Modern McGuire Productions
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Modern McGuire Productions

MMS Education

Transforming School Market Access for MMS Education

Our Scope

Customer Portal, Operations Dashboard

Services

Hosting, Support & Maintenance, Data Migration

Technology

Laravel

About the Client

MMS Education is a trusted partner in providing educational solutions that connect schools, educators, and organizations. They specialize in creating platforms and systems that streamline processes and enhance educational outcomes. One of their key projects is the School Market Access platform, which helps school districts across the U.S. apply for funding from nationwide Dairy Councils and other organizations. These funds support initiatives like healthier meal programs, kitchen upgrades, and physical activity programs in schools.

Challenges of an Outdated Platform

MMS Education’s School Market Access (SMA) platform had been in use for many years. Over time, it had undergone numerous updates and modifications from different developers. As a result, the platform accumulated a significant amount of technical debt, making it difficult to maintain and scale. Additionally, the platform’s functionality no longer aligned with the evolving needs of users. MMS Education needed a solution that modernized the platform while retaining its essential elements, particularly the existing database structure. Modern McGuire Productions stepped in to help.

A Fresh Start: Redesigning with Purpose

We approached this project as a "greenfield" opportunity, meaning we started fresh – using the old system as a historical reference. The goal was to redefine the platform’s functionality, focusing on how it should work, rather than how it used to. This allowed MMS Education to break free from limitations and imagine new possibilities.

A critical part of the process was collaborating closely with the client to redefine requirements and address any “pain points” from the previous system. We prioritized creating a platform that streamlined the user experience for both school districts and admins. This included building out features like:

  • An intuitive application system where admins could create and manage funding applications.

  • Advanced customization options for application questions, including validation rules and dependent questions.

  • Seamless integration with the existing database schema, ensuring a smooth transition between the old and new systems.

By maintaining the database structure but expanding its capabilities, we avoided any downtime during the transition. The old system, SMA3, continued to run while the new system, SMA4, gradually took over for critical applications.

A Future-Ready Solution for Schools

Our collaboration with MMS Education resulted in a modernized platform that met the current needs of school districts and administrators alike. The first phase of the project, launched in Spring 2023, was a success, with the platform handling applications for the new funding season. As we continue to migrate additional functionality to SMA4, MMS Education is better equipped to support schools across the country with a more efficient and future-proof system.

This project highlights the power of redefining requirements and breaking free from outdated systems to create a solution that’s built for the future.

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