A savings app has to feel simple while handling account opening, identity and money movement. Shoal added a second challenge: a short engagement and a release date that did not move.
About the brand
Shoal is a mobile savings app where people earn interest through Savings Pots while their money is referenced against a global portfolio of green and social projects. The sustainable asset portfolio is managed by Standard Chartered, and the app shows the CO2e avoided and clean water generated by each saver's pots. Source: Wikipedia. Source: Shoal.
My role
I worked on the Shoal app for Standard Chartered, in a regulated financial product where testing and release discipline matter.
What I built
- Delivered Shoal for Standard Chartered Ventures, through Hi Mum! Said Dad, as the solo Flutter developer, taking the app over the line to release in a short engagement (January 2022).
- Built onboarding, account setup and deposit features, with AWS Cognito authentication.
Architecture and approach
- Flutter and Dart cross-platform app for iOS and Android.
- GraphQL for account and banking operations.
- AWS Cognito for sign-up, sign-in and session handling.
- Automated testing and CI/CD from the start, so release candidates could be cut with confidence.
Hard problems
Regulated flows with no room for guesswork
Onboarding and deposits touch real money, so each step needed explicit error and empty states, tested before release rather than discovered after.
Getting to release quickly
As the only Flutter developer, the priority was a shippable vertical slice: authentication, account setup and deposits first, polish second.
Outcome
- Shoal released: a savings app where Savings Pots are referenced against green and social projects.
- Delivered as a solo Flutter developer in a short engagement.
Tech and keywords
- Flutter
- Dart
- GraphQL
- AWS Cognito
- Fintech
- Onboarding
- Payments
- Automated testing
- CI/CD
- Release management
- Solo developer
Quick facts
- App: Shoal for Standard Chartered
- Category: Fintech
- Built by: David Miller, Digital Space Agency, Hamburg
- Type: Client work
Discuss a similar project All work
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FAQ
What did David Miller do on Shoal for Standard Chartered?
I worked on the Shoal app for Standard Chartered, in a regulated financial product where testing and release discipline matter. Details of scope and stack are shared on request.
Who developed the Shoal for Standard Chartered app?
Shoal for Standard Chartered work was done by David Miller of Digital Space Agency, a Flutter and mobile developer based in Hamburg. I worked on the Shoal app for Standard Chartered, in a regulated financial product where testing and release discipline matter.
Can David Miller build a similar app?
Yes. I take contract engagements and am open to full-time roles, working in Hamburg or remotely on CET. Email info@dsa.team with a short description of the project.