Famlicious
Us. More. Together
Famlicious is a family messaging, photo, and timeline sharing app created to help connect families together.
2+ years
Mobile development
Family chat app
IOS, Android
Active worldwide
The app interconnects family members no matter where in the world they might be, so that they can easily stay in touch.
High security
Famlicious brings families closer together by creating a trusted, secure environment in which to share the moments and events of life.
Dynamic family trees
It’s possible to build a dynamic family tree that will display all family connections and preserve and share your family story.
About
Project Idea
Our client partnered with us to create a unique family chat app. He wanted to launch a mobile application that would keep family members in touch with each other in our hectic lives, which are driven and empowered by digital access.
The client had
- The app code
- Initial design
- Desired list of features
We were responsible for
- Redesigning and rewriting the code
- MVP development
- The inclusion of real-time chat functionality
- Development of the dynamic family tree
Team
iOS developer
Designer
QA engineer
Android developer
Project manager/business analyst
How it works
Now the application is released on both iOS and Android.
Wireframes
The app was initially designed to be as simple as possible to avoid bunching, and to make it easier for a user to interact with the app, regardless of the device that is used.
Overview
Famlicious creates a private, secure, family-only space.
It’s easy to share full-resolution photos and videos to the timelines.
Family tree
Your profile is automatically connected to the dynamic family tree.
Messages
It’s possible to schedule a message for the future so that birthdays and other important dates won't be missed.
Post Dating
Since timelines and messages are stored indefinitely off the phone, it's possible to retrace the timeline even if you launch the app on a new device.
Technology Stack
Challenges and Solutions
Redesigning and rewriting the code
Problem:
The client already had the design and code, but neither met the quality standards. Each was poorly suited to the needs of the project.
Solution:
Our team started everything from scratch to make the product future-proof and efficient.
MVP development
Problem:
The customer wanted to create a complex app with plenty of features but this way it would be similar to a social media app. The functionality would be extremely heavy, and there was no guarantee that users would like it.
Solution:
We started with MVP development, after which we built a simple version of the product with its basic functionality. On that basis, we analyzed feedback from users. Only with a positive result could we implement additional features.
Building a real-time chat
Problem:
The objective was to create a fast, secure, real-time chat app and provide trouble-free sharing opportunities like Family Timeline. Moreover, the app had to be scalable enough to support a great load of users.
Solution:
We chose PubNub ChatEngine as the means for chat implementation. ChatEngine contains all the essential chat components along with solid back-end infrastructure. It also offers secure, stable functionality, so it's the ideal choice for anyone who wants to incorporate real-time chat.
Development of the Family Tree
Problem:
The dynamic family tree is a major feature of the Famlicious app. However, the conventional family tree (with the oldest generation at the top and the youngest at the bottom) wasn't sufficiently flexible to allow the addition of new users.
Solution:
To make this feature work, we decided to use a graphing database. Thus, we chose Neo4j for the automatic tracking of family relationships and the ability to interconnect the various people in a given family tree. Additionally, we used a PostgreSQL database for family names, photos, user profiles, descriptions, etc.