Built a multi-user networking platform connecting students, educators, and institutions

Otley Connect is a professional networking platform designed for students pursuing globally recognised qualifications — connecting them with verified members (professionals and educators), accredited institutes, and peers aligned to their exam pathway and career goals.

The platform needed to serve three distinct user types — students, members, and institutes — each with different onboarding flows, interaction permissions, and access levels, all managed through a single web application with a separate admin portal for user governance.

• Three user types with fundamentally different signup flows, permissions, and interaction rules needed to coexist in one platform.
• Member accounts required admin verification before activation, while students and institutes needed instant access — demanding a multi-track onboarding system.
• A LinkedIn-style social feed, forum participation, and direct messaging needed to work within role-specific content restrictions (students cannot post, only engage).
• Connection search and recommendations had to account for exam body, exam type, country, and expertise — not just name or keyword.
• The admin portal needed to handle member approvals, document requests, forum management, and user governance without exposing that complexity to end users.

1. User type modelling before interface design

Classic Informatics mapped the rules and permissions for each user type — student, member, institute — before building any screens. Signup forms, feed permissions, connection visibility, and forum rights were all defined per type upfront.

2. Multi-track onboarding built as a single flow

Rather than three separate systems, Classic Informatics designed one onboarding entry point that branched based on user type selection — with automatic activation for students and institutes and an approval queue for members, all feeding into the same admin view.

3. Admin governance designed alongside user features

The admin portal was not an afterthought. Classic Informatics built member approval, document request handling, forum management, and user listing in parallel with the user-facing features — ensuring both sides were ready for launch simultaneously.

4. Permission logic enforced at interaction level

Content restrictions — such as students being unable to post but able to comment, or connection count visibility rules — were implemented at the interaction level, not just the UI level, so the rules held regardless of how users navigated the platform.

User Onboarding & Authentication

• Three-path account creation: Students (prospective and current), Members, and Institutes — each with a distinct signup form and field set
• Automatic account activation for students and institutes; admin-gated approval flow for members
• Login with email or phone, session management, and forgot password via email link
• Member approval states: approved, rejected, pending, and needs-details with document upload support

Social & Networking Features

• Home feed with posts and insights from connections, with like and comment interactions
• Role-based posting permissions: members and institutes can post; students can engage but not post
• Direct messaging between connections
• Connection recommendations filtered by exam body, exam type, country, and expertise
• Profile pages with connection counts and visibility rules per user type
• Notifications for connection activity, posts, and forum updates

Forums & Content

• Forum list with follow, post, and topic participation
• Like and comment functionality within forum threads
• Help and privacy pages

Admin Portal

• User listing by type with sign-up detail view and counts per user type
• Member approval workflow: approve, reject, or request additional documents
• Document review for member applicants who have submitted supporting materials
• Forum management: add, delete, and view forum list
• Automated email triggers: welcome, forgot password, approval, rejection, needs-details, and member submission notifications

Otley Connect launched with a fully functioning platform across all three user types — students, members, and institutes — giving each group a tailored experience within a single product, governed by a robust admin portal from day one.

Business Impact

• Three distinct user journeys — student, member, institute — delivered within a single unified platform
• Member verification workflow gave Otley Connect control over platform credibility from launch
• Connection search across exam body, country, and expertise enabled relevant, purpose-driven networking
• Forum participation gave users a structured space for professional discussion beyond one-to-one connections