Working in the developing field of organ-on-a-chip technology, Nortis has amassed a large body of clinical research detailing experiments using human cells and their responses to various substances. Nevertheless, there is no set format for these research. Not all of them have even been digitalized. The client’s goal was to create a structured database that would house all of these organ-on-chip research in a single digital format and allow users to search, add, compare, and analyze datasets, studies, and experimental designs. They also wanted to be able to do analyses, such as power and repeatability analyses. This platform would serve both university researchers and pharmaceutical inventors and be available for a membership price.
At first, Nortis used a platform developed by a university in the United States. Furthermore, this method was not appropriate for commercial use, despite its effectiveness in the academic community. Its antiquated design and difficult navigation annoyed users. The institution retained a dedicated staff member to oversee the onboarding process because the system was so laborious.
The university’s platform consisted of two components: a desktop application placed on a local server for internal use and a software-as-a-service cloud-based solution that was available to the general public online. In order to create a user-friendly, commercially viable version, the client was looking for a capable software vendor who could completely revamp the cloud platform, start from scratch with the front end, and collaborate with the client’s back-end team.
The following tasks were requested by the client of ours:
● Under a very strict timeline of less than three months, conduct a discovery phase to prepare the organ-on-a-chip research platform for a commercial launch. ● Choose the features and modules that need to be rebuilt for the initial platform version during the discovery phase.
● Use React.js to completely rebuild the front end of the chosen platform modules. The customer made the decision to work on the remaining features in later iterations.
Redesign the platform in its entirety to have an easy-to-use interface and to conform to current technological requirements.
● Make payment possible so that the client can make money from the site.
Outcomes
We worked on the cloud-based software-as-a-service solution. What we did was as follows:
● Our group finished a rigorous three-week discovery phase. We had to prioritize since we were unable to completely redesign the platform in time for the deadline. We carefully determined which modules and essential elements needed to be redone before the commercial launch during the exploration phase. To demonstrate to the customer how each rebuilt module will appear, a business analyst and a designer from our team presented a design-first methodology and created Figma screens that illustrated the features they had chosen.
We had a better grasp of the project after the discovery phase, so we adjusted the budget to reflect the new priorities.
● We used React to rebuild the modules found during the discovery process, leaving Django for the remaining modules, resulting in a hybrid solution. To guarantee that the Django modules have a unified appearance and feel across the system, we also reskinned them.
● We switched to a new revenue model for the organ-on-a-chip research platform. In order to provide the customer with a smooth payment system and the ability to collect monthly and annual subscription fees, our team integrated Stripe. To ensure regulatory compliance and conformity with the new business model, we also made revisions to the terms and conditions, cookie policy, and privacy policy.
● The platform’s login/signup pages and homepage were revamped by our team to guarantee easy navigation. The client’s statistics showed that the original homepage had a significant rate of page bounce. Most users quickly left and never returned since it was so confusing and counterintuitive.
● We added useful filters and updated the search capability. With the ability to narrow down their search depending on research type, organ models, chemicals, cells, and other factors, users may now alternate between looking for studies and study components. Search results can also be narrowed down to research that include photos, videos, or omics data. In addition, we updated the search results page to make it simpler for users to access and contrast the research that are shown.
● The React application was manually tested for quality assurance on both the Windows and MacOS operating systems by the ITRex team. Additionally, we checked the outdated Django solution for serious problems per the client’s request.
● Nortis was really pleased with the skill and drive of our group. This is a sample of the client endorsement.
Impact:
● With our help, Nortis transformed the complicated university platform into a sleek, user-friendly EveAnalytics
● Our partnership enabled the client to monetarily generate income from subscription fees
● The platform’s new navigation and design attracted more researchers and users
● The search module overhaul improved the efficiency and precision of search functions, improving user experience
● The client intends to use the enhancements our team made to negotiate with investors in the upcoming funding rounds and has expressed interest in carrying on our partnership once funding becomes available.