Web app / Dashboard

Streamlining internal processes for real estate companies with a JointJS-based space planner

Services
Web app development
Industry
Real estate
Years
2019-2020

Common Areas

Common Areas is a robust platform that increases teams’ productivity by uniting people, properties, and processes with software tailored to unique multi-location operations. Combining different solutions into one platform, they help their customers manage work across multiple locations, track all equipment and inventory, gather historical data about these assets, manage repairs, and create reliable reports.

About the project

When we were approached by the client, they were looking for a development team that specializes in Rappid (later JointJS+) – a JS-based toolkit for building visual tools that could team up with their internal development team. Our first task was to verify if the desired goal, building an interactive space planner, was possible to be achieved with Rappid. After the hypothesis was validated positively with a Proof of Concept, we proceeded with building the actual module for the platform and supporting the client’s team with some other development challenges.

Our tasks

Integrating the platform with Rappid

The platform was initially built with Vue.js. In the first phase of the project, our job was to configure Rappid (JointJS+) and then use it to build an additional feature for the platform: a space planner.

Building a Zapier integration

In the second phase of the project, we proceeded with the space planner and integrated it with Zapier to let the platform’s users set Zaps to search the databases, get notifications, or create new elements.

01

Challenges

1. Validating the hypothesis of using Rappid (JointJS+) to solve the case

Even though the client was looking for a tech partner who specializes in Rappid (JointJS+), they were also considering other tools/technologies (e.g. Draw.io). Our first task was to build a Proof of Concept that would verify whether Rappid was the right technology for this job.

2. Making space managing easy and efficient

The module of the platform that we were working on was supposed to help users manage their office spaces with all their equipment and inventories. In order to streamline communication between people responsible for different jobs regarding the same properties, we needed to cover different scenarios and let multiple people work on the same project but with different levels of access and different permissions.

3. Adjusting Rappid (JointJS+) to the requirements

Rappid (JointJS+) turned out to be the best choice for the task but it wasn’t able to serve its purpose as requested by the client. In order to make it align with the requirements, we needed to add custom functionality to the library that would display and handle dynamic data between different elements, create new elements based on the data from the database, and track relations between these elements. These features would allow users to configure space plans using different – custom or imported as pictures – elements representing different assets, group them, and work on them simultaneously.

4. Using Zapier to let users integrate the platform with other tools

The idea was to use Zapier to let users get notifications and updates about the properties of their interest, search databases, and create new elements by uploading CSV files.

Working with Neoteric was a real pleasure! They are communicative, they put the customer’s needs first, and fully commit to the product’s success. The quality of their work is very good, so was the whole process of development.

Aaron Seabaugh, CTO, Common Areas

02

Solutions

1. Building a PoC to validate the hypothesis in 1 month

In order to validate the hypothesis of using Rappid (JointJS) to create the space planner module, we ran a quick Proof of Concept. This small project let us confirm that we can achieve the goal with the chosen tech stack before engaging in a long-term commitment. It also let the client see if there was a cultural fit between their in-house team and Neoteric, to get to know our dev team, and test them in combat.

2. Developing the feature with Rappid (JointJS+)

The requested feature was designed to let users plan the location of office furniture and equipment, catalog all the properties, assign them to people responsible for these assets, and set the schedule for all the inspections and maintenance works.

3. Adding extra features bringing a better user experience

In order to make the planner easy and convenient to use, we added features that allowed users to upload pictures of items (furniture, equipment), draw different elements, or add annotations.

4. Supporting the client’s internal team with the development of their project

After building a space planner feature utilizing Rappid (JointJS+), we were able to support the client’s team with different challenges that arose during the next phases of the development of the platform. After they implemented Rappid on the Vue.js platform, we helped them develop it further.

5. Building a Zapier integration plugin

Our integration plugin lets users create various Zaps (automated workflows between their apps, consisting of a trigger and an action) to create new elements by uploading CSV files, get notifications and updates about properties of their interest, combine data from different databases, and even send it to external contractors to streamline the fixes and other works related to maintenance of the properties.

Technology we used

Rappid

Vue JS

Cordova

03

Project Results

Streamlining the process of managing office spaces

With the new space planner, it is easy for its users to manage work across multiple locations, plan the location of all equipment and inventory, track them, and manage the repairs. All these simple adjustments to their work let the teams be more productive and manage their properties more efficiently – regardless of their roles and locations.

Serving different types of users

Managing the office space is not a job for a one-man army. Thanks to its features, the space planner lets many people from different departments (and sometimes different companies) manage different tasks related to maintenance of the office space – just like the whole Common Areas platform.

Conclusion

Projects with Common Areas were a real pleasure. Quick contact, creativity, and openness are features that were shared during both projects. Integration with Zappier seemed a challenge but due to the very good cooperation, it went smoothly and successfully.

Ariane Hinz, Delivery Manager, Neoteric

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