Intero - The Sniffers

In the dynamic field of environmental services, embracing innovative technologies is essential for maintaining a competitive edge. Intero - The Sniffers, a Belgian-based leader in emission monitoring and pipeline integrity services, recognized the potential of developing a mobile & web application to enhance their service delivery. With a strong foundation in C# development but new to Flutter, they sought the expertise of impaktfull, a digital partner specializing in mobile and web applications, to guide them through this transition.

The Challenge

Transitioning to Flutter presented several challenges for Intero - The Sniffers:

• Lack of Flutter Experience: While proficient in C#, the team had no prior experience with Flutter or its architectural paradigms.
• Architectural Decisions: Selecting an appropriate architecture that leveraged their existing knowledge while aligning with Flutter's best practices was crucial.
• Autonomy in Development: The goal was to enable the team to become self-sufficient in Flutter development, minimizing reliance on external support.

Our Approach

‍impaktfull adopted a coaching role, focusing on empowering Intero's team to build competence and confidence in Flutter development:

1. Assessment of Existing Knowledge: We began by understanding the team's familiarity with C# architectures and their current development practices.
2. Introduction to Flutter Architectures: We presented various Flutter architectural patterns, including:
   • Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM): Emphasizing a clear separation between the UI and business logic.
   • Riverpod: Offering a balance between simplicity and scalability.
3. Customized Minimalistic Example: To bridge the gap between familiar C# patterns and Flutter's paradigms, we developed a minimalistic architecture example. This example highlighted:
   • Integration of familiar design patterns with Flutter-specific implementations.
   • Simplified code structures to facilitate understanding.
4. Collaborative Decision-Making: Through a series of alignment sessions, we:
   • Discussed the pros and cons of each architectural approach.
   • Encouraged Intero to select and combine elements that resonated with their team's strengths and project needs.

Outcome

‍By integrating familiar C# architectural concepts with Flutter-specific implementations, Intero developed a hybrid architecture that:

• Enhanced Understanding: The minimalistic example provided clarity, making it easier for the team to grasp new concepts.
• Promoted Autonomy: The team felt empowered to make informed decisions, leading to increased confidence in their development process.
• Streamlined Development: The customised architecture facilitated a smoother and more efficient development journey.

Conclusion

‍At impaktfull, we believe in empowering teams to harness new technologies by building upon their existing strengths. Our collaboration with Intero - The Sniffers exemplifies how a tailored approach, combining familiar concepts with new paradigms, can lead to successful and autonomous adoption of new frameworks.