02 / Project
Forma
A collaborative workspace for independent designers.
2026 · Software Engineer · Product
Overview
Forma is a shared studio for independent designers who work in small constellations — not large organisations. It holds references, comments, and versions in one place, with enough structure to keep a project coherent and enough quiet to leave the work itself in view.
The Problem
Freelance studios were stitching together file shares, chat threads, and presentation tools. Feedback arrived out of sequence. Versions multiplied. Clients saw process as noise rather than craft. The tools available were built for companies, not for two or three people making considered work.
The Approach
The workspace is organised around a project as a sequence of boards, not a feed. Each board has a clear role: research, direction, review. Comments attach to a moment in the work rather than a channel. Presence is indicated lightly. The interface is intentionally sparse so that images and type remain the primary material.
Implementation
A React client communicates with a Node.js API over REST for documents and WebSockets for live presence and comments. PostgreSQL stores project structure, permissions, and version history. File objects live in object storage with signed access. The collaboration model is optimistic on the client, with server authority for order and permissions.
Outcome
Small studios can keep a project’s thinking in one room. Reviews happen against a stable sequence of work, and clients can be invited to a single board without inheriting the entire studio’s tooling.
Technology
React · Node.js · PostgreSQL · WebSockets
