Revamping RFID Modeling Software

Client:

Woody Creek is a small technology consulting firm specializing in Internet of Things (IoT) system development and end-to-end solutions. Woody Creek supports of number of enterprise clients who are key-names in the logistics and supply chain sectors.

Challenge:

With a small team and large influx of projects, Woody Creek contracted our services to support a high-value long-term client, a publicly traded RFID company. The project was to improve the extensibility and usability of the client’s RFID modeling software to enable wider adoption internally, to generate consistent results, and reduce maintenance costs. The modeling software enabled rapid experimentation with RFID reader and tag designs and effects on performance due to environment or operational variables.

Solution:

Maddendeavor was entrusted with the key role of serving as the customer-facing representative for Woody Creek.  The initial effort involved rapidly learning the code base, creating an overarching plan for the refactor, and training team members on best practices for software development. The refactor was gradual and needed to support backwards compatibility to not impede ongoing feature development. The fifteen code deliveries included implementing software improvement metrics, automating documentation, creating a framework for user examples, increasing test coverage, identifying and removing dead code, and refactoring the top level API. The project was then transitioned back to our client to manage the remaining refactor implementation, with ongoing “as needed” support for design solution ideas.

Impact:

Thanks to our services, the end-client experienced significant improvements in their code extensibility and usability. Through automating documentation and metrics, the effects of new features were easier to analyze before integrating branches into the code base. Total lines of code (LOC) for simulations were reduced by 40% for the user API and the test coverage was increased by over 30% through direct contributions from Maddendeavor. The overarching refactor plan helped the end client to create common simulation infrastructure, coordinated refactor packages, quicker consensus on changes, as well as swift onboarding of new team members.

Win:

The big win in this case was our ability to quickly integrate into the end-client’s workflow and gain the trust of a highly experienced team to lead the refactor, serving a the subject matter expert to the team. Maddendeavor’s code updates immediately corrected multiple bugs that had gone undiagnosed and improved the team’s overall code quality, which further enhanced Woody Creek’s reputation with this important client. Throughout the fractional-time project, Maddendeavor successfully balanced the the scheduling workload constraints of Woody Creek and delivering high quality service to their end-client. The end-client provided Woody Creek stellar reviews and extended the contract into the following year, stating how Maddendeavor’s “coding experience moved this project to a better place.”

Services:

• Software Development

• Quality Assurance

• Project Incubation

Technologies:

• Python

• C

• Github Automation

• Linux

• Shell Script