The Client
The client, a prominent provider of innovative document management solutions headquartered in Australia, faced the challenge of addressing the escalating demand from both existing and new customers for a cloud-native solution that surpasses the robustness and accessibility of their current desktop application. Seeking assistance in this endeavor, the client turned to Weaver Software to aid in the migration of their legacy desktop software—an application that had undergone nearly two decades of development with minimal technical documentation—to a cutting-edge cloud-based architecture.
The Challenge
The client readily acknowledged the positive feedback from the market and recognized the advantages of embracing a cloud-based solution. However, the actual hurdle lay in migrating the legacy desktop software to a new cloud-based architecture, primarily attributable to the absence of comprehensive technical documentation and the additional challenge posed by the outdated technology they had been using.
The Approach
The Weaver Software team conducted a thorough examination of the architecture and source code of the desktop application to grasp its business and technical intricacies. Each feature underwent meticulous documentation and analysis, leading to the creation of related epics and user stories subject to the Client's review and approval before initiating the proof of concept (PoC) and subsequent product development.
In the re-architecting process, the team leveraged the Azure cloud environment, aiming to minimize changes from the user experience (UX) standpoint and provide a seamless transition for existing and long-term users. Rigorous change management was meticulously planned to ensure that existing users encountered no confusion with the introduced modifications and enhancements.
The comprehensive rebuilding process can be summarized as follows:
- Project Management: Agile project management was implemented, introducing epics and user stories tracked in the Jira system. This facilitated stakeholders in monitoring the project's features, progress, and team productivity.
- Documentation: All technical and business details were thoroughly documented in a new Confluence.
- Version Control: The code base underwent migration to BitBucket for effective branch management.
- Tech Stacks: The technology stack included C#, TypeScript, Angular, NodeJS, SQL database, file storage on Azure cloud, Microsoft Office add-ins integration, and Microsoft Azure cloud services.
- Other Important Integrations: Notably, 100% of the existing integrations with other insurance platforms seamlessly transitioned to the new Azure-based platform.
The Result
After a year of collaborative efforts between the Weaver Software team and the Client, a robust and stable cloud-based document management solution was successfully launched. Users retained access to the core features of the legacy software, augmented by exclusive benefits offered by the new serverless solution. These advantages included secure file storage hosted in Australian data centers, the elimination of on-premise servers, and unlimited file storage, full compliance, a comprehensive audit trail, and robust disaster recovery capabilities.
Upon the initial release, the Client orchestrated a demonstration for its key customers, resulting in overwhelmingly positive feedback. A majority of customers expressed eagerness to transition to the new cloud-based solution. Additionally, the Client now possesses a fully documented technical solution, facilitating traceability to all application details, a proficient code-base management tool, and a well-architected solution designed for seamless scalability based on operational needs.