Challenge

Value engineering is a complex process involving optimizing products and processes and commit-ting to innovative product development. Several software and analytics tools are required, so one of the challenges was to combine all the existing tools and align all of their generated data. Additionally, there was a need for a guided procedure for non-experts in the field of value engineering to carry out advanced tasks.

VMN wanted to empower its customers with a new software solution that was better suited for value engineering projects that could be utilized by experts and clients alike. Another requirement was introducing a cloud-based solution that could be used across global teams, allowing widespre-ad collaboration and optimization across VMN and its global client base.

Solution

The first step Eximias took was to define the overall solution functionality with an Adobe XD interactive prototype. After progressing through many iterations with the client, we compiled feedback to agree on a final vision for the product and worked tirelessly towards it.

Functionality, look, and feel was central to the software’s success. Eximias introduced a Jenkins-based CI/CD environment, which is perfect for ongoing development and fast releases (in this case, around five per week).

To keep costs manageable for VMN, we started the backend development with a low-code solution based on Parse Server. This enabled us to make changes to the data structures very efficiently, saving time and money through automation.

REACT was chosen for front-end development because of its ability for rapid iterations and its high level of stability. It was combined with AntDesign and AntDesign Pro libraries, giving Eximias an enormous set of professional UI components out-of-the-box.

We worked closely with VMN in the implementa-tion process, enabling the client to test, feedback on features, and give direction on changing requirements as the project progressed and evolved. This saved a lot of development resources, as it eliminated the potential for writing large amounts of unnecessary code.