From six months to four weeks: We helped Howden supercharge processes
How does the global insurance and risk advisor describe working with Vega IT?
Howden is a global insurance and risk advisor. A home for 15,000 talented professionals in the fields of broking, risk management, underwriting, and reinsurance. Since joining forces in 2020, our collaboration spans across four distinct sectors. A unified vision. Common goals. Seamless synergy. Those are the pillars of our partnership.
Built on an entrepreneurial, people-first culture, Howden combines local market knowledge with international reach, supporting clients across a wide range of industries.
The company works with organisations of all sizes, providing insurance, reinsurance, and risk advisory services tailored to real business needs. With a clear focus on long-term partnerships and continuous improvement, Howden actively invests in technology and digital capabilities to scale efficiently and support its rapid growth.
Howden’s xTrade team had built multiple applications that enable Howden to digitize certain operations and streamline processes for different lines of business.
Although this approach proved to work, it unveiled a series of new challenges for the client, including:
High implementation and ownership costs
Digitizing each new product or line of business required a range of processes, including software development, infrastructure setup, and integrations with existing systems.
Beyond the costs of implementation, Howden struggled with the ongoing expenses associated with the system maintenance and upgrades.
Therefore, the client’s goal was to optimize the process without compromising the quality or scope of their digitization efforts.
Performance issues and slow time to market
Due to the limitations of their existing digital solution, the client needed help to accurately predict delivery timelines, which resulted in project delays and slow time to market.
To address those challenges, xTrade was looking for a comprehensive and scalable digital solution that would minimize delays in app development, testing, and deployment. Their primary goal was to develop a Proof of Concept (PoC) solution over a six-week period.
Furthermore, they wanted to digitize approximately 200 products by the year 2030.
xTrade was looking for dedicated software development experts who would work in sync with their in-house team. In addition to delivering extensive technical knowledge, they wanted to hire a reliable partner who understands the InsurTech sector and all of its challenges, values, and complexities. That’s exactly what sets us apart from other software development companies.
To meet the client’s requirements, we developed a team consisting of six software engineers, two QA engineers, a software architect, and a Scrum Master.
We helped xTrade optimize processes on multiple levels. Here are some of them:
Configuration files
xTrade’s platform is based on specific configuration files. They rely on unique syntax and semantics tailored to their specific requirements.
These configuration files are used for the comprehensive display and design of the platform. They determine its functionality, the complexity of the workflow, and the visual presentation of its various components.
By simply adding the necessary configuration files, the product digitization process is significantly accelerated. What once took months or even years to accomplish can now be accomplished in a week. This fast turnaround time not only increases efficiency but also ensures that the platform remains agile and adaptable to evolving needs.
Furthermore, the modular nature of configuration files facilitates scalability. That is exactly what ensures that the platform remains scalable and future-proof.
One configurable platform
We developed a unique platform adapted to all digitized products. The platform enables the use of configuration files, which describe the various behaviors as well as provide the visual representation of specific components.
The configuration files not only detail product-specific attributes but also outline the integration process with third-party services.
Test automated platform
We identified manual testing as one of the client’s most significant performance issues. Namely, given that they have a large volume of products, testing all of them manually would consume lots of their time and effort. Not to mention that the manual testing and regression testing needed for adapting products to new changes would be impossible without automated processes.
Given the specifics of xTrade’s platform and the configuration files, we decided to leverage automation that aligns with these configuration files. Using the code generator, we could efficiently process many products and produce a tailored test automation suite for each one.
Through regular code generator maintenance, we can easily generate test automation suites for new batches of products and incorporate new features with ease. This approach allows the client and us, as their tech partner, to adapt to the evolving system requirements.
The implementation of versioning
We worked on managing changes in configuration files that describe individual projects. At the same time, we needed to maintain compatibility with existing and new data. We chose to implement versioning, where each dataset created for a specific product corresponds to a particular version of its configuration files.
To streamline this process, we developed an API that automates versioning. The automation process removes the need for product specialists to manually structure configuration files. That way, the overall product configuration management process became more accurate, efficient, and less time-consuming.
The team at Vega has been much more than a development partner for us. First and foremost, you are thought partners. We’ve worked together to solve highly complex problems to create a bespoke, low-code platform. It’s fair to say that the quality of development talent has also been exceptional, but this would have been of limited value if you hadn’t helped by bringing critical thinking and design capability.
Historically, the client’s software delivery process was slow and costly. That is where we, as xTrade’s software development partner, stepped in, helping them overcome their thorniest challenges.
A Proof of Concept app launched in 12 days
Initially, we developed the Proof of Concept application, proving that the client’s idea was achievable and viable. Most importantly, we successfully launched the platform within 12 days.
This solution encompassed the digitalization of two products through a centralized platform. After the six-week period, the client decided to keep collaborating with us as their tech partner to help them develop the MVP solution.
The MVP rolled out in three months
In collaboration with the xTrade team, we successfully completed the MVP in just three months. Currently, our focus lies on improving the platform and expanding its scope to include additional products through the digitization process.
Accelerated time to market
One of the achievements both the client and us are proud of is the reduced time to market. Within the past four weeks, we’ve achieved what formerly required a six-month timeframe.
We also helped the client streamline change management processes, facilitating prompt adjustments to stakeholder and client requirements within hours.
Finally, we stabilized infrastructure expenses despite accelerated product releases. That is how we minimized the risk of exponential cost escalation caused by duplicating environments, components, and so forth.
Deep technical expertise and collaboration
We worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the client’s in-house team. We weren’t only an extension of their in-house team. We were their technical partners and innovators who constantly provided thought-provoking insights and innovative solutions that helped the client stand out. We were one team, working together to deliver highly innovative solutions.
We deeply appreciate Vega IT’s proactive approach to understanding and aligning with our objectives. This symbiotic relationship has been instrumental in fostering innovation and expediting project delivery. We eagerly anticipate further successful collaboration in the future.
