Context
Operational context
Field teams operated as far as 250 kilometres from headquarters. Management needed a practical way to confirm visits and asset locations without depending on continuous connectivity or self-reported activity alone.
Challenge
The problem
The organisation could not reliably verify whether scheduled customer visits occurred or whether recorded assets were at the claimed location. Skipped visits and weak evidence contributed to reduced prospective sales and limited accountability across a widely distributed field operation.
Constraints
- The mobile workflow had to function in areas with intermittent connectivity.
- Visit evidence needed to combine identity, time and location without creating a burdensome field process.
- Managers needed a clear map and report view from centrally synchronised records.
Architecture
System design
A Cordova Android client captures QR, GPS and timestamp evidence, queues records offline and synchronises them through Django REST APIs. PostgreSQL stores visit, user and asset records, while a web dashboard uses Leaflet and mapping services to present verified activity. Docker and Kubernetes run the services on AWS, with Jenkins, Git and Ansible automating delivery.
Solution
What was built
I built an offline-capable field application for scanning assigned QR codes, capturing location evidence and recording visits. A connected web dashboard maps synchronised activity and gives managers verified reports for follow-up, customer service and field accountability.
Engineering judgement
Decisions and trade-offs
QR plus GPS verification
Context: Self-reported visits were difficult to validate
Decision: Combine an assigned QR scan with device location and timestamp evidence
Trade-off: Location accuracy and permissions can vary by device and environment
Offline event queue
Context: Teams worked far from reliable connectivity
Decision: Store verification events locally and retry synchronisation when online
Trade-off: Central dashboards reflect offline events only after synchronisation
Web mapping dashboard
Context: Managers needed spatial oversight
Decision: Present verified activity through a map and report interface
Trade-off: Map services and location data require careful privacy controls
Contribution
My role
- Translated field verification requirements into a mobile and web system design.
- Built the Django and PostgreSQL API and operational data model.
- Developed the Cordova mobile workflow for QR, GPS and offline capture.
- Implemented the mapped management dashboard and activity reporting.
- Containerised and deployed the platform on AWS with automated CI/CD.
Product demonstration
See the system in use
Results
Operational impact
- Gave managers a real-time mapped view of synchronised field activity.
- Produced verified visit reports using QR, location and timestamp evidence.
- Improved field accountability and supported faster customer follow-up.
- Allowed teams to capture work in the field without continuous connectivity.
Reflection
Lessons learned
- Verification works best when it is quick for field staff and useful to managers, not merely an additional control.
- Offline location events need clear capture, pending, synchronised and exception states.
- Geospatial evidence should be collected proportionately and protected through role-based access.