Case Studies
We’ve worked on a huge number of projects both in New Zealand and internationally, check out a small selection below.
Share Sight
Online Share Portfolio Manager
Sharesight is a SaaS application that helps DIY investors to manage their shares. Sharesight is simple and intuitive to use. It is designed to provide maximum output for minimum input.
Able took responsibility for the technical aspects of Sharesight.
This included many aspects:
- the development of the Ruby on Rails web application
- leasing and administering servers
- database administration
- daily system and data backups
- web service integration with external vendors – NZX, ASX, Google and StrikeIron
Building Sharesight was a challenge, but Able’s depth of technical and business experience led to the success of this great company. Able continues to work with Sharesight as it expands into Australia.
Transaction Management System
Web application platform centralised transaction management
Able Technology has rebuilt a close client’s web application transaction management platform using Ruby on Rails. It replaces a java/jboss J2EE application, so direct technology comparisons can be made.
The interface follows REST based stateless web architecture style using lightwieght JSON messages, runs faster and has less lines of Ruby code than lines of XML configuration within the JBoss application.
Other improvements made from the old system include upgrading from BNZ Buyline to DPS credit card payment system. The service is very developer friendly – no certified VPN access required here, supports card store and authorisation payment methods (without storing card information locally) – and provides a great web UI to report on transactions processed.
Ministry of Social Development
Developer training & Application Development
Able’s contribution at the Ministry of Social Development was twofold – to train Java developers in the use of Ruby on Rails, and to contribute to the redevelopment of an existing application using these these new technologies.
Ruby on Rails training
Able were asked to contribute by peer programming with an experienced Java developer. Although we aware of Peer Programming, this was the first time that Able had actually participated in it. We found it to be a very effective way of transferring the required Ruby on Rails knowledge. Although starting with almost zero experience with Ruby on Rails, the Java developer was contributing positively within a week. By week three, the developer was at a stage where he could independently build his own components.
Able continued to peer-program with this developer for five months. By the end of this period, he was trained to a sufficient level that he could lead his own project.
Development
Able lead a project to replace an existing Java based application with a Ruby on Rails replacement. Interesting aspects to this application include:
- Deployed on top of JRuby
- Integrated with corporate LDAP for authentication and authorisation
- Complex workflow between front and back office
- Used at all MSD service centres
- Export reports to Microsoft Excel
Radio New Zealand
Upgrade of legacy systems
Radio New Zealand’s system for managing publishing rights was showing it’s age. The DOS-based application was difficult to use, and almost impossible to modify. The data was stuck in an outdated, inaccessible database.
Radio NZ were referred to Able, and we worked with them to develop a replacement system based on Ruby on Rails. This involved:
- modelling the system using UML
- building the new web 2.0 interface
- migrating the existing database to the new model running on MySQL
- introducing multi-user capabilities
Able continues to work with Radio New Zealand to improve both this system and others.
Inland Revenue
Online initiatives for families
Able worked with Inland Revenue in the development of a number of their web-based systems.
Working for Families tax credits
We were initially engaged to work with IRD's Business Consultants on the
development of a web system for capturing the personal and financial information.
This data was then fed into IRD's existing back-end systems via an XML interface,
the the resulting entitlement information was displayed to the user.
External authentication
Able were then engaged to build much of IRD's user registration, authentication
and authorisation systems. These front-end and back-end modules were used for both
the Inland Revenue and KiwiSaver web sites. These modules interfaced with numerous
existing systems such as their LDAP repository, mainframe and document management
systems.
LoadStorm.com
On-demand load testing
LoadStorm is a SaaS application that provides load testing for web sites and web apps.
Able worked remotely with the American-based client, leveraging our SaaS business experience and Ruby on Rails technical capability.
Areas of particular interest include:
- Optimising a user’s first time experience
- Using AJAX to enhance the application’s speed
- Using background processes to execute time-consuming tasks
- And using AJAX to feedback to the user the progress
- Applying screen-scraping tools to define and execute the load tests
Working with a remote client such as CustomerCentrix proved remarkably easy with tools such as Skype and
IM. We were able to make the time zone differences a real asset, as tasks were completed here and ready for
use when the client arrived at work the next day.
Able has continued to build and apply its expertise in SaaS and
start-up businesses.
Powershop.co.nz
Electricity shop – in a website
Able Technology helped Youdo build the supplier portal/billing and network reconciliation components for Powershop. Powershop is a large scale consumer and retail facing online electricity supplier.
The system is entirely Rails based and is a great case study demonstrating how Rails scales well delivering a large enterprise sized application in arguabley a fraction of the cost than that of using traditional enterprise tools.
