Empowering crop delivery and monitoring software

Client

Our partner is an American agricultural holding dealing with a wide spectrum of crops. As their in-house team actively expanded, reaching 100+ employees, the demand for significant improvements emerged. The company experienced an increased flow of inquiries for its products and services, leading to compelling enhancements in core processes and the establishment of new functionalities.

Challenge

The client aimed to make dynamic changes in two critical areas of their operations. This involved strengthening the supply chain with robust tracking systems and revamping the structure of crop monitoring systems. Launching the project implementation on the fly was essential. Given the current market’s pace, even minor delays could lead to a significant drop in production quality, causing disruptions and hindering business scaling. To address these challenges, the following issues were identified:

• Empowering supervision: Redesigning the existing crop monitoring systems to ensure seamless integration.
• Improving communication: Establishing effective means of communication between parties involved in delivery processes.
• Creating a reporting system: Implementing a user-friendly system for reporting emergencies and submitting insurance reports.
• Establishing data storage: Building an extensive and scalable storage system for electronic reports and supply chain data, including crop yield statuses.
• Supply chain enhancement: Strengthening the existing supply chain with a primary focus on quality and speed.

Process

Initiation

In preparation for the project launch, the Modsen team engaged in a series of client interactions to gain a comprehensive understanding of core tasks. This process facilitated the allocation of resources and ensured careful oversight of technical aspects.

Collaboration and data gathering: Through a series of online meetings with the client, we gained a deep understanding of their fundamental business goals. The data acquired was meticulously analyzed by our business analyst, leading to the identification of crucial considerations.

Planning and resource allocation: Our project manager conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the client’s specific business objectives, taking into account both immediate needs and long-term strategic goals, paving the way for the development of a detailed strategy and a thorough examination of the budget requirements, ensuring precise alignment with the client’s aspirations and the project’s overarching vision.

Technical management: The active participation of our Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Eugene Kalugin ensured the seamless execution of the development process from start to finish. Eugene played a pivotal role in making informed decisions regarding architecture and the technology stack.

Discovering

All challenging objectives standing before Modsen experts were addressed them properly securing the smooth development process. The deliberate adoption of the Agile methodology for this project was paramount, given its demonstrated track record in facilitating swift and efficient development across our previous endeavors.

With one particular aspect in mind, our experts proceeded to organize the acquired data through a series of comprehensive analyses conducted by both our business analyst and project manager. This process greatly contributed to forming a clear understanding of UI and UX design, as well as the technologies to be employed for crop loss mitigation software in the upcoming development. The final preparations were executed in collaboration with our client, who provided a thorough review of Modsen developers' efforts and suggested changes in various areas.

Development

To ensure the seamless execution of the development process, the Modsen team adhered to the Scrum methodology by breaking down multiple stages into smaller, more manageable ones. The extensive experience of working in this manner provided a high level of flexibility, resulting in an accelerated development pace that fully met the client’s demands.

Infrastructure

Given the demands of developing custom crop monitoring software, Modsen’s developers explored comprehensive approaches to maximize loss mitigation and prevent any disruptions. To ensure optimal crop yield and effective fieldwork monitoring in our crop monitoring solution, our expert developers harnessed the potential of Node.js as a robust framework capable of tracking and processing multiple streams of data. This same tool was leveraged by the company in the future to enhance crop delivery management. Key considerations for our choice included:

Database systems: Considering the substantial amount of real-time data processed in our crop monitoring software, our team designed a robust database management system (DBMS) that includes a comprehensive application programming interface (API) and report specification interface (RSI). After thorough tuning, the DBMS proved to be well-suited for extensive and efficient storage.

Server architecture: The Modsen development team crafted a well-rounded server architecture with a primary focus on swift crop quality control, efficient processing, and risk mitigation, achieved through high-performance levels and failover mechanisms.

Security measures: Implementing encryption protocols, XSS filters and remote control systems ensures the security of the vast quantities of data stored within the extensive database.

Scalability: As the volume of grain processing continues to grow, our system will adapt smoothly. Node.js, with its asynchronous model, can handle multiple workloads without significant performance degradation.

Architecture

Intending to craft a robust architecture for our harvest management software, Modsen’s experts took a decisive step by harnessing the power of JavaScript within our existing Node.js framework. This strategic combination of technologies allowed us to meet the following client needs:

Ensuring data integrity: The implementation of microservices expanded the range of operations that could occur within a specific timeframe. This, coupled with the asynchronous processing of data, significantly boosted the overall performance of our real-time crop monitoring solution.

Building a resilient backend database: Within the JavaScript framework, the Modsen team explored various options to establish a comprehensive and efficient database. We chose MySQL as our relational database management system (RDBMS), as it offers numerous benefits that align perfectly with our clients’ requirements.

Enhanced data exchange: In response to the increasing volume of data related to crop quality and delivery control, our development team made swift improvements to our infrastructure systems and fine-tuned the implemented methods to perfection.

Coding and quality assurance

Crafting the well-rounded frontend and backend systems for crops and delivery monitoring software was swiftly addressed by the Modsen team enabling them to combine the core strengths of the utilized set of tools to successfully meet quality assurance testing.

Front-end with JavaScript: Leveraging JavaScript’s capabilities, our expert developers created an appealing, intuitive, and interactive design. The frontend solution provided comprehensive visualization, including crop health monitoring, harvest management metrics, crop loss prevention results, and fieldwork reporting.

Back-end with Node JS: Our choice of Node JS ensured a high level of flexibility. Its eventdriven nature streamlined development processes while enabling the implementation of essential functionalities, such as grain processing tracking and fieldwork monitoring, offering ample room for enhancements and the potential for rapid scaling.

Quality assurance: Throughout the implementation process, our team conducted rigorous testing to ensure the integrity and accuracy of each feature, which included ensuring the proper functioning of implemented microservices. The result was a complex, yet wellrounded and user-friendly custom crop monitoring software that inspires confidence in the client, offering the potential for further scaling and a robust structure to support smooth internal processes.

Regular demos for client

Collecting valuable feedback from our client’s representatives is a crucial element in shaping the ultimate crop monitoring solution that fulfills all requirements. Stakeholders consistently approved each solution iteration, and Modsen’s team actively involved them in shaping the final software design.

Third-party audit

Conducting a third-party audit was vital to ensure the security and compliance of our crop management software. Our development team rigorously assessed code-level security, and infrastructure compliance, and obtained security certifications, aligning with industry-specific standards for crop management software in the US.

Acceptance testing

To ensure client satisfaction and evaluate the solution’s potential, our team conducted a series of acceptance tests, making room for essential improvements. Feedback received during testing was promptly addressed before the final release of the fully designed crop monitoring and processing software.

Closing

The project approached its conclusion, our client received a comprehensive custom crop monitoring software, meticulously crafted by Modsen’s experts. This software offers extensive functionality, including delivery tracking, risk management, and loss prevention with risk mitigation features. To optimize the use of this powerful toolset, our development team provided comprehensive guidelines for maximum efficiency.

Comprehensive monitoring and tracking software: The software’s launch encompasses a wide array of functions, covering multiple aspects of crop maintenance and cargo delivery optimization.

Robust codebase: The combination of a strong backend and highly intuitive frontend functionalities ensures complete control and flexibility for the client’s effective operations.

Technical and business analyst documentation: Detailed technical documentation outlines the architecture, technology stack, and technical specifications of the crop and delivery monitoring software.

Solution

Through close collaboration with our client and a commitment to evolving potential and resolving challenges, the Modsen team successfully delivered the desired outcome. Our Agile approach, emphasizing flexibility, enabled us to provide our partner with crop traceability and monitoring software capable of handling specific workloads effectively.

Key Technical Aspects:

• Ample storage: A broadened storage capacity ensures efficient processing and monitoring of crop-related data.
• Accurate traceability: Real-time surveillance and management of the company's crop delivery processes, ensuring precision and reliability.
• Enhanced tracking: Effective monitoring and processing of crop and grain quality to meet industry standards.
• User-friendly interface: An appealing and comprehensive visualization of crop health data for user convenience.
• High scalability: Seamless integration with existing solutions and expanded fieldwork monitoring capabilities.