This case study highlights the challenges and solutions involved in a comprehensive modernization project for a Point of Sale (POS) application, transforming an outdated system into a robust, maintainable, and scalable solution.

The challenge

The client faced significant hurdles with their existing POS application, which was originally developed in 2005. This 19-year-old codebase was not designed with modern enterprise-level demands in mind, leading to a series of critical issues:

• Outdated architecture and maintainability: The application's age made it inherently difficult to maintain and update. Over the years, numerous "hacks" were implemented to force enterprise-level functionality onto a non-enterprise design, creating a complex and fragile system.
• Version control and consistency: Ensuring all users stayed on the same version of the application was a persistent challenge, likely due to the difficulty of rolling out updates and managing the fragmented codebase.
• Lack of internal bandwidth: The client's in-house development team identified the extensive work needed to bring the application up to modern standards but lacked the internal resources and bandwidth to undertake such a massive rewrite.
• Need for a vetted development partner: Faced with the choice of recruiting, onboarding, and vetting new individual developers, the client opted to seek an external, pre-vetted team to ensure efficiency and reliability.

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The solution

Nareia partnered with the client to undertake a complete rewrite of their core POS application, focusing on modernizing the technology stack and establishing a scalable, maintainable foundation. The scope of Nareia's involvement was strictly in development, with the client handling in-house design.

Key aspects of the solution included:

• Full application rewrite: Nareia completely rewrote the application using C# within the Xamarin framework, bringing it up to modern development standards. This choice provided a cross-platform solution, ensuring consistency across different environments.
• Robust data architecture: The new architecture was designed for efficiency and reliability. Data is stored locally in JSON files on the application side and then seamlessly flows to a SQL central server via a Ubuntu-based web server using a PHP API. This layered approach ensures data integrity and efficient synchronization.
• Integration with Business Intelligence: All processed data is then pushed into Azure’s Power BI platform, enabling advanced analytics and business intelligence capabilities for the client.
• Enhanced development and Quality Assurance process: Nareia became an integral part of the client's development ecosystem. Through close collaboration, particularly with the client's QA team, the combined effort significantly improved software quality. The initial 70% bug or rework rate was drastically reduced to under 35%, demonstrating Nareia's problem-solving abilities and commitment to quality delivery.
• Professionalism and team integration: Nareia's professionalism and willingness to integrate into the client's existing environment were highly valued, setting them apart from other contractors. This strong collaborative spirit ensured smooth execution and a truly unified team effort.

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This comprehensive rewrite not only addressed the immediate maintenance and versioning issues but also provided the client with a powerful, modern, and scalable POS system capable of supporting future growth and business intelligence initiatives.