Modernizing a Microsoft Dynamics CE solution

Modernizing a Microsoft Dynamics CE solution: A Success Story from Blis Digital Lithuania

Our client is a leading Dutch software development company that specializes in providing business software solutions for small and medium-sized businesses and accountancy firms. The product we’ve been involved with, is an innovative cloud-based IT solution built on the Microsoft Dynamics CE platform, tailored to fulfill the unique needs of the Dutch accountancy market.

The product offers a comprehensive suite of features to facilitate efficient and effective accountancy practices. Key features include resource planning, accountancy project management, time and expense registration, manual and batch invoicing, and data analysis. The product is currently being utilized by 200 clients, serving approximately 8,000 users.

Blis Digital was entrusted with the responsibility of nurturing the entire development and consultancy process. A dedicated team, consisting of three consultants, seven developers and testers, and one product owner, was assembled to maintain and update the product.

The foundation of this successful collaboration was built on four core values:

1. Product Backlog as Key to Success

The project team emphasized the importance of having a well-defined product backlog. This allowed them to manage work effectively, prioritize tasks, and avoid chaos throughout the development process.

2. Strict Scrum-based Development Process

The team followed a strict Scrum-based development process, which focused on delivering value to the customer rather than just writing code. This enabled them to maintain a high level of productivity and drive continuous improvement.

3. Managing Customer Expectations

Open and transparent communication between Blis Digital and the customer was essential in managing expectations. By keeping the customer informed about the current situation and progress, the team was able to foster trust and ensure that expectations were aligned.

4. Emphasis on Testing

The team placed a strong emphasis on both manual and automated testing. This approach allowed them to identify and resolve issues quickly, ensuring a high level of quality and reliability for the end users.

Transparency in Project Management

Transparency was a key aspect in maintaining a strong relationship with the customer. The team was clear about the state of all problems, including any mistakes made in development and management. By openly acknowledging and discussing issues, we’ve built a foundation of trust with our client, ensuring a collaborative approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Swiss Knife Developer Approach

One of the key factors contributing to the success of the project was the diversity of skillsets within the team. Comprising consultants, developers, testers, and a product owner, each team member brought unique expertise to the table. Despite this diversity, the workload was distributed equally among team members to ensure a uniform knowledge of the project across the board. This unique approach allowed us to react swiftly to any issues that arose without any bottleneck due to skill-specific problems.

The result of this collaboration

The collaboration between the customer and our team proved to be a success story, thanks to the mutual commitment to core values and a strong working relationship. The diverse skillset of the team combined with a strategy of equal workload distribution enabled a swift and efficient response to any arising issues. By nurturing the product development process and taking full responsibility for the success of each sprint, the team was able to deliver continuous value to the customer. The result is a robust and reliable cloud-based IT solution that is now being used by a growing number of accountancy firms in the Dutch market.