The challenge: modernising critical systems under time pressure
Safe Families UK, a charity supporting children and families, needed to upgrade an ageing technology stack and development infrastructure. At the same time it was handling ongoing development requests from across the organisation and integrating two systems as part of a merger with Home for Good.
With multiple database versions serving different stakeholders, it needed skilled help to complete critical work packages over the summer, with all the annual leave that entails, and before the planned merger date in the autumn.
The solution: adding David to the team for three months
Accelerayt provided David, a senior developer with more than 10 years' experience of complex software systems, including PHP, CodeIgniter and a range of modern technologies.
David took on a specific project to upgrade the technology stack to a modern, supported and easily upgradable version, while the rest of the team focused on the merger and on work for the wider organisation.
Results: faster progress and technical improvements
The impact was immediate. Safe Families UK completed the critical work packages that, according to its Director of Systems and Solutions, "we still wouldn't have done by the end of the calendar year" without David's expertise and dedication.
The technical changes included:
- modernised development infrastructure with professional version control, now being taken on by the in-house team
- streamlined deployments through continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD)
- multiple database structures and front-end frameworks upgraded to current standards
"David's diligence, resourcefulness and focus on the work was a great help and enabled us to progress well beyond where we'd have been otherwise."
