MyColony: Design and Evaluation of a Colony-Based Digital Service Platform

Abstract

This paper describes MyColony, a web platform we built to help residents of housing colonies find and hire local service providers in a verified, colony-specific environment. To improve trust and accountability, the system integrates JWT-based authentication, role-based access control, and administrator-led service approval. MyColony follows a three-tier architecture consisting of a React.js frontend, a Node.js and Express.js backend, and a MongoDB database. Cloudinary is used for handling media uploads and image optimization. The platform supports service listing, colony- specific access, and administrative monitoring within a secure environment. Functional testing and system evaluation show that the platform effectively supports multi-colony service management, secure user interaction, and moderation workflows. Usage observations also indicate improved service discoverability and stronger community engagement within residential boundaries. The proposed system demonstrates how a structured digital platform can improve hyperlocal service exchange while maintaining community-level trust and governance.