ChartDesk

The Problem

A clinic I was helping needed a simple way to handle PDF files — merging patient documents, splitting multi-page scans, adding annotations. The off-the-shelf options were either too complex (full document management systems) or too limited (basic online converters with file size caps and privacy concerns). Staff weren't technical, so the interface had to be obvious.

What I Built

ChartDesk is a local web app that handles PDF operations through a clean, accessible interface designed for non-technical users. It runs locally — files never leave the machine, which matters for clinical documents.

Core features:

• Merge — combine multiple PDFs into one, reorder pages via drag-and-drop
• Split — extract page ranges into separate files
• Annotate — add text notes and highlights to pages

Key Decisions

Local-first. Patient documents are sensitive. Running locally means no upload, no cloud storage, no privacy tradeoffs.

Accessibility-first UI. Staff range from comfortable with technology to very much not. Large targets, clear labels, no jargon, keyboard-navigable throughout.

Stack

React, TypeScript, Node.js backend for PDF processing, Chart.js for any data visualisation panels.