Stakeholder Portal
Real-time project transparency platform for client communication, built as a subdomain experience with role-based access.
Stakeholder Portal
Hero Image
Main project showcase
Client
Cræfto (Internal)
Industry
Project Management / Agency Tools
Timeline
2 weeks
Year
2026
Services
Product Strategy · UI/UX Design · Full-Stack Development · Real-time Systems · Security Engineering
01 / The Challenge
Understanding the problem
Most agencies treat project communication as an afterthought: scattered Slack messages, email chains, and the occasional PDF report. Clients are left in the dark between milestone calls, creating trust erosion and scope anxiety. The challenge was building a dedicated transparency layer that gives stakeholders real-time visibility into project decisions, progress, and blockers without requiring them to learn complex project management tools.
Stakeholder Portal
Gallery
Project grid with status indicators and sparklines
02 / The Approach
How we tackled it
Started with the core insight that stakeholders care about three things: alignment (are we building the right thing?), progress (are we on track?), and decisions (what changed and why?). Designed around these update types rather than traditional task-centric views. Used the existing craefto.com design system (Paper & Ink) to maintain brand consistency while creating a distinct portal experience on its own subdomain.
Stakeholder Portal
Gallery
Tabbed detail view with updates, tasks, team, and timeline
Stakeholder Portal
Gallery
Rich text editor with file uploads and @mentions
03 / The Solution
What we built
A full-stack portal running on project-portal.craefto.com with: subdomain routing via Next.js middleware; Supabase Auth with role-based access (Admin, PM, Team, Stakeholder); a rich text update composer with TipTap, file uploads, and @mentions; real-time activity feeds with slide-in animations; horizontal snap-scroll timeline for project milestones; SVG sparkline charts showing 30-day activity per project; Linear webhook integration for automatic task sync; and comprehensive security (RLS, HMAC signature verification, httpOnly cookies, CSP headers).
Tech Stack
Stakeholder Portal
Hero Image
Full showcase view
04 / The Outcome
Results & impact
Built and deployed in 2 weeks across 5 sprints. The portal creates a tangible differentiator for Cræfto: “We don’t just build and disappear. You get a live portal.” Designed as a productised service component, it can be offered to retainer clients at $500-$2,000/month with near-zero infrastructure cost on Supabase free tier.
2 weeks
Build Time
5
Sprints
15+
Components
5
Update Types
