Case study:
The online workplace for the life sciences industry connecting people, products and services
Client Discovery & Project Brief
Our client, a professional company in the pharmaceutical sector, approached us with an idea: to bridge the gap in industry networking through a custom-built application. Faced with a landscape reliant on outdated phone contacts and fragmented communication channels, they sought to streamline interactions and enhance collaboration among professionals.
Our journey began with a comprehensive consultation, where we immersed ourselves in the intricacies of the pharma business, and the business case they were trying to implement. Through meetings with the client, we gained a deep understanding of our client's objectives, learning about industry dynamics, data relevance, user interactions, and pivotal roles.
With this knowledge as our foundation, we embarked on a collaborative journey to design a solution tailored to our client's needs. Leveraging our expertise in application development, we proposed a feature-rich platform that would revolutionise how professionals interacted within the industry.
Starting a service from scratch
Design
We began by engaging in extensive discussions with the client to gain a deep understanding of their goals, target audience, and the unique challenges within their industry. These conversations were crucial in identifying the key features, user roles, and data requirements necessary for the project's success.
To ensure clarity and efficiency, we mapped out detailed logic flows, which helped define user interactions, feature integrations, and data presentation. This comprehensive planning laid the groundwork for a seamless user experience.
Utilising tools like Figma, we developed detailed UI/UX designs, focusing on creating an intuitive and visually appealing interface. Our design approach was twofold: first, we crafted the user experience (UX) to ensure interactions were intuitive and user-friendly. Second, we designed the user interface (UI) with an emphasis on aesthetics, usability, and alignment with the client's branding.
Development
To deliver a seamless and engaging user experience, we implemented the frontend application using React. This powerful framework enabled us to create a dynamic and responsive interface that performs smoothly across a range of devices and screen sizes, ensuring a consistent and intuitive experience for all users.
On the backend, we built a robust system using ASP.NET Core and PostgreSQL, designed to handle complex data processing, storage, and integration tasks. This architecture is capable of supporting multiple clients, ensuring efficient data management and facilitating smooth communication between the frontend and backend components. The entire infrastructure is hosted on the Azure cloud platform, which provides secure, scalable, and globally accessible services, ensuring high availability and reliability.
Throughout the development process, we conducted comprehensive testing to validate the application's functionality and performance. This rigorous testing regime included unit, integration, and performance testing, ensuring that all features operated correctly and efficiently. Our thorough approach guaranteed a stable and reliable final product, ready for deployment.
Delivery
To ensure the smooth transition and longevity of the solution, we provided comprehensive documentation covering all aspects of the system. This documentation not only detailed the technical architecture and functionality but also included clear instructions for future maintenance and updates.
The solution we delivered was meticulously designed to be scalable and reliable. We paid close attention to aligning the solution with industry regulations and standards, ensuring compliance and reducing any potential risks associated with legal and regulatory challenges.
A key highlight of our delivery process was the implementation of a robust CI/CD pipeline using GitHub Actions, DockerHub, and Azure Cloud. This setup facilitates continuous integration and continuous deployment, allowing for rapid and efficient updates. It also automates the deployment process, reducing the likelihood of human error and ensuring consistent and reliable releases.
The solution
To address the client's unique challenges and requirements, we focused on developing a set of features that not only solved immediate issues but also anticipated future needs. The following key features illustrate how we tackled each aspect of the project, ensuring a holistic and robust solution.
Search
User Profiles
User Interactions
Dynamic Live Feed
Forum
Integrated payments
Chat
Notifications
Customizable
Admin Moderation
Statistics
Technology highlights
Team
Business Analyst
UX/UI Designer
Project Manager
Developers
QA Engineer
Client Testimonial
As a start-up, we were extremely lucky to partner with Vitruvnet. Tasked with creating a sophisticated web application to streamline business development within the pharmaceutical industry, their team demonstrated a rapid understanding of the unique challenges and requirements the sector demands.
Their approach to development allowed for the flexibility a start-up business requires, whilst continually progressing the project and reaching the milestones on time, and finally delivering on schedule.
The backbone of these endeavours was exemplary communication from all members of their team, with regular updates and discussions, ensuring all feedback was incorporated promptly and effectively. This has continued post-deployment addressing further enhancements with exceptional support.
In summary, Vitruvnet has proven to be an invaluable partner for our business. Their commitment to excellence, technical prowess, and customer-centric approach ensures a highly successful collaboration. We highly recommend Mark and his outstanding team.