Built as a personal project, shaped by professional product experience.
When2Call started as a simple tool I built for myself to make international calls easier with friends and family living across different time zones.
Why I built When2Call
Before building this app, I often created my own visual printouts to help compare time zones and understand the time differences between Europe, Australia and North America.
This seemed like the ideal opportunity to build a small app to replace that process, which is why I initially created When2Call for myself. As it gradually became a genuinely useful little tool, I decided to release it as a free app to help others as well.
Part of Travel Tools & Tips
When2Call is one of several small tools and apps I have created. As a personal side project, I have been building a range of useful utility apps which I have made available for free through the Travel Tools & Tips website.
The wider project includes apps and tools related to travel planning, comparisons, international trips and everyday decision‑making.
Most of the apps I build for this project come from personal experiences where a small utility app can help solve a real‑world problem and make everyday life a little easier.
Professional background
My day job is working in product design and digital product development.
I work as Head of Product Design at BroadShield, a UK‑based company focused on workforce development software.
My professional work involves user experience, product strategy, interface design and helping build practical software used by organisations and teams.
Building projects like When2Call outside of work gives me a way to experiment with ideas, get back to basics and stay hands‑on with product creation by building small focused tools from start to finish.
When2Call and the other apps on Travel Tools & Tips are personal side projects created independently in my own time. They are not products of BroadShield, and BroadShield is not responsible for the content, tools or services published on this website.
Free to download apps with practical uses
The When2Call app was built as a small personal side project in my own free time, to solve a simple everyday problem. In my professional work, we have dedicated teams covering areas such as IT and infrastructure, whereas the purpose of this project is for me to get back to basics and learn by personally handling every step myself, at my own pace and without commercial pressure.
I often compare building apps to Lego for grown‑ups. I enjoy creating practical tools, experimenting with ideas and continuing to learn, so I genuinely welcome feedback — both good and bad — to help the app evolve and improve over time.
My goal is not to build a commercial platform or software company, which is why I plan to keep free versions of my apps available to download. Some parts of the website or app may include adverts, but this is mainly to help cover costs such as hosting, development and app store fees.
That same philosophy shapes the wider Travel Tools & Tips project — creating practical travel and utility tools that are simple, fast and easy to use without unnecessary complexity.
My aim with this project is to build useful tools, keep learning and receive positive feedback or good App Store reviews from people who find my apps genuinely useful.