KoboFlow
A lightweight workflow system for small teams that have outgrown spreadsheets but don't need another enormous platform.
The problem
Small operations teams were managing recurring work across spreadsheets, chat messages and memory. The problem wasn't a lack of software. It was too much software that demanded too much attention.
The approach
Started by watching how a five-person logistics team actually ran their week: a spreadsheet for tasks, a WhatsApp group for updates, and a manager's memory holding the two together. The build began with the smallest unit that mattered — a recurring task with an owner and a due date — and refused to add anything that didn't serve that unit directly.
System diagram
Focus or hover a node for what it does.
By the numbers
Decisions I kept
- Fewer configuration screens than a typical PM tool
- Keyboard-first actions for repeat users
- Explicit system feedback on every state change
- One predictable navigation pattern across the app
- Error states that say what happened and what to do next
Things I didn't build
- Complex permission tiers — everyone in a small team can already see everything
- A dashboard of vanity charts nobody would check daily
- Social features — reactions, mentions-as-a-feed, profile pages
- Deep customization that would require a manual to use
What changed
The team that inspired the build replaced their spreadsheet-plus-chat routine with a single shared view. Recurring tasks stopped needing to be re-created by hand, and status updates moved out of chat and into the log where they're easier to find later.