The client’s requirement was to create an app that helps newsrooms stay on top of various incidents and thereby, assign the nearest reporters and journalists to those incidents. The app would function as an assignment management tool that allows newsrooms to know where their journalists and photographers are at, and assign the best (nearest) resources to cover an incident. The challenge was to design and develop a highly functional app which ensured immediate results and convenient usability.

The development team at Dot Com Infoway applied a two-phased strategy to achieve the final goals of this project.

Phase I involved mainly analysis, planning and finalizing the course of action. Dot Com Infoway’s design and development team analyzed the client’s requirements and framed an action plan based on the resources required, the appropriate technology to be used and the time frame needed for developing the apps.

Phase II saw the implementation of the action plan framed in Phase I. The aim was to leverage the best of iOS technology to develop an app that would let the users experience high quality and high functionality. Our constructive inputs and suggestions gave perfect shape to the app concept. Our core focus was on usability and user engagement, which enabled us to develop an app that work efficiently on all iPhones. One of the primary objectives was to create a design that not only had the ability to attract prospective users to try the app, but also made them want to continue using the app.

• Every staff member can see who is closest to an assignment and how long it will take them to get there.
• Get live updates about who’s working on which assignment and how much progress has been made.
• Send group messages to alert everyone instantly. Instead of no one or everyone rushing to breaking news, ensure the right people are sent.
• A user’s phone will vibrate and they’ll get an alert when they receive a new assignment or details of their current assignments change.
• Staff can stay logged in 24-7 so they can be located for overnight call outs. Alternatively staff who want privacy can set the app to automatically disconnect at a set time each day.
• News Crew Tracker can just be used to locate staff on a map. Or it can also be used as an assignment management tool to replace newsroom whiteboards and shared documents.
• Newsrooms will get their own password protected group so competing media outlets can’t get access.

The client was extremely pleased with our final product, and showered accolades on Dot Com Infoway’s design and development team..