International team? We've shipped for IKEA, ABC News, DaVita and Fox40 for 19 years. See our page for US / EU / UK / APAC clients →

2016 · International · Startups · Websites · Web · Mobile · Bespoke

A World Alike

A World Alike — an invitation-only private network for curated members

A bespoke members-only platform — web and mobile — for a high-curation private network. Invitation-only signup, event application, member payment, in-app messaging and shared-interest circles.

Startups Websites Web Mobile Bespoke
A World Alike — an invitation-only private network for curated members

In one breath

  • Invitation-only private network platform spanning web and mobile
  • LinkedIn / Facebook member signup behind a curation gate — not open registration
  • Member payment, event application, in-app messaging and interest circles
Web + iOS + Android

Platform

Invitation only

Membership model

Signup · Events · Payment · Messaging · Circles

Core features

01 · The challenge

What was broken, what was at stake

Generic social networks optimise for growth. A World Alike wanted the opposite — curation and exclusivity. The product had to celebrate scarcity without being hostile; sophisticated without being exclusionary. Off-the-shelf community tools couldn't carry this.

02 · The approach

How we thought about it

Bespoke, not configured. LinkedIn and Facebook OAuth speed up signup once a candidate is invited, but never open the door on their own. Every member interaction — events, payments, messaging, circles — was designed around the curation philosophy: opt-in, invitation-weighted, and private-by-default.

03 · What we built

The actual solution

A combined web and mobile platform. WordPress for the public-facing content layer, Java Play Framework for the member backend. Members apply via invitation, complete profiles via LinkedIn or Facebook, discover and apply to events, pay for selected programs in-app, message other members privately, and form interest circles around shared events.

04 · The results

What shipped, what changed

A bespoke members-only platform honouring the curation philosophy from signup through every member action. A World Alike's team could grow the network without compromising the "curated" promise.

Timeline

Phase by phase.

  1. 01

    Discovery

    3 weeks

    Curation philosophy → product rules. Member lifecycle design.

  2. 02

    Design

    3 weeks

    Visual language befitting exclusivity. Invitation-only signup UX.

  3. 03

    Build

    12 weeks

    Parallel web, iOS, Android and backend. Weekly demos. Staged rollout.

  4. 04

    Launch

    2 weeks

    Member onboarding content, admin training, production hardening.

Stack

Tools and tech used.

WordPress (public)Java Play Framework (member backend)iOSAndroidOAuth (LinkedIn + Facebook)

More case studies

Other work in this space

A fan-connection app for music artist Thomas Fiss

Mobile · Entertainment

A fan-connection app for music artist Thomas Fiss

Read case →
A live streaming radio app for WJIE

Mobile · Broadcast

A live streaming radio app for WJIE

Read case →
A mobile safety handbook for IKEA's field workforce

Enterprise · Mobile

A mobile safety handbook for IKEA's field workforce

Read case →

Your move

Tell us what you're trying to do. We'll tell you if we can help.

First conversation is thirty minutes. No pitch deck. You leave with either a clear next step — or an honest "we're not the right team for this". Both are useful.

Book an intro call Take the free FORGE Readiness Score
  • Response within one business day
  • Mutual NDA available on request
  • We'll say no if we're not a fit

19 years · 10M+ lines of code · 240+ mobile apps · IKEA · ABC News · DaVita · SBM Industries