Collaborating for Success: How HackSoft Overcame Complex Integrations and Redesigned OfficeRnD's Web Application

OfficeRnD is a flexible workspace management platform founded in 2014 with locations across the US, UK, Bulgaria, and Australia.

The platform provides an all-in-one ERP system that helps shared flexible workplaces stay on top of their day-to-day operations.

However, with the business rapidly growing, the platform required more and more functionality to acquire new customers and upsell existing ones.

OfficeRnD was looking for a trusted partner, to jump right in and help them deliver the promised features.

This is where HackSoft came in - as an experienced software development company, we were eager to take on the challenge.

The Challenge

OfficeRnD faced a challenge where their system was at the core of their customers' businesses and relied heavily on external integrations to reduce operational overhead.

There were a few long-awaited integrations, that required immediate attention.

On top of that, developing such integrations was challenging due to the complex nature of the software & the use-cases.

The second challenge was to redesign an existing web application and make it more modern. It was written in Angular.js and we teamed up with the OfficeRnD engineers to fully rewrite it using React and a little Redux.

The Solution

For OfficeRnD it was extremely important to find a company they can trust with such vital projects.

HackSoft was recommended to them by a trusted source and they gave a very good recommendation.

We assembled a team between HackSoft and OfficeRnD and managed to ship the portal in less than 6 months.

Development Process

First, we met with OfficeRnD's team to understand their specific requirements and then got to work. Communication was vital, so we provided regular updates and had sync points with our stakeholders.

For the integrations project, we designed, developed, configured, and launched some of the most complicated native integrations in the system.

Our team quickly got acquainted with the remote systems and created a plan on how to approach the delivery. We worked in two-week sprints and had sync points every week with stakeholders from OfficeRnD.

For the web application redesign project, we utilized our expertise in React technology to bootstrap the project and come up with a plan on how and when everything would be delivered.

Here's a non-exhaustive list of features that we implemented:

• Booking system for meeting rooms, hot desks, and other custom resources.

• Internal chat system.

• Members wall. Much like a Facebook feed.

• An internal shop that accepts payments with many different providers.

• Event management system for in-house coworking events.

• Customizable ticketing system.

Technology

Given the existing complexity of the system and the tight deadlines, we decided to go with a mature technology stack - React with a little bit of Redux.

In order to move even faster and to keep things consistent, we decided to use 3rd party component libraries like Material UI and the Kendo Scheduler.

Team Composition

Initially, we assigned a senior developer and a technical lead to the project. As the project progressed, we added another senior developer to increase delivery efforts. Throughout the project, we had a main point of contact from OfficeRnD's team who ensured the business objectives were being met.

Results and Feedback

We are proud to say that our collaboration with OfficeRnD on the members portal face-lift project was a great success. Our team used their expertise in React and Redux to deliver a modern, intuitive and easy-to-use interface for the members. We made sure that the new design is fully responsive, accessible and aligned with the latest design trends.

Thanks to our close cooperation with the OfficeRnD engineers, we were able to overcome the complexity of their software and customize the features based on the preferences of each organization. This required individual testing of different scenarios, but we managed to deliver a reliable and flexible product that meets the needs of diverse users.

The most valuable asset they have is their personality.

We were lucky that HackSoft's culture is so close to ours which eliminated a lot of communication barriers and smoothened the overall development process.

This, coupled with their technical proficiency is what makes them a great partner and keeps them ahead of other providers we've worked with.

- Andrew Andreev, Engineering Lead at OfficeRnD

We value our partnership with OfficeRnD and we look forward to future collaborations on exciting projects that push the boundaries of innovation and technology.

You guys are great professionals and totally changed my mind for working with contractors. I love your sense of humor and I am looking forward to working with you again.

Keep being so responsive and accurate!

- Milko Diankov, Lead QA at OfficeRnD