Modern Scouting, Reinvented: Powering FC Union Berlin's Youth Talent Discovery
How we partnered with 1. FC Union Berlin to co-create an initial prototype of a scouting platform, contributing to the digital enhancement of their youth scouting operations (2022–2023).
1,000+
Player reports
200+
Players tracked
400+
Notes created
50+
Shadow Teams
Executive Summary
From 2022 to 2023, we partnered with 1. FC Union Berlin, a Bundesliga club, to digitally enhance their youth scouting operations by co-developing an initial prototype of a scouting platform for their youth department (U12–U19). The primary goal was to provide their scouting team with tools to better assign scouts to matches, create reports, and track player development in real time.
Throughout the partnership, Union Berlin actively used the platform as we worked closely together to iterate and refine the prototype. This collaboration enabled the creation of 1,000+ reports, 200+ player profiles, and 400+ internal notes within a single year.
The collaboration concluded at the end of 2023, providing Union Berlin with a strong foundation and valuable insights to continue evolving their scouting operations.
About the Club
Union Berlin is a club deeply rooted in community and youth development. With a strong regional focus, their scouting efforts extend across Berlin and the surrounding areas, identifying and nurturing local talent from an early age. Union Berlin's commitment to growth and development has made them a prominent force in both their local community and the wider football world.
The Scouting Challenge
Before our collaboration, Union Berlin's scouting process was hindered by an older, less intuitive tool that made it difficult to efficiently manage and track important scouting information. The system was slow, fragmented, and lacked a structured approach for key tasks like assigning scouts to matches, generating consistent reports, and collaborating effectively. This made it challenging to track player development and manage the scouting process smoothly.
Union Berlin needed a solution that better reflected the real-world demands of scouting—fast-paced, mobile, regional, and user-friendly.
Our Approach: Built With Scouts, For Scouts
We kicked off with field research: sitting with scouts, joining meetings, and mapping out real workflows. The design and development process prioritized:
Mobile-first design for match-day reporting
Fast, minimal UI optimized for in-the-field usage
Real-time data sharing across roles, ensuring scouts could collaborate effectively without influencing each other's assessments
A scout-first mindset with every click had to earn its keep
Clear admin roles to manage, assign matches, and oversee scouts, ensuring smooth coordination and control across the team
Core Features
Match Assignment
Scouts are assigned by location, with personalized schedules and fixture details.
Scouting Reports
Scouting reports feature custom forms based on Union Berlin's criteria, role-specific fields, consistent data, and mobile usability for quick post-match use.
Player Profiles
Player profiles allow creation from reports, with ongoing views of history, notes, tasks, and multi-scout insights in one place.
Notes & Tasks
Add personal or shared notes, assign tasks (e.g., "Follow up with parent"), and track action items for better coordination.
Shadow Teams (Boards)
Shadow Teams (Boards) allow custom grouping of prospects by region, age, or potential, acting as digital depth charts to help regional leads manage scouting pipelines.
Results (2022–2023)
One year of use delivered measurable results:
200+ Youth Players tracked in the platform (U12-U19)
1,000+ Reports submitted by field scouts
400+ Notes added for context and follow-up
50+ Shadow Teams created to organize prospects by region
100% Adoption across the youth scouting department (U12-U19)
Hours saved weekly from reduced manual coordination
Project Wrap-Up
The partnership with Union Berlin concluded in 2023, with the initial prototype we built serving as a foundational tool for their youth scouting department (U12-U19). The collaboration helped set the stage for continued growth and improvement in their scouting operations.
"This wasn't just about software—it was about supporting scouts where it matters: at the sidelines, in the stands, on the road."
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