
Services
Concept, Design, Development
Technology
Backend, Android, iOS
Client
Diskutier Mit Mir e.V.
Year
2021 – today
WHAT WAS KARLMAX’S ROLE IN THE PROJECT?
WHY DOES THE USER NEED THE APP?
WHAT CAN THE APP DO?
With this app, the user can participate in political discussions, which are organised and moderated by our client with local partners, e.g. before elections. The application opens up the possibility for the association to have events in a hybrid model allowing remote participation. This was important due to Corona and is also an important feature now.
Users can register for events from the app via a registration link. Once the event takes place, users log in to the app using a code. Not only can they listen, they can also “raise their hand” to signal to the moderator that they want to contribute to the discussion. Speakers can then also be brought virtually onto the audio stage.
Through a content management system, our client updates the event data and thereby the content of the app.
THE CHALLENGE
The challenge with this project was the very short development time, combined with the complex topic of real-time communication via streaming. Due to our previous experience, we based our implementation on a partner: Twilio.
The already planned series of events in the time leading up to the state elections in NRW by our client set a strict deadline for the project.
HOW DID WE PROCEED?
In an initial exploration phase, we evaluated the various Twilio solutions and compared them with customer requirements. This allowed us to quickly make a choice and test it with initial calls.
To accommodate the short development time, we agreed with the customer to create a so-called MVP (Minimum Viable Product), so a minimal, functional implementation of the Twilio SDK, which we were able to bring into a visually appealing form thanks to our designer.
To implement the app in this short period of time, we did weekly sprint planning and worked closely together in a larger team. The communication between the backend, Android and iOS developers, project management and customers was very important to achieve rapid progress.
Behind the scenes – or: Why we believe hybrid events will keep happening
With Forum X, we developed our first app in the field of politics and also the first event-related app. In our teams as well, we have noticed that remote work allows a certain flexibility, which we would like to maintain in future. Some visit the office very frequently, others are perfectly comfortable in remote work, and some alternate between the two. Remote work during the Corona pandemic definitely gave us a realistic test opportunity and allowed us to experience how difficult this situation was for the event industry in the first place.
For events, it’s a great benefit to be able to participate even if you can’t be on site in the evening, but can participate from home. Of course, there are two different ways to participate in events. But for political education, it feels like a particularly valuable mission. We are proud to be a part of offering this opportunity and wish Diskutier mit mir e.V. much success in its future events.
