Unlocking Business Growth Through Digital Transformation

About The Client

Our SME client specialises in Economic Forecasting services, with a need to scale its global operations to meet customer demands. They have locations in the UK and Europe, Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

The Client’s Challenge

Data Management Processes

Global Economic Forecasting demands the management of vast and continuously fluctuating datasets on a daily basis. A specialised internal team was responsible for handling this data through a complex network of Excel spreadsheets and Access database files, combining VBA automation with manual workflows.

Economists operating under intense pressure to deliver data-driven services found that the current system was insufficient to meet the required standards of operational efficiency.

Solution

Automation To Remove Bottlenecks

Envivo pinpointed the core problem: the existing strategies and technologies for managing the data lacked scalability and would become increasingly error-prone as the number of users and daily usage patterns grew.

To overcome these challenges, we proposed a transformative solution to the client’s operational framework. This involved upgrading the data management technologies and introducing a Self-Service Portal, enabling Economists to independently manage their data without relying on the data management team.

Domain Exploration

Like many organisations, the terminology and language within this business held specific meanings that were context-dependent. We discovered ambiguities where different departments used varied terms interchangeably, or applied the same term to convey different meanings.

To address this, we collaborated closely with stakeholders and end-users, applying Domain Driven Design principles to clarify key terms and definitions. We extracted tacit knowledge from Domain Experts and identified relationships between concepts.

These efforts culminated in the development of a clear Domain Model, which provided the foundational knowledge required to build the overall solution.

Data Processing

The greatest challenge we faced—and the most rewarding to resolve—was converting the extensive network of interrelated spreadsheet formulas.

We addressed this by designing a core processing engine to remove the reliance on Excel spreadsheets, consisting of three key components:
– Graph database technology to model the information network.
– A data processing pipeline to track dependencies within the formulas.
– A custom Domain-Specific Language (DSL) specifically designed for the computational domain.

Data Ingestion

Our solution incorporated automated import logic coupled with Anti-Corruption Layers, ensuring that the latest data was consistently available in a clean and usable format. Additionally, we implemented an archiving and versioning system, allowing data anomalies to be traced back to their original source.

Self Service Portal

We assisted the client in designing a straightforward User Interface that enabled Economists to easily visualise and manage their data. The simplicity of the system also empowered the data management team to set up and migrate data directly through the UI itself.

Selecting the Right Tools

Domain Exploration & Solution Design

Drawing on our expertise in Domain Exploration, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the business domain language to improve clarity for both the overall system design and end users.

Furthermore, we performed a comprehensive review of the data lifecycle, identifying clear boundaries between different concerns. This enabled us to design precise and well-structured API surfaces as an integral part of the solution.

Excel/Access Replacement

DDD, Domain Exploration

DSL Design

Graph + Tree Algorithms

Data Ingestion

Data Processing

Data Lifecycle

User Experience

“…The project Envivo helped to design and implement has been very successful. Oxford Economics has a platform which will continue to show high returns for many years to come. I have no hesitation recommending Envivo…”

Arvindra S, CIO

Inspired Outcomes Start Here