Project Context

OPTIMAL Automotive GmbH is a leading distributor of automotive aftermarket parts. We started our cooperation at the time of OPTIMAL expansion into the markets of Central and Eastern Europe.

Challenge

In 2012, OPTIMAL Automotive GmbH decided to migrate all product data from multiple MS Access databases to a centralized Master Data Management system.

However, due to the nature of the auto parts manufacturing processes, none of the commercially available solutions met company needs.

Product owners decided to develop a new dedicated PIM system in collaboration with i4B.  

From this point on, the increase in data turned out to be enormous, and the efficiency of adding data to the system began to slow down. To make your work more efficient, online data importers have been created. This solution ensures high quality of imported data validated in real time. This is due to the availability of already existing data presented in various solutions (check boxes, lists, data loading).

Scope of work and strategy

1. Business analysis of the system and creation of technical specifications for specific business requirements (“design thinking” – like approach)
2. Close cooperation with the client’s representatives during the software development process
3. System design – emergent architecture
4. UI design
5. Development of the application shippable increments according to the technical specification
6. Integration with PIM
7. Technical documentation 
8. System rollouts in various countries together with employee training

The first step in the cooperation with OPTIMAL was to gather requirements concerning the functioning of the designed system.

Thanks to the constant cooperation of our specialists and excellent customer feedback, we were able to design a solution that meets the needs of stakeholders and application users.

The solution proposed by our specialists consisted of:

• system architecture design,
• interface design,
• technical documentation in accordance with the customer’s standards
• design and implementation of a test suite to ensure system reliability

The i4B team has carefully and smoothly implemented the required functionalities. Initially, the implemented functions were importers of articles and OEM numbers. However, thanks to the modular approach to creating this application, it was quickly enriched with new importers such as competition numbers or technical parameters. This allowed OPTIMAL to smoothly start working with the new tool and significantly shortened the implementation time to the system – called 1CP. The new importers have become the main input tool for OPTIMAL employees in many departments and is constantly developed by the i4B team.

Business benefits

• Significant reduction of the time needed to import data to the 1CP system
• Many ways to work with data: in an MS Excel spreadsheet or in a built-in spreadsheet application
• Real-time validation of data provided to the application ensures the highest data quality
• The ability to save your work on the interface to an MS Excel spreadsheet for later reading or editing, and transferring data.
• Easy to use, user-friendly interface
• The web-type application allows for quick access and work without the need to install external software
• Possibility to add or edit data in bulk
• Connection to the 1CP system logging mechanism increasing the security of applications and data.
• Simple administration of the application based on existing solutions in the 1CP system

Results of work

• A modern web application designed for companies targeting data collection and management in the automotive industry
• Technical documentation describing all elements of the system in an interactive and clearly described manner
• Implementation of the application in the early stages of development with several completed modules
• Highly maintainable solution
• A solution that allows for quick implementation of subsequent application modules that meet the current needs of the client