Revolutionizing 'A Life in a Day': A Journey of Technological Resurgence and Collaborative Innovation

Overview

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital solutions, The Method company embarked on an ambitious journey to overhaul their flagship project, “A Life in a Day”. Initiated in 2018 by Mark Doyle and John Keates, the project soon became a testament to the symbiotic relationship between The Method and its technical partners. Mark, the main liaison for The Method, has been integral in steering the project since its inception, ensuring its continuous development and maintenance.

Our Challenge

The journey began with a realization in 2022 – the need for a significant front-end refactor of their web panel. This need arose from the project’s aging technological framework, raising concerns about security and support. Delving deeper into this transformation, opportunities for enhancing the back-end also surfaced, signaling a comprehensive overhaul.

The Method’s technical partners, renowned for their proactive and client-centric approach, spearheaded the project. They meticulously aligned the project scope with The Method’s budget, utilizing the MOSCOW analysis for pinpointing critical features and defining a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). This strategic alignment showcased their adaptability and commitment to delivering optimal solutions within financial constraints.

The first steps

One of the most significant hurdles was selecting the right technology for front-end enhancement, ensuring it remained relevant and supportive for up to five years. The decision-making process was a collaborative effort involving The Method, their technical partners, and external consultants, leading to the selection of React over Angular for its long-term benefits.

Our Solutions

Front-end Technology: After extensive analysis and consultation, React emerged as the superior choice for its scalability, security, and future-proofing capabilities.

Scope Expansion: While the initial focus was on front-end refurbishment, the analysis revealed substantial back-end improvement opportunities. Despite budget constraints, the emphasis was balanced between front-end and necessary back-end modifications.

Addressing Pain Points: Initially aimed at a front-end design overhaul, the focus shifted to enhancing key functionalities, as the existing design already met client satisfaction. Our team’s expertise in technical aspects complemented The Method’s business acumen, leading to a collaborative approach in addressing pain points and optimizing investments.

The Outcome

The revamped front-end, powered by the latest version of React, now operates with noticeably faster performance. This enhancement is attributed to the separation of the front-end application from the back-end, optimizing API communication and database requests. This strategic choice not only boosted performance but also enhanced security and long-term technology support.

Project facts

• Team- 2 Front-end Developers, 2 Back-end Developers, 1 QA, 1 Project Manager (PM), 1 Business Analyst (BA)
• Project Management- Hybrid Agile Approaches
• Technology- .NET, React, Ant-design