Tap Challenge Game – Full Project Leadership

The Context

I was contacted by an agency to adapt an existing app of mine for a client of theirs. This project was unique in that I orchestrated the entire lifecycle from initial concept and design through to delivery and ongoing maintenance.

As a subcontractor for an agency not fluent in app development, I wore the project management hat a lot more than usual and helped the client and the agency narrow down the scope for an initial release while leaving options to expand functionality in the future.

After the initial release, we designed special events in the app for SXSW in the years that followed.

Technical Challenges

Using Apple’s new tech for this was very educating. SwiftUI worked very well for all the custom drawing code to make it feel like a game, not a productivity app with stock controls.

Core App Development

As principal developer, I made key architectural decisions:

Full-Stack Requirements

Using Firebase as a backend to store data and create and manage user accounts in the iOS app was one thing. I really enjoyed whipping up the HTML/CSS and JavaScript to create a small web portal to login and manage one’s account. Most of this came ‘for free’. The client didn’t want to spend too many resources on this, so we designed a minimal experience that protected user privacy.

The web portal included:

Team Dynamics

Managing our team of 3 (2 developers, 1 designer) required clear communication and defined responsibilities. As the project lead, I:

The agency acted as an intermediary but lacked technical expertise, so I sometimes communicated directly with the end client to clarify requirements and manage expectations. This three-way communication (me ↔ agency ↔ client) required careful documentation to keep everyone aligned.

Personal Reflections

This project was a masterclass in wearing multiple hats, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Going from developer to project manager to co-designer reinforced the importance of clear communication across technical boundaries.

The trust placed in me to lead the entire project from conception to delivery was both challenging and rewarding. It validated my ability to not just write code, but to understand business needs, manage teams, and deliver complete solutions.

With this project, I emphasized my willingness to make decisions not for my own benefit as a developer (more features = more billable hours), but for the business and client’s success. This mindset shift – thinking like an owner rather than just a contractor – would prove invaluable in future consulting work, especially in situations where I’d need to influence without formal authority (like years later at Ambue). I believe the agency was a bit surprised at first by me holding back and wanting to outline the rough scope, dial back features and form realistic expectations. But since it was in time and on budget, everyone was happy with the result.

Working with SwiftUI when it was still relatively new (iOS 15 era) meant dealing with framework limitations and finding creative workarounds. But it also meant being on the cutting-edge, which aligned well with the innovative nature of the game.

The full-stack aspect – building not just the iOS app but also doing part of the design process and the web portal and backend infrastructure – reminded me why I love being a generalist. Each part informed the others, leading to a more cohesive product.

Impact

The project was delivered on time and on budget with full ownership of technical decisions. The client was particularly impressed with:

The app successfully launched for SXSW and continued to be used for special events in subsequent years, and available on the App Stores in the time between events, too. The modular architecture I designed allowed for easy customization for different events without major code changes, just a couple clicks in the Firebase backend.