Proof of concept projects that move innovation forward 

In today’s fast-moving world, innovation needs to happen fast. Businesses are under more pressure than ever to adapt and deliver results quickly. Whether it’s meeting growing customer expectations or replacing outdated systems, the traditional ways of doing things often don’t cut it anymore. 

That’s where FDM comes in 

Our Skills Lab is an environment of learning that blends theory with real-world client scenarios. Using agile, cross-functional teams trained to solve complex technical challenges, we help businesses build and scale solutions. From chatbot-powered retail tools to simplifying government data systems, FDM is already creating an impact across industries. 

Here’s how we did it 

Our dedicated Proof of Concept (PoC) projects demonstrate the capabilities of our consultants and deliver real business outcomes for our clients.

Building mobile payments 

FDM collaborated with a client in the technology payments sector to optimise their payments app. The client wanted to stay competitive and improve the user experience of their mobile app. Their goal was to allow users to input a payment amount, generate a QR code, and enable customers to scan and pay securely using their device, without the need for EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) machines. 

A cross-functional team of FDM consultants, including developers, business analysts, and project managers, delivered the project across six weeks. During this time, they swiftly upskilled in React Native, TypeScript, Python, FastAPI, and Azure, applying their knowledge in a fast-paced, agile environment. 

The team: 

• Established core backend infrastructure and database setup 

• Developed secure authentication using OAuth and JWT 

• Built QR code payment functionality and mobile UI 

• Integrated Power BI dashboards and prepared cloud deployment 

By the end of the project, the team delivered a fully functioning app that was scalable, cloud-hosted, and featured real-time transaction dashboards. 

Following the first demo, the client was so impressed by the consultants’ technical delivery and business understanding that they were invited onsite to present the project to over 90 internal stakeholders. 

FDM Consultant, Adrian Benjamin Kiffly, believes:  

“The most rewarding aspect of working on this pod project was, “Having the opportunity to work in cross-functional teams, allowing me to collaborate with project managers, business analysts and fellow developers.” 

A 24-hour hackathon 

A client in the retail sector required a chatbot that could assist customers in navigating a highly competitive product landscape. The ask? Build a conversational assistant that could suggest products fast. 

During a 24-hour hackathon, FDM consultants designed a solution that combined data engineering with conversational AI. Their focus was to create a deployable interface with speed and accuracy. 

The project involved: 

• Scraping product data using MagicSoup 

• Cleansing and structuring it with Python, Pandas and NumPy 

• Vectorising and querying it for chatbot use 

• Building the front end with React, TypeScript and Vite 

• Deploying it to Vercel for seamless access 

• Using ChatGPT to assist with data sourcing and sentiment filtering 

The chatbot let users specify taste and price preferences; then it returned real-time product recommendations, eliminating guesswork and enhancing customer experience. 

FDM Consultant, Morella Paciencia, who worked on this project as a back-end developer, says:  

“The most rewarding aspect of working on the project was seeing how my contribution brought value to the final product and showing and teaching
other members about the solutions I came up with, as well as my key learning
points with the new technologies I worked with. 

I believe that if it weren’t for FDM, training for software development would
have been almost inaccessible. I think the barrier to entry into the IT industry
was only circumvented, at least for me, due to FDM and my experiences here.” 

FDM Coach, Kevin Yeong, explains:  

“The Agile pods give consultants a more focused, hands-on way to build skills through project work that mirrors real-world applications. It’s a dynamic environment where they can actively apply what they’ve learned, work across different languages and technologies, and deepen their understanding beyond set content. This flexibility helps them become more adaptable and industry-ready, able to tackle unfamiliar problems with confidence.” 

Compliance tracker for the gaming sector 

In the gaming industry, compliance is essential, but often inefficient. A client from the gambling sector wanted a custom-built Compliance Tracking System using C# and .NET Core, aligned to their existing stack and domain. 

In five weeks, a team of FDM developers and business analysts: 

• Built a searchable dashboard to flag high-risk casino patrons 

• Added features for uploading evidence, approving actions, and sending email alerts via Docker-based workflows 

The final solution included clear documentation, a working user interface aligned to the brand, and a technical architecture diagram.  

Breaking language barriers with AI voice cloning 

FDM was tasked with building an AI-powered video translation app for a financial services client, that could transform spoken English into natural-sounding Mandarin, without the cost of enterprise-level tools. 

The challenge? No access to OpenAI’s API due to budget constraints, a steep learning curve with emerging AI tools, and a tight project timeline. 

To overcome this, FDM consultants ran a full feasibility study over six weeks where they: 

• Researched the landscape of AI translation and voice cloning tools 

• Evaluated models and APIs, selecting open-source tools to manage cost 

• Built a functional app in Python that handled transcription, translation, and voice synthesis 

• Integrated client feedback and explored multi-speaker voice cloning with enhanced realism 

The result was a working prototype that cloned the original voice’s tone, pitch and pace, providing a compelling proof of concept for future multilingual video content.  

The client was so impressed that they scheduled an on-site showcase for a broader group of stakeholders. 

The impact of the Skills Lab 

Our approach to skills development is based on over 30 years of industry experience and is constantly evolving in line with market trends and technology advancements. Whether it’s streamlining public services, building new apps, or transforming data, our consultants deliver impact quickly and sustainably.  

Have a problem statement? Contact us to book a discovery call today.