Increasing User Engagement by Rearchitecting, Scaling, and Enhancing Polco’s Digital Infrastructure
| Client | Industry | Solution Provided | Technologies Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polco | Civic Technology | Boosting engagement and improving user experience through digital product development and consulting services. | React, GraphQL, TypeScript, AWS, Heroku |
The Challenge
Polco, a civic technology company that provides a survey engagement space for local communities and governments, aimed to empower more communities to easily use its digital platform by refining its product's functionality and scaling its offerings. To do so, Polco was seeking a robust technical enhancement that could handle complex data integrations and deliver an intuitive user experience for both government officials and residents.
The Gorilla Logic Approach
Gorilla Logic partnered with Polco to overhaul its digital infrastructure, focusing on key areas of product development that would drive the most impact. The partnership involved:
- Redesigning the permissions system: Gorilla Logic engineers overhauled the existing broad and generic permissions system to a more granular and flexible structure using React and GraphQL. This refinement allowed for differentiated user roles, enhancing security and user experience.
- Developing a new product module: The 'Track Module' was created to integrate closely with Polco’s data science team, enhancing the way community data was collected, analyzed, and visualized. Using Postgres as a backend data store and GraphQL to maintain data models, Gorilla Logic developed the module to support advanced benchmark surveys and robust data visualization dashboards, allowing communities to compare and improve their metrics.
- Transitioning to a microservices architecture: Recognizing the limitations of a monolithic system, Gorilla Logic worked alongside Polco to begin the transition to a microservices architecture using AWS. This shift facilitated greater scalability, easier updates, and better performance across different platform functionalities.
- Implementing quick-win feature improvements: With Gorilla Logic’s help, Polco established a ‘Quick Wins’ team, enabling them to respond quickly and efficiently to client requests. Gorilla Logic team members collaborated directly with Polco’s end users, shortening response time from request to live production and bringing greater value to clients.
“The technical insights and product development expertise from Gorilla Logic have been crucial in transforming our platform. Their commitment to integrating with our team and understanding our mission has made a significant difference."–Tracie Anderson, VP of Technology, Polco |
Business Outcomes
The partnership with Gorilla Logic led to transformative outcomes for Polco, positioning them as a leader in civic technology:
- Enhanced product flexibility and security: The new permissions system allowed for differentiated user roles and improved security protocols in the platform, which significantly enhanced user trust and satisfaction.
- Innovative community engagement tools: The development of the Track Module introduced new functionalities for data analysis and visualization, providing community leaders and residents with powerful analytics tools to understand and improve their locales. The Track Module also provided the foundation for Polco to begin transitioning from professional services to a product-led company.
- Increased system scalability and performance: By adopting a microservices architecture, Polco can now more efficiently manage its resources and scale specific aspects of its services without compromising the entire platform.
The Impact
These advancements have not only solidified Polco’s reputation as a pioneer in civic technology but also enhanced their ability to meet the needs of its user base of community members and government officials. The technical prowess and strategic guidance provided by Gorilla Logic have enabled Polco to deliver a more dynamic and responsive service, leading to increased engagement and better decision-making in the communities they serve.
