NOWCA

NOWCA is a long-standing Evolve relationship operating around an established legacy database and development environment.

The underlying system contains valuable business data and continues to perform an important role. But new reporting requirements, processes and application ideas can become constrained by the architecture and development model surrounding the legacy platform.

The problem was not simply that the business had an older system. Valuable information inside that environment was difficult to use quickly and flexibly for new reporting, processes and applications.

Replacing the entire underlying platform simply to introduce new capabilities would potentially create substantial cost, complexity and risk.

“How can we create new possibilities around what already works?”

Rather than beginning with “How do we replace the old system?”, a regular copy of relevant legacy database information is made available within an Amazon S3 environment.

This creates a modern layer from which reporting, data manipulation and new applications can be explored without every idea requiring fundamental changes to the core legacy platform.

The relationship has expanded from individual requirements into the development of several focused tools and mini web applications within a larger evolving digital environment.

This enables Evolve to work increasingly close to the operational needs of the business rather than treating each requirement as an isolated website or development project.

The important outcome is not one application. It is the foundation.

Once business information can be accessed appropriately outside the constraints of the legacy environment, new ideas become easier to explore.

A reporting requirement can become a tool. A repetitive process can become an application. A new operational requirement can be tested without immediately replacing the system underneath the organisation.

“NOWCAtopia.”

The MD has informally christened this expanding environment “NOWCAtopia.”

It is becoming less like a collection of unrelated development jobs and more like an evolving digital layer around the business.

The existing core system can continue doing the job it already does while the organisation gains increasing freedom to build modern capabilities around its data.

The strategy is evolution rather than replacement for replacement’s sake.