Releasing software goes beyond just writing code. It involves months of continuous development, testing, and configuration, with the ever-present risk of finding issues that can force everyone to refactor work done several weeks ago. Having a CI/CD pipeline can help prevent such situations, improve efficiency, and streamline the software development cycle.
In this case study, we describe our experience of successfully implementing a custom CI/CD pipeline for a medical device company, which transformed their software development workflows and enhanced their project agility.
Background
Our client approached us with a request to develop a solution that could facilitate communication among an insurance company, clients, and a clinic. As we worked on the project, they realized that this solution could have a much broader application and could connect healthcare providers internationally. The goal of the solution was to simplify administrative processes, improve patient care, and increase efficiency in the healthcare industry.
Challenge
The project was ambitious, encompassing many features that catered to the needs of different parties in the healthcare ecosystem. However, the development process faced several challenges, including:
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Efficient development and deployment. Traditional software development and deployment methods were often slow, hindering the ability to implement requested changes and updates in a timely manner.
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Reliability and stability. Despite the need for rapid changes, the solution had to maintain high levels of reliability and stability to ensure uninterrupted operation.
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Lack of automation. The absence of automated testing and deployment made it difficult to ensure the quality of the software and slowed down the release cycle.
Solution
Our team developed a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution to meet the client’s request. The solution included features like administrative interfaces, websites, and mobile apps (both Android and iOS) for versatile interactions.
To streamline the development process, we designed a custom CI/CD pipeline. The pipeline automated the collection and deployment of all changes to the test environment and initiated automated testing to identify issues or regressions and assess the software’s performance.
At the end of each testing phase, the dashboard displayed the testing results, providing real-time insights into the software’s status to everyone involved in the development process.
Benefits
Implementation of the CI/CD pipeline has yielded a lot of positive results:
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Streamlined deployment process. The CI/CD pipeline reduced manual bottlenecks and enhanced the efficiency of software deployment. Automated collection and deployment of changes reduced errors and sped up the release cycle, thus ensuring faster delivery of new features and updates.
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Improved code quality. Automated testing helped to identify bugs and issues at the early stages of the development process. This has resulted in fewer issues in production and higher software quality, reducing the likelihood of regressions.
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Real-time visibility and better collaboration. Version control and automation fostered better collaboration among team members, while the dashboard provided immediate visibility into the testing process and results. This has led to smoother development workflows and faster resolution of issues.
Final thoughts
The client’s healthcare ecosystem saw a significant transformation with the successful implementation of a scalable SaaS platform. At the same time, the integration of a custom CI/CD pipeline and automated testing practices made the overall development process more streamlined and efficient. By automating collection, deployment, and testing, the company reduced time to market and achieved higher software quality, which ultimately resulted in the delivery of a top-notch healthcare solution to users.