An Agile IT Platform for COVID-19 Contact Tracing with Intelligent Automation

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The Challenge

When the second wave of COVID-19 swept across Belgium, SMALS enlisted Cronos’ expertise to optimize the platform and underlying architecture for managing the call centers.

• Process Optimization and Generalization - Managing the call centers involved various tasks, from processing test results and calls to evaluating PLF forms and issuing certificates. One of the challenges was efficiently processing millions of process instances per day.

• Enabling Weekly Releases - The meetings of the oversight committee resulted in new functionalities for the application weekly, most of which had to be implemented within a week. This unusually fast pace required a development process capable of rapid iterations.

• Rapid Application of Business Rules - The business rules were constantly evolving and varied by region. This complex decision logic needed to be transparent not only to the regions themselves but also capable of almost instant modifications

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The Solution

A New Architecture

Cronos brainstormed an optimal strategy for contact tracing based on the regions’ needs, incorporating principles from CRM (customer relationship management).

Business Automation through a Low-Code Platform

The resulting IT application was developed using business-oriented DMN and BPMN models. The Camunda process engine was utilized to execute these models.

Key benefits:

• Analysis (DMN and BPMN models) drives implementation.
• Optimal reuse of functionalities and sub-processes.
• Business logic is managed by the business (analysts).
• Immediate implementation of changes under IT supervision.

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The Result

In less than two months, SMALS, realized a revamped process architecture. A complex puzzle of processes, business rules, forms, and integrations with external parties seamlessly came together to ensure the continuity of call centers.

• Today, tasks related to contacts, recruits, opportunities are all in one unified system rather than spreading out across different systems.
• The system provides a range of reports, dashboards, and analytics to drive continuous improvement and citizen development.