Building an App that Matters: How We Helped a Community Become More Connected

When Orionfinity Software received the opportunity to collaborate with IoTech Ltd on a greenfield Progressive Web Application aimed at connecting a small community, we jumped at the opportunity. The sole purpose of this app was to foster connectivity and had the potential to make a significant impact, even saving lives.

Although the bidding process for the contract at Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council (BCP) posed a challenge due to stiff competition, the story of two companies uniting to develop this essential application is one we take immense pride in sharing. It further exemplifies Orionfinity Software’s commitment to collaboration and supporting our customers.

Collaboration is Key

Eager to commence the project, Orionfinity promptly implemented AGILE principles and began drafting concepts and ideas for the app with user input. Recognizing the need for something exceptional, we created adaptive designs that set us apart from the competition. This approach allowed us to quickly iterate and adapt to new requirements, with valuable input from our partners at IoTech.

In the end, our collaborative efforts resulted in:

• Interactive app designs that enhance user navigation
• Application architecture designs
• Infrastructure and Hosting architecture designs

Confident that these well-thought-out and detailed designs would give us a competitive edge, we awaited the results of the bidding process.

The teams at Orionfinity Software and IoTech Ltd were delighted to learn that we had won the contract to develop the solution – a surreal and proud moment for all, considering the formidable competition we faced.

Transparent and Flexible Development

Orionfinity immediately began planning deliverables, timescales, and sprint planning in line with our AGILE principles. We maintained full transparency with the customer, outlining what would be delivered and when, with a primary focus on:

• Developing the front-facing application, accessible to all user types.
• Creating a back-office function for administration teams to manage content in the front-facing application, which required building a flexible, scalable, and robust WebAPI interface as the bridge between the two.

Several months and sprint iterations later, we delivered a solution that left the customer ecstatic. The quick turnaround was a result of our flexible AGILE process and our determination to release the app into the community for the significant impact it was designed to make.

Orionfinity takes immense pride in the fact that our application not only strengthens community bonds but also has the potential to save lives through its support functions and helplines.

Presenting the MyBoscombe Application

After months of hard work and quick turnarounds from both the teams at Orionfinity Software and IoTech Ltd, the MyBoscombe app was launched to the public and has received excellent feedback so far.

From a technical standpoint, the application was designed to be scalable, robust, and capable of quickly accommodating new features. This was made possible by:

• Modularized design (plug-and-play without breaking other parts of the app)
• Solid and fast infrastructure (hosted on scalable cloud platforms)
• Monitoring and insights for decision-making regarding future features

Our partners at IoTech Ltd played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of this application and maintaining a strong relationship with our customers. Two companies with complementary skill sets collaborated seamlessly to deliver a high-impact product quickly and efficiently.

"It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Orionfinity. Regular meetings, sharing of ideas, agreeing on design and infrastructure, planning, goals & deadlines met and adhered to – we could not have hoped for a more streamlined, supportive, and ultimately professional company to assist us." - Michael Leggett, Managing Director – IoTech Ltd