Legacy Rating System
How Skapa Modernized a Legacy Rating System with a Secure, Offline Web App
Top-Line Metrics
- Legacy Windows app modernized — A dated desktop tool was rebuilt as a clean, responsive web application using React and Tailwind CSS.
- Fully offline with local data storage — All data stays on the user's machine via IndexedDB—no cloud dependency, no data privacy concerns.
- Backward-compatible with existing data — Full compatibility with the legacy app's XML files, so teams could migrate without losing historical work.
- Modular scoring engine — Complex scoring logic was rebuilt as reusable, unit-tested components, simplifying maintenance and future updates.
About the Client
A national environmental consulting organization engaged Skapa to rebuild a legacy desktop application used for hazard ranking assessments. The existing tool, originally developed as a Windows-only application, needed a more modern and user-friendly interface while maintaining data security and compatibility with existing data.
The Problem
The client had a legacy, but critical, tool for internal environmental assessments, but it was built on outdated architecture. The client needed to move to a modern, standalone web application. One that offered a more intuitive experience while ensuring that sensitive and proprietary data would never be stored in the cloud.
The Solution
Skapa re-architected the application as a secure, web-based tool using modern front-end frameworks and offline storage technologies:
- Frontend Stack: Built in React with Tailwind CSS for a clean and responsive UI
- Local Data Storage: Used IndexedDB to enable secure local storage with no cloud dependency
- Third-Party Integration: Connected to external services to download updated reference data
- Automated Reference Data Management: Streamlined data maintenance by automatically updating reference data, eliminating the need for users to manually refresh or manage data updates
- Data Compatibility: Ensured full backward compatibility with XML files from the legacy Windows app
- Document Generation: Enabled users to generate printable MS Word versions of scoring reports
- Modular Architecture: Scoring logic was built as modular components with unit tests to ensure accuracy and simplify future updates
- Development Efficiency: Identified and implemented reusable components across scoring modules to reduce future development time
The Conclusion
The newly designed web application retained all the core functionality of the original tool while modernizing the user experience and eliminating the need for cloud data storage. Skapa's architecture streamlines data maintenance through automated reference data updates, removing the need for manual refreshes and reducing user effort. The design also allows the client to maintain complete control of their data, extend functionality with ease, and lays the foundation for future enhancements, without starting from scratch.
Skapa helped a national environmental organization migrate a legacy hazard scoring tool to a secure, modern web application. The solution enabled offline access, streamlined workflows, and simplified maintenance, all while maintaining backward compatibility and strict data privacy.