Application Modernisation for Case Studies Archives - Arrk Group

AI-driven software rewrite

Sandeep Parkhande — Fri, 10 May 2024 13:17:34 +0000

Implementation of an AI-driven software rewrite for a .NET application to execute the full potential of cloud and mobile technologies

Customer

Our client, a prominent player in the healthcare industry, has stood as a beacon of providing quality care to millions. This globally recognized institution strives to innovate and adapt to the ever-evolving landscape of the healthcare sector. The client realized the critical need for a web-based application that would improve overall patient care and optimize the efficiency of their operations.

Web-based application

Focus on innovation

Improved patient care

Problem Statement

Our client was faced with stringent timelines and constraints on resources as they struggled to develop a comprehensive web-based application by using conventional development methods. The emergent need to deploy a robust solution is what prompted the need to explore innovative approaches to help speed up the development process without reducing the quality.

Stringent timelines

Resource constraints

Conventional development methods

LLM and ChatGPT

Solution Development

We at Arrk Group embarked on a journey to help our healthcare clients by using AI-driven productivity tools. By leveraging these cutting-edge AI tools, such as ChatGPT, we helped not only innovate the development process but speed it up as well. Our team of experts meticulously designed UI interfaces using React UI, while the backend structure was developed using .Net and MS SQL Server. By using AI-generated codes throughout the application, we were able to reduce the development lifecycle from 2 weeks to only three days. This also led to savings of upto 80% in both costs and efficiency for our customers.

AI-driven productivity tools

Innovative and accelerated development

Reduced timeline

Cost Saving

Outcomes

With the time constraint and the limited resources our client faced, we at Arrk Group were able to consistently deliver a web-based application that not only met their standards of quality but also innovation. This was only possible by implementing AI-driven tools such as ChatGPT, which helped speed up the entire workflow. The outcomes of this project were:

Rapid deployment:
With the strategic use of AI tools, we were able to complete the entire web-based application in just three days – a highly remarkable achievement, considering that our earlier estimate was two weeks. This speedy delivery helped our healthcare client address their critical needs of overall patient care while offering a competitive edge over their competitors.
High customer satisfaction:
Our client highly appreciated the expedited delivery of the application, and they applauded us for surpassing their expectations. The rapid turnaround of only three days not only demonstrated our commitment to excellence but also reinforced our reputation as a trusted technology partner in the healthcare industry to our client.
Savings in cost and effort:
By using AI-driven tools, we were able to reduce our client’s costs and effort by 80%. This efficiency helped our client allocate more resources towards patient care and improve business value.
Continuous optimization: With our commitment to adapting innovative development processes, we ensure that the solutions we offer remain at the forefront of technological innovation that is delivered to our customers.

Our innovative approach of utilizing AI-driven tools to develop a web-based application for our client exemplifies our commitment to not only achieve sustainable growth in a limited period but also improve overall patient outcomes in the healthcare industry.

Rapid deployment

High customer satisfaction

Continuous optimization

Cost Reduction

More of Our Case Studies

See all case studies

The post AI-driven software rewrite appeared first on Arrk Group.

Transforming NUS Extra to TOTUM

Drashya Kuruwa — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 07:19:03 +0000

Transforming NUS Extra to TOTUM

Arrk Group has partnered with OneVoice to Transform, Enrich, and Maintain digital platform called TOTUM for students and professionals. Before September 2018, this was only one student discount product called NUS Extra, owned by the NUS – National Union of Students, a not-for-profit organisation.

OneVoice, who was already providing digital support to NUS for the UnionCloud membership engagement platform, took over NUS Extra and transformed the ageing product with a new energetic look and named it TOTUM – a single digital platform for Student Discounts, Proof of Age ID and Student Life.

Arrk Group played a crucial role in the transformation and enhancement of the platform right from its inception through to live deployment and continues its association with OneVoice to provide more innovative features.

Customer

OneVoice is a vibrant collaboration between the National Union of Students (NUS) and Arrk Group, bringing together the best talents of each organisation to build and engage communities of common interest. With a heritage stretching back to 1922, OneVoice passionately understands what it means to collaborate and work together for the common good. OneVoice believes in the positive impact communities, and associations have on society and the collective strength when people come together for the benefit of all. The challenge is to harness and unlock this positive power, amplify engagement and release a community’s potential – to make a lasting difference.

Much more than an award-winning and versatile membership platform, OneVoice provides a suite of additional services, all wrapped around the central tenet of putting people at the heart of all we do.

Vibrant Collaboration

Award-Winning

Not-for-profit organisation

Situation

The NUS Extra card was losing market share in the student discount world due to an ageing app and outdated offers catalogue. NUS Extra faced competition from other players who offered better alternatives in the form of digital services and usage. Furthermore, these competitors had better reach and penetration and provided best-in-class student discounts. These issues directly impacted the revenues and resulted in users shifting their allegiance to the competitors.

Following a detailed review, OneVoice and Arrk Group decided to build a dedicated student discount platform called TOTUM, in which user retention, revenue generation and ease of use would be the key drivers behind the long-term vision of the product. Key components included:

A brand-new front-end website
An offer management system
Digital apps for iOS and Android devices

These features had to be supported with innovative marketing campaigns to announce TOTUM’s arrival and begin the quest to become UK’s number 1 student discount platform.

Strong Competition

Android Mobile App

iOS Mobile App

Solution

The solution/services delivered the following:

We evaluated a complete product strategy in terms of matching current consumer expectations and looking at beating the existing competition by providing a little more, like Proof of Age products
Help the creative and marketing teams to go to market with a rebranded youth-oriented brand
A diverse yet flexible digital ecosystem, including:
- Brand new native apps to allow better reach and connect in the digital age
- A brand-new website for advertising the product, posting blogs, and consuming content
- A streamlined sales web application capable of catering to the sale of existing and new discount card products
- A new slick discount authoring system that helped source and add discounts that would need to be consumed by the end users eventually
- A future-proof micro-services stack that supported all functions from card sales, discounts, user management, student verification frameworks, and many more
A best-of-breed open-source technology stack is powering all products. This includes the use of:
- AWS cloud infrastructure
- Java microservices
- Web applications built in AngularJs, ReactJs and VueJs
- Native apps in Android and iOS built using the best frameworks
- Use of the latest CaaS services like Contentful for easier and more powerful CMS
- Continuous integration and deployment via DevOps tools like Bitbucket, Jenkins, CircleCI, AWS DataDog
- Comprehensive reporting using RedShift DW, PowerBI, Google Tag Manager, Google Analytics and VWO for conversion rate optimisation
Integrations with 3rd party email and messaging services like SendinBlue and OneSignal
Dedicated product development and support teams, including engineers, architects, product owners, and data analysts with a DevOps culture
Support the legacy infrastructure in the transitory phase, including ASP.NET applications and integrations with print partners

With a product mindset and hybrid Agile methods, a team of 30+ at Arrk delivered this in under a year, with the first big launch in less than six months.

Hybrid Agile Delivery

Flexible Digital Ecosystem

Best of Breed Technology

3rd Party integrations

Outcomes

The above services and solutions were crucial to keeping the business innovating with new product offerings and consistently improving the core discount platform to stay competitive in a notoriously crowded discount and loyalty landscape. Important outcomes include:

An active million-plus user base
The increasing average daily active user count on apps is currently at 10K, including both apps
100,000 unique site visitors every week accessing the latest discounts on offer
Increase in ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) by creating compelling higher-value product offerings and targeting them appropriately at the user base
Improved B2B product and high-impact media offerings for brand partners
Increased revenues are invested back into product development and foster future potential for innovation in the student market

Million+ User Base

Improved Business

Increased Revenues

Futuristic Vision

More of Our Case Studies

See all case studies

The post Transforming NUS Extra to TOTUM appeared first on Arrk Group.

Transforming ASM capabilities of Business

Drashya Kuruwa — Wed, 13 Jan 2021 13:10:06 +0000

Transforming ASM capabilities of Business

Our Customer urgently needed to outsource their Application Support and Management (ASM) capabilities to achieve digital growth. They also required expertise in shaping and delivering IT projects for all services and applications.

By providing cost-efficient, best-in-class services, Arrk Group assisted our Customer in managing their ASM capabilities effectively.

Customer

Our Customer started as a not-for-profit organisation in 2009 to support sponsorship for charity & fundraising events and now wanted to create an online platform for fundraisers and charities to raise money online and offline.

They partnered with Arrk Group to design and develop their website in an aggressive nine-month window to coincide with their business commitments.

Customised Delivery Model

Charities

Fund Raising

Statement

After successfully launching the web platform, the Customer decided to maintain and enhance their in-house IT capacity and continued with that for a few years. However, as the business expanded and the demand grew, they realised they did not have enough capacity. They acknowledged the need to engage with the right-sized vendor who can understand their needs and provide them with the best ASM capabilities in a cost-efficient way. They wanted a team that was self-driven, self-organised and could provide the best development services and consultation whenever required. And who better than their original partner to turn to?

That is when Arrk stepped in and provided Customer with the much-desired extension to their IT Team, who, over the course of the next few years, was responsible for web support, maintenance, and future developments.

Cost Efficient

Self-Organised Team

Software Development

Professional Consultation

Objective

To better support their business goals and priorities, the Customer needed a team structure aligned with their business segments, namely Retention, Distribution and GDPR. A flexible delivery model with cross-functional scrum teams: Basically, a scrum of scrums wherein the delivery was jointly supervised by the team lead from both sides, but a single product manager and a single technical architect.

Customised Delivery Model

Flexible Team

Scrum of Scrums

Single POC

Solution

After careful consideration, it was agreed to have three scrum teams, one each for a business segment. Whilst each team consisted of designated programming and test resources, a few roles, such as the scrum master, product owner, tech lead and UX designer, were shared to ensure functional, technical, and user experience implementation consistency. As anticipated, the first couple of Sprints were a little chaotic while the team members were acquiring knowledge and getting to know each other. And as expected yet again, it was only a matter of time before the team dynamics kicked in, and the dust started settling down.

Experienced Team

Thorough Knowledge Acquisition

Organised Sprints

Team Dynamics

Outcomes

Excellent collaboration between Arrk & Customer’s IT teams resulted in several projects and tasks of varied size and duration. The list included not just functional development work such as Custom Codes, Corporates, Printable Reports, and Bulk Donations; there were tasks important from a technical improvement perspective too, such as properties internalisation, move from old frameworks (e.g. Struts) to contemporary ones (Spring), and investigation and recommendations towards underlying technology stack upgrade.

Excellent Team Collaboration

Technical Improvements

Transforming Framework

Technology

Our Case Studies

AI Powered Web Development

AI Recommender System to Boost Engagement & Revenue

Cost Effective Marketing Tool Implementation

You Know Your Business, We Know the Technology

Connect us to Convert your Idea into Reality.

The post Transforming ASM capabilities of Business appeared first on Arrk Group.

Sharepoint Document Management System

Drashya Kuruwa — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 11:17:47 +0000

Amplified the digital presence for document management system

The customer had a crucial need to revamp their legacy applications and existing document management system that too making it cost-effective, scalable and ease of the support. Arrk with the enriched consultancy and migration experience helped the customer to successfully shape and deliver future IT projects using a full set of support & maintenance services for their applications.

Customer

Customer is constituent of the FTSE 250 serving vast geographies worldwide across various strategic markets of automotive, aerospace, energy (including manufacturing & engineering), electronics and medical. With a market capitalisation of over £2 billion, this customer is a leader helping manufacturers overcome complex design and engineering challenges. From the last 4 decades, the customer has served a diversified range of markets and have offered proven solutions with excellence.

Serving Globaly

Automotive

Aerospace

Energy

Situation

With limited or no upside to the existing legacy applications within the organisation functions, the customer decided to move in-house document management application to the cloud, while eliminating dependencies on various infrastructure setup and licensing. One of the highly used and secured SharePoint application was chosen as a part of a major transition program to achieve a digital transformation. Arrk closely worked with their Business to:

Enhance the user experience
Reduce the infrastructure cost
Ease of maintenance
Align to Organisation’s Cloud Roadmap
Fix prevailing application issues

Transition Programme

Cloud migration

Reduce infrastructure cost

Solution

Arrk with its expert SharePoint consultant, technical architect and a business analyst huddled with several business function users to conduct a mini EmbArrk^TM workshop. This helped Arrk team understand their day to day document management pain areas and implicit requirements. Interviewing business stakeholders helped Arrk identify the gaps in Business and IT and also recognize the areas of improvement in their overall IT setup. Arrk built up a proposal to aid the execution of Customer IT roadmap of moving to Cloud.

With expertise in the migration project and relevant Microsoft competencies, Arrk provided an extensive migration plan for the first phase on-premise application to SharePoint Online. Within the three months of the project delivery plan, we were able to expedite data migration without any data loss, by using the ShareGate migration tool.

In phase two, Arrk redeveloped following custom functionalities

Automated document management and review reminder process using MSFlow and RestAPI
Custom context menus using JQuery, CSOM, MSFlow and RestAPI
Copy emails from Outlook to SharePoint Discussion board using MSFlow
Audit scheduler was developed and deployed using C# and Azure functions

Enhancing processes by automating and using managed services eased the cost of maintenance while enriching the user experience. Arrk conducted effective checkpoint meetings with Customer and highlighted prerequisites well in advance which significantly improved coordination between Arrk and Customer.

EmbArrk workshop

Efficient and faster Data migration

Process Automation

Outcomes

A significant change to team operation
Ease of document sharing and approval process
The automated solution helped remove key manual interventions during the document management process
Reduced Infrastructure Cost
Accurate and Better reporting with Power BI
Convenient integration with wider web technologies, or deploying applications to the cloud
Future-ready setup to develop rich applications (both as SharePoint-hosted and cloud-hosted apps) and scale without the cost of managing the on-premises infrastructure
Customer’s first offshore outsourcing with Arrk’s expertise led to an increase in their confidence in such a model
This overall effort resulted in improved document management and its security

Enhanced Reporting and document management

Scalable application

Enhanced security

Enriched User Experience

More of Our Case Studies

See all case studies

The post Sharepoint Document Management System appeared first on Arrk Group.

East Sussex Council digitises school application procedure

Drashya Kuruwa — Thu, 07 Jun 2018 08:29:16 +0000

Top of the class! East Sussex Council digitises school application procedure

East Sussex County Council engaged with Arrk Group to digitise and enhance the way it deals with its school allocation appeals procedure. The previous largely offline service offering didn’t meet the expectations of today’s parents, as the service wasn’t available around the clock, therefore parents weren’t able to check on their appeal status at a time convenient to them.

Customer

East Sussex County Council is a non-metropolitan council located on the South Coast of the UK. Covering five districts (Hastings, Rother, Wealden, Eastbourne and Lewes) of Sussex the council serves a population of over half a million residents including the major towns of Eastbourne, Hastings, Lewes and Bexhill. The council has the statutory responsibility of allocating primary and secondary school places.

A non-metropolitan council

Covers five districts of Sussex

Serves a population of over half a million residents

Statutory responsibility of allocating primary and secondary school places

Situation

The existing process within the Council offered an entry point via an online form, but further correspondence was paper/email based. This made it challenging for parents to access status updates outside of normal office hours and to contribute further information, often resulting in requests for more information. This inefficient process was expensive for the council to provide and stressful for parents.

The objective was to redesign this process, with the customer at the heart. The experience needed to be simple, with functionality to support the customer throughout the emotive journey. The project was selected as part of a wider transformation programme. The selection was based on a clear desire by the team to change, and also a clearly defined process available for redesign. There were clear benefits that could be achieved, so the project was a strong fit.

Existing process was majority paper/email based

A customer-centric redesign of the process was required

An inefficient process that was expensive for the council to provide and stressful for parents

A need for simple and functional support for the customer throughout the emotive journey

“The project delivered a high-quality solution which has proven to be a success for both customers and the service team. It is a true indicator that Digital transformation is possible in the public sector.

Arrk Group were an essential partner in delivering this project, and I can say with certainty, that the project would not have succeeded without their involvement.”

Consortia Manager, East Sussex County Council

Solution

Initially a two-week, intensive EmbArrk™ project discovery workshop was used to capture requirements and specification as well as build consensus amongst all stakeholders.

Following the discovery workshop, a shared vision of the desired solution was formed. Arrk led a showcase event where stakeholders and organisation leads were invited to view the proposed solution.

This generated excitement within the council, based on the story that Arrk presented through the demonstration of a solution, truly designed with the customer at heart. The solution also offered tangible service transformation for all to see, not just minor alterations.

EmbArrk™ workshop captures requirements and specification

Modern and flexible technology stack

End-user-first approach

Collaborative and efficient working procedures

Outcomes

Since the launch period, there has already been a significant change to the team operation. Whereas previously paper confirmations were being printed and posted, along with case papers and similar correspondence, in recent months these have instead been uploaded for parents to access instead, at a time convenient to them.

There has also been a significant reduction in calls, already noticed within the period since the launch. This has contributed to clear details being available within the application, and with parents easily being able to access the available information that they require.

Named as a Real IT Awards finalist for ‘Best Digital Project’

Successful transformation from paper-based procedures

Self-service, reducing back office and a call centre workload

More of Our Case Studies

See all case studies

The post East Sussex Council digitises school application procedure appeared first on Arrk Group.

Premium Digital Solution Accelerates Loan Applications

Drashya Kuruwa — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 10:49:34 +0000

Premium Digital Solution Accelerates Loan Applications

Arrk Group helped increase Premium Credit’s competitiveness by designing, building and deploying a large-scale, secure digital customer acquisition platform.

The highly scalable digital platform has reduced the time taken to process a loan from weeks to just minutes, which in turn has resulted in an increase in conversions of over 25 percent. Furthermore, the new platform has improved productivity and customer satisfaction, whilst improving the compliance audit trail.

Customer

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Premium Credit is the number 1 premium finance company in the UK and Ireland with over 29 years experience. They provide finance to customers to pay for insurance premiums, school fees, membership fees, season tickets and more. Collectively, they have processed over 26 million direct debits annually.

Premium Credit is owned by Cinven, a leading international private equity firm. Cinven has extensive experience acquiring successful companies and helping them grow and develop.

Number 1 premium finance company in the UK and Ireland

Over 29 years experience

Processed over 26 million direct debits annually

Owned by Cinven, a leading international private equity firm

Situation

For over 25 years, Premium Credit Limited had used the same loan administration system, which had become increasingly difficult to maintain and expensive to support. Supplied by an American corporation with little or no presence in the UK, it required US-based staff to be engaged locally to provide support. With significant changes occurring within the marketplace, including changes in technology and legislation, Premium Credit decided to replace its legacy system with a modern alternative.

Following initial strategic advice from Arrk Group, Premium Credit commenced in-house development of a new platform using an Oracle/.Net architecture. However after two and half years, senior management were frustrated and asked Arrk Group to conduct a consultative investigation. As a result of this work, Arrk Group was invited to become Premium Credit’s technology partner.

Replacement of legacy system in one go would be high risk strategy

New undefined functionality would need to be integrated into new system

Speed to market essential as market share was being lost daily to competitors

In-house team lacked the skills required

Solution

Working closely with Premium Credit’s senior management team, Arrk Group established a new programme and project management structure and implemented disciplined, focused design, development, testing and deployment methodologies. The result was the creation of a joint Premium Credit/Arrk software delivery team with Arrk Group people taking up key leadership roles. Discovery workshops involving a diverse range of users and stakeholders were used to rapidly build consensus within Premium Credit, with Arrk Group’s business analysts complementing the existing in-house team of business analysts and testers.

A number of test cases and scenarios were generated from these sessions which in turn shaped the solution’s requirements, determined by business priority. The main development activities were carried out at Arrk Group’s office in India, including build and testing. User acceptance testing and deployment was carried out by a joint, UK based team. Once an application release was ready, in-house system support staff carried out deployment and on-going support.

Joint project team established

EmbArrk process undertaken to identify full requirements and gain consensus

Phased migration approach established to deliver quick wins to market

Scalable solution developed using a consistent platform and architecture

Outcomes

Despite tight timescales, the initial target to deliver the first release of the application before the start of the academic year was met, as were several subsequent releases and deployment target dates. All in all Arrk Group developed a range of new applications and services using same platform and architecture all delivered efficiently and on budget. This new functionality included several multi-platform customer self-serve loan application systems that use the latest in e-signature technology and mobile customer engagement tools.

Premium Credit can now rely on a highly efficient and robust digital loans processing platform which has allowed the company to become extremely competitive. Arrk Group has also introduced to Premium Credit a new approach to software development, one which encompasses the latest practices and technology and allows for the rapid, flexible, cost effective development and deployment of new applications.

Reduction of loan application process from weeks to minutes

Over a 25% increase in application-to-loan conversions

Improved customer experience through self-serve loan application system

New working practices employed on the project up-skilled the internal team

Discover your Organisation's Digital Maturity

Complete our online assessment and receive a personal report on the digital health of your business

Take our free Financial Services assessment

More of Our Case Studies

See all case studies

The post Premium Digital Solution Accelerates Loan Applications appeared first on Arrk Group.

IFC Edge – Stimulating greener construction

Drashya Kuruwa — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 12:26:52 +0000

World Bank | IFC Edge application stimulates construction of greener buildings

Arrk helps International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of World Bank Group, stimulate the development and construction of new resource-efficient buildings across the globe. EDGE is a web application for construction developers, which provides fast, online access to comprehensive green information, approved auditors and certified accreditation.

Customer

International Finance Corporation (IFC) is part of World Bank Group and offers its customers a broad range of financial products and services as well as asset management in a range of verticals.

Created in the 1950s, IFC is the largest organisation of its type in the world. Active in over 100 countries and reaching millions of people, it holds a $49.6bn portfolio. The organisation’s work helps to support World Bank Group’s two goal strategy of ending global extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity.

By stimulating the construction of greener buildings, IFC aims to save investors money by lowering operating costs and increasing efficiency, while reducing the impact modern development has on local and national environments.

Stimulating the development and construction of new resource-efficient buildings

Effective across the globe

Approved auditors and certified accreditation

Part of the World Bank Group

Situation

IFC was already helping property developers and builders build greener, more energy efficient buildings however, they wanted to create a robust web application to reach more locations and help more organisations.

By making this tool available for free, it allows developers to quickly and easily incorporate energy saving ideas and materials at the design stage of the project. Green building accreditation is then offered for a nominal cost.

Aimed at emerging economies around the world, the EDGE application was envisaged to help both investors and homeowners by stimulating the building of resource efficient buildings. IFC wanted to partner with local providers and auditors to ensure a sophisticated green building certification programme.

Wanted to extend the reach of their existing service to a wider global audience

A cost effective solution was required to allow Green certification at a nominal cost

Mobile responsive design required to ensure it was useable on location

The new application needed to integrate with multiple internal and external systems

Solution

Although a relatively straightforward web application, it needed to interact with existing internal systems, as well as, work on smartphone devices. This mobile responsive design was required to ensure the application was usable while on location.

The digital solution features five building typologies – homes, hospitals, retail, hotels, offices – and allows developers to build a complete picture of efficient materials in the design phase of the project. Developers are able to reconfigure design choices to calculate potential energy savings and return on investment.

Following existing brand guidelines, developed by IFC, the application also required a new user management system which recognises different user groups and locations.

An interactive application that allows developers to calculate energy saving and ROI

New user management system which recognises different user groups and locations

Scalable web application built in Microsoft .NET and Angular JS

Outcomes

The tool has been launched around the globe, giving property developers and builders access to a free resource to make smart choices in building more sustainable developments.

By promoting the building of green buildings, IFC is helping to tackle climate change in a commercially responsible way. Official Green certification is offered at a nominal cost to drive engagement with the tool across all locations.

The tool was successfully launched across the globe giving free access to users

Positive financial and environmental impact on new constructions projects

Fast access to location specific data to maximise green opportunity

More of Our Case Studies

See all case studies

The post IFC Edge – Stimulating greener construction appeared first on Arrk Group.