PROJECT OVERVIEW

"Being in the financial sector we needed to find an agency we could trust and MIURA have exceeded our expectations not only in terms of creativity but vitally, data security."

Simon Cockfield - Positive Solutions Marketing Manager

Positive Solutions (PS) is a company that comprises of the largest network of Independent Financial Advisors in the UK. Positive Solutions currently has 1700 'Partners' within its network.

Miura was approached by Positive Solutions to assist them in the design, development and deployment of a system that would allow their Partners to each have a custom PS presence online under the PS brand whilst still preserving their status as independent advisors.

PROJECT CHALLENGES

From the outset our challenges revolved around three core elements usability, infrastructure and data security. Within the usability aspects of our challenge we had to consider the sites would be edited by a hugely varied group of individuals with a huge discrepancy of expertise relating to online systems. Around infrastructure and data security our challenges revolved around navigating through the vast spectrum of data that could be generated as well as fulfilling all security and FSA compliance related queries.

THE SOLUTION

• Full .NET C# & SQL Server solution (to integrate with existing PS systems)

• Network Load Balanced

• JQuery based modular "Drag & Drop" based Partner CMS for site customization

• Dynamic virtual hosting of partner domain names (administered by system CMS)

WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THIS PROJECT

• Designing a modular system that worked with the clients brand and allowed enough space of personal ‘Partner’ identity and customization.

• Significant increase in development time due to integration of various technologies which was overcome by working closely with internal development team at Positive Solutions.

• Integration of a JQuery ‘drag’n drop’ functionality made us to utilize online resources to deliver a truly unique technical and usable solution.

• Rigid IE6 backward compatibility and testing whilst still maintain true to the web 2.0 features and functionality.

• Learning to integrate core systems, working to high levels of data security.

• Managing workflow through a delayed client pipeline.

BENEFITS

• Low on-going user (partner) support requirements.

• Minimal compliance stream load (pre-approved text & image content)

• Partners are provided with a controlled amount of design freedom whilst still preserving the PS brand

• Phased roll out of 1700 domains to allow for thorough alpha & beta testing