South African-built Dooable gives SMEs one workspace for projects, support and clients

Joshua Dickens, lead of systems and AI development at HBS Software Solutions, developed Dooable as a South African-built work management platform for SMEs. Image by Zanetti AI Institute / HBS Solutions.

For HBS Software Solutions, that problem was not theoretical. As a Johannesburg-based software development house, the company needed to manage multiple development projects, assign internal tasks, handle customer feedback, support existing software, share knowledge documents and keep the whole team clear on what needed to happen next.

The team tested available platforms, but many were priced in dollars and solved only parts of the problem. Some managed projects well. Others handled support tickets, CRM, calendars or chat. Few gave the business a single connected view at a price that made sense for a South African company.

That gap led 21-year-old Joshua Dickens, lead of systems and AI development at HBS Software Solutions, to develop Dooable.

Dooable is an all-in-one work management platform that brings projects, tasks, service desk, CRM, calendar, chat, meeting notes, knowledge documents, shared assets and AI assistance into one connected workspace. It is designed for small and growing teams that need structure without the cost and complexity of stitching together several disconnected platforms.

“Dooable was created because we needed it ourselves,” said Dickens. “We needed one place to manage development projects, customer support, internal tasks and team communication without losing context between tools. The goal was to build something practical, affordable and useful for businesses that need serious work management without enterprise-level complexity or dollar-based pricing.”

The platform is built around what HBS describes as connected depth rather than scattered breadth. A support ticket can reference the right customer and project. A meeting transcript can stay close to the task or project it affects. A shared calendar can reflect deadlines and milestones from across the business. Chat can happen next to the work being discussed, instead of becoming another place where context gets lost.

Dooable includes project planning, task management, SLA management, ticket automations, escalation rules, CSAT tracking, CRM, shared calendars, in-context chat, responsive mobile and desktop layouts, knowledge and asset management, and built-in AI support.

The AI layer is designed to assist teams with visibility and context, helping them keep track of activity across projects, clients, tickets and meetings. It does not remove the need for human judgement, but it can reduce the admin load involved in knowing what has happened, what is outstanding and who needs to act.

For South African businesses, the local positioning matters. Dooable is priced in rand, supported locally and designed around the daily pressure faced by smaller teams: limited time, tight budgets, customer expectations and the need to stay organised without adding more administrative burden.

The launch also carries a wider talent story. Dickens is still studying, yet has independently developed a business platform aimed at a real operational problem faced by SMEs.

“Joshua represents the kind of talent South Africa should be paying attention to,” said Simone Zanetti, founder of the Zanetti AI Institute. “At 21, while still studying, he has developed a serious business platform that responds to a daily problem faced by small and medium-sized businesses. It is software built from real operational pressure, not theory.”

Zanetti added that the project reflects the importance of young South Africans not only consuming global technology, but building local software solutions shaped by the realities of the market around them.

For HBS Software Solutions, Dooable is both a product launch and a proof point for local software development: practical software, built in South Africa, for businesses that need clearer work management, local support and more predictable pricing.

Dooable is available through HBS Software Solutions. Businesses can learn more or request a demo at https://dooable.co.za/

About Dooable

HBS Software Solutions has introduced Dooable, a South African-built work management platform developed by 21-year-old Joshua Dickens. The platform brings projects, tasks, service desk, CRM, calendar and chat into one connected workspace for small and growing businesses.

About Zanetti AI Institute

Zanetti AI Institute is an AI education and advisory organisation focused on helping business leaders and professional teams understand, adopt and govern artificial intelligence in practical ways. The Institute delivers masterclasses, executive briefings, training programmes and applied AI learning experiences for organisations seeking to improve productivity, decision-making and operational capability. Its work is grounded in responsible AI use, business relevance and the belief that AI literacy must extend beyond technical teams.