The project is a great example how several teams can work together in a way that always keeps the speed of development high.
Thunder as a basis
Docu Media had already implemented kommunalmagazin.ch with Thunder. The original plan was to use the base of kommunalmagazin.ch as well as possible for baublatt.ch. Therefore MD Systems analyzed the existing code including the frontend implementation and decided together with the Docu Media team what can be used baublatt.ch and what needs to be improved.
Afterwards, the two teams worked on various additional features, but in constant exchange. Docu Media's project management team prepared the requirements and discussed them with MD Systems to define the technical implementation. As a result, MD Systems was able to focus on implementation after the bi-weekly sprint meetings. We developed various features such as
- Paywall including user administration and synchronization with internal CRM
- Newsletter / Mailchimp integration
- Migration
- Transfer of all articles and events while covering the old URLs
- Users
- Conversion of old (HTML-) special solutions to Paragraphs for images / galleries / etc.
- Dossier
- PDF archive
- Job market
- Agenda improvements
Successful GoLive
In order to have the new website extensively tested by the editors before going live, the beta release was already carried out in October. This enabled the editors to create the content on the new, unpublished portal and thus learn how to use the new system. Through feedback on unclear workflows or missing functions, improvements could be implemented even before the golive.
Two weeks before golive, the portal was functionally frozen and no new features were added. This allowed to maximize the quality of the implementation until the golive with last improvements. By this approach only last migration updates were necessary for going live and the DNS had to be changed. The Docu Media Team was able to perform the golive independently and with almost none interruption on Sunday evening, so that the visitors of baublatt.ch were able to see the new version on Monday morning.
Further use for other projects
Improvements and enhancements have been implemented in this project in a way that they can be used for other similar projects. After successfully developing features for the Baublatt project, they were returned to kommunalmagazin.ch and enabled there as well. It is also planned to release further Docu Media products based on baublatt.ch.
Drupal 8 is particularly well suited to use the same base (code and configuration) for projects with the same or similar requirements, so that only design adaptations such as logo exchange and color adaptation, as well as the development of specific new features are required. As a result, maintenance and further development costs are reduced or incurred only once. In addition, new features and improvements can flow back into existing projects.
We would like to thank the Docu Media team for the pleasant and productive cooperation. By good planning and a high level of professionalism stress situations could be avoided not only during the project but also during the go-live phase.
Are you also interested in carrying out your relaunch with MD Systems? We look forward to hearing from you.
