DESIGNER, BUILDER & DIRECTOR OF JUDGES · ILIKEBAGELS

ATHX Runs Across Europe. So Does the Platform I Built to Run It.

I didn't just design this platform. I run events on it.

01 / SNAPSHOT

ATHX Games ran international fitness competitions on printed heat sheets, WhatsApp groups, and handwritten change cards. I designed and built the platform that replaced all of it, and then used it to run the floor myself.

Every decision I made I also had to live with at 06:30 on event day, with 200 volunteers arriving and a first heat in three hours. That's not a typical design process. It's a better one.

ROLE

Sole Designer & Builder

TIMEFRAME

2025–2026

PLATFORM

iOS, Android, Web

02 / THE CATALYST

Guys Lucy is Pro

Actual message, FINALS ATHX Heatz WhatsApp, December 2025. Sent at 10:35 during a live event. A category change affecting lane setup, judge assignment, and scoring, communicated in a group chat with no structure, no confirmation, and no audit trail.

A handwritten change card photographed and shared to a WhatsApp group. That was the entire data pipeline for an international competition floor. I was Director of Judges. I was also the person who decided this needed to change.

03 / THE NUMBERS

V1–V6

Build Iterations

3,500+

Volunteers in the database

200+

Volunteers per event

Languages sacross training, UI, comms

4×

Confirmations before actioned

2×

Check-in throughput

04 / THE APPROACH

One platform ran all of this. I've broken the story into the three problems it solved.

I built each version, tested it at a live event alongside the paper it replaced, and changed things based on what I saw. Six versions, each answering the next most urgent problem.

05 / THREE CASE STUDIES

From Google Form to one platform

Volunteer Flow

From Google Form to one platform

Volunteer Flow

From Google Form to one platform

Volunteer Flow

Replacing paper, WhatsApp, and guesswork

Floor Management

Replacing paper, WhatsApp, and guesswork

Floor Management

Replacing paper, WhatsApp, and guesswork

Floor Management

3,500 volunteers. One platform.

Workforce

3,500 volunteers. One platform.

Workforce

3,500 volunteers. One platform.

Workforce

06 / WHAT CHANGED

Dave has created something that has not only professionalised our workforce system, but also built a genuine community platform. The system continues to evolve in real time, with functionality constantly adapting alongside the growth of ATHX. Much like ATHX itself, the app is rapidly becoming the central platform for both our workforce and wider community.

Jodie Rocket

Head of Events and Partnerships · ATHX

The live lane assignments and athlete data has made running event floors straightforward and stress free. With athlete numbers and specific data all in my hand, coordinating heats and judges becomes simple. Having the option to inform other floors of incoming changes effectively eliminates the miscommunication that can plague other events.

Sophia Herne

Head Judge · ATHX