Internal Manufacturing Reporting App with Social Features
Challenge
Manufacturing environments thrive on efficiency, accuracy, and timely communication. Our client, a leading industrial manufacturing company in Japan, faced a recurring challenge in streamlining how frontline workers reported production line issues and progress updates. They relied heavily on fragmented tools like email, spreadsheets, and informal discussions, which resulted in miscommunication, accountability gaps, and difficulty tracking issue resolution. Managers needed a way to monitor multiple projects in real time, identify bottlenecks quickly, and maintain a history of reported issues with visual evidence.
The lack of a centralized, user-friendly reporting platform created unnecessary delays and a lack of transparency across production teams. Our client envisioned a mobile application that could combine the simplicity of social media with the rigor of industrial reporting. However, they needed more than just a visual feed—they required permission controls, real-time notifications, tagging functionality, and integration with their existing workflows. The challenge was to build an intuitive yet powerful internal app that fostered open reporting, accountability, and operational clarity in a fast-paced production setting.
Manufacturing environments thrive on efficiency, accuracy, and timely communication. Our client, a leading industrial manufacturing company in Japan, faced a recurring challenge in streamlining how frontline workers reported production line issues and progress updates. They relied heavily on fragmented tools like email, spreadsheets, and informal discussions, which resulted in miscommunication, accountability gaps, and difficulty tracking issue resolution. Managers needed a way to monitor multiple projects in real time, identify bottlenecks quickly, and maintain a history of reported issues with visual evidence.
The lack of a centralized, user-friendly reporting platform created unnecessary delays and a lack of transparency across production teams. Our client envisioned a mobile application that could combine the simplicity of social media with the rigor of industrial reporting. However, they needed more than just a visual feed—they required permission controls, real-time notifications, tagging functionality, and integration with their existing workflows. The challenge was to build an intuitive yet powerful internal app that fostered open reporting, accountability, and operational clarity in a fast-paced production setting.
Solution
We developed a custom, mobile-first application inspired by social media platforms to transform how production teams log and communicate issues. After conducting deep research on user behaviors within manufacturing settings, we opted for a user interface modeled after Instagram to create a sense of familiarity and reduce the learning curve. The application allows employees to capture, tag, and upload photos or videos directly from the factory floor. These posts appear in a live feed, where others can comment, add supporting images, or react using emojis—creating an open and engaging reporting culture.
The application was built using Flutter for cross-platform deployment and powered by a Django and Vue-based backend for seamless performance. We added robust role-based access controls to differentiate between regular users and administrators. Admins can add or remove team members, assign permissions, and moderate the content being shared. Additionally, we built a web-based dashboard specifically for managers, enabling bulk uploads of production data, tag creation, real-time analytics, and account management. Native push notifications ensure everyone stays informed about updates relevant to their assigned projects. By blending social media mechanics with manufacturing needs, we delivered a system that improves speed, transparency, and accountability on the production line.
We developed a custom, mobile-first application inspired by social media platforms to transform how production teams log and communicate issues. After conducting deep research on user behaviors within manufacturing settings, we opted for a user interface modeled after Instagram to create a sense of familiarity and reduce the learning curve. The application allows employees to capture, tag, and upload photos or videos directly from the factory floor. These posts appear in a live feed, where others can comment, add supporting images, or react using emojis—creating an open and engaging reporting culture.
The application was built using Flutter for cross-platform deployment and powered by a Django and Vue-based backend for seamless performance. We added robust role-based access controls to differentiate between regular users and administrators. Admins can add or remove team members, assign permissions, and moderate the content being shared. Additionally, we built a web-based dashboard specifically for managers, enabling bulk uploads of production data, tag creation, real-time analytics, and account management. Native push notifications ensure everyone stays informed about updates relevant to their assigned projects. By blending social media mechanics with manufacturing needs, we delivered a system that improves speed, transparency, and accountability on the production line.
Results
The Fujikikai mobile app has drastically changed the way production issues are reported and resolved. Teams on the factory floor now have an easy and intuitive platform to log progress, report delays, and share visual evidence of manufacturing concerns. What previously took days of back-and-forth emails and fragmented reporting is now centralized in a real-time feed. Managers receive instant updates and can filter by project, tags, or issue type, allowing them to spot and act on bottlenecks immediately.
With the admin web dashboard, project leaders now maintain complete visibility over workflows, team activity, and historical reports. Accountability has significantly improved, and the transparency across departments has led to faster resolution times and reduced communication breakdowns. The app has been positively received across all departments, with adoption rates surpassing expectations within the first 30 days. As a result, the client is exploring expansion of the platform to other factories and departments. Fujikikai is now positioned as a digitally-forward manufacturer that embraces innovation in internal operations.
The Fujikikai mobile app has drastically changed the way production issues are reported and resolved. Teams on the factory floor now have an easy and intuitive platform to log progress, report delays, and share visual evidence of manufacturing concerns. What previously took days of back-and-forth emails and fragmented reporting is now centralized in a real-time feed. Managers receive instant updates and can filter by project, tags, or issue type, allowing them to spot and act on bottlenecks immediately.
With the admin web dashboard, project leaders now maintain complete visibility over workflows, team activity, and historical reports. Accountability has significantly improved, and the transparency across departments has led to faster resolution times and reduced communication breakdowns. The app has been positively received across all departments, with adoption rates surpassing expectations within the first 30 days. As a result, the client is exploring expansion of the platform to other factories and departments. Fujikikai is now positioned as a digitally-forward manufacturer that embraces innovation in internal operations.