In the following article you can read more about how the cooperation between Thinkwise and Cito started. In the upcoming second part we will elaborate on the implementation of the Thinkwise Platform.
Key takeaways
- Cito has chosen the Thinkwise Platform to develop a future-proof software platform
- Thanks to low-code software, Cito’s applications can quickly and easily adapt to developments in the education sector
- The choice for Thinkwise was made because of the technological and functional fit with the requirements of Cito
Meet Peter Dam
Peter has worked as an Enterprise Architect at Cito since 2017. “As an Enterprise Architect, I have a helicopter view of the organization. This enables me to design the target architecture and ensure that this is implemented correctly. Because Cito’s IT landscape was extensive, fragmented and complex, we were keen to explore a different approach,” says Peter.
Cito started with restructuring the development teams and defining new architecture principles, with a focus on innovation. Peter: “We wanted to spend 80% of our time on modernization and the remaining 20% on maintenance. But after a year it became apparent that we were still quite a way off from that.”
Low-code, proof of value & proof of concept
From that moment Peter and his colleagues started to investigate new technologies in more detail. They quickly turned to low-code and no-code. The Cito software developers were closely involved in the subsequent selection procedure. Peter: “after all, developers are the ones with the expertise inf the range of the company’s processes.”
To ensure that Thinkwise would optimally meet Cito’s requirements in terms of technology and functionality, Cito had several technical concepts tested extensively. The Proof of Value indicated the extent to which the organizations understand each other and the value that the Thinkwise Platform could offer. With a Proof of Concept, Thinkwise also demonstrated the technological possibilities and functional capability of the platform.
Peter: “You have to keep an open mind and be willing to look at software development in a different way. With Thinkwise we would have to work within a certain structure and uniformity, with higher productivity as a result. This took some getting used to, but if you embrace this method of working then Thinkwise offers a toolbox to quickly get you started. I have found this a very enjoyable experience during the past year.”
Co-creation
Peter and his colleagues were very enthusiastic about the Thinkwise Platform. “Even so, we still missed a few specific features in the platform, which involved the delivery of software to third parties. To give a simple example, when an order comes in, we need to start managing that license. That license’s data then needs to be made available to a lot of other applications in the outside world. So, together with Thinkwise, I designed an independent messaging service protocol. This is now an integral part of the platform.” The extension of OAuth 2.0 is also the result of this pleasant co-creation. Peter: “We are now able to easily interface with the various authentication tools that are important in education in the Thinkwise platform.”
Sneak Peek part 2 – Implementation of the platform
In the next part of this article, we will discuss the implementation of the platform.
Peter: “We built the new student tracking system in six months. That is pretty unique. It is a great advantage that we are able to work so efficiently using the Thinkwise Platform.”