Introduction

The company was a subsidiary of a major multinational corporation. Its operations spanned multiple industries, including industrial automation, healthcare software solutions, automotive software, big data, and more recently, cloud and artificial intelligence-related solutions. Nearly 2000 employees were based in Hungary across various teams. The projects were international in scope, with major teams in Germany and a growing presence in India. Depending on the project, module, and version, teams from Hungary, Germany, and India collaborated on various solutions.

The Story

The team worked on a module within an industrial automation software, collaborating with several other teams. This software enabled factories to configure and connect Siemens-type drives, motors, and PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers). The team developed new features and resolved bugs based on client requirements. They also modelled new devices within the software according to defined rules and integrated them into the broader, large-scale solution.

The Challenge

Addressing the Problem

The project had clearly defined requirements set annually. These needs were identified well in advance and were continuously updated based on client feedback. Examples included modeling and integrating new Siemens hardware, which was in high demand among clients, and enhancing existing functionality to support simpler configurations with more options.

Time and Resources

The project had been under development since the early 2000s, involving over 10 teams, each consisting of approximately 6–9 members, including developers, testers, scrum masters, and product owners. In the broader context—including embedded software development for hardware and other related modules—the number of teams involved was significantly larger. Each team worked with its own testing tools and hardware.

Technology and Methodology

The project utilized an older .NET framework (possibly .NET 4.8), with no opportunity to upgrade to newer versions. It relied heavily on proprietary Siemens technologies, including files, descriptions, and communication protocols. The methodology combined Agile and Waterfall approaches: hardware development followed Waterfall, while software development followed Agile. Due to this mix, full adherence to Agile practices was not possible. Version releases typically occurred a few times per year.

Challenges

The project faced numerous challenges, including working with an outdated framework, managing a large and complex codebase, and coping with high team turnover. There were many dependencies on hardware implementation, other teams, and shared components, which made performance improvements difficult. The UX team was established only about 15 years after the project began, and this delay was reflected in the software, making usability improvements challenging. Many issues lacked straightforward solutions, so the team worked with them as best they could. To improve communication and establish best practices, various focus groups were created, such as the Code Quality Group and the Performance Group. Teams delegated members to these groups to share information more efficiently across different areas.

Milestones and Exciting Events

A major new version of the software was released every year, with hotfixes and updates issued throughout the year. Knowledge transfer and module handovers to new or different teams were key milestones in the development process.

The Results

The client, represented by the German parent company, was satisfied with the results, and new projects continued to be brought to Hungary. Many colleagues from the team were promoted to leadership roles, such as architects and product owners, which reflected the project's success. These advancements also highlighted the value and recognition of the team's contributions.