Sparkbox Parking: A Modernized Evolution of Design and Development

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, it's crucial for organizations to stay ahead of the curve by continuously innovating and improving their online presence. For DP&L, this meant revamping their eServices application while simultaneously introducing a more robust outage map that would leverage advancements in their Outage Management System.

The design process began with a modernized evolution of the existing system, with our team at Sparkbox approaching the challenge by thinking about how we could reuse elements in future applications and sites. By incorporating a design system into our development efforts, we made it easier to reuse components and promote consistency throughout the platform.

One of the key factors that enabled us to deliver this vital feature was the use of source control (GitHub) and long-lived feature branches. This allowed us to integrate the new outage map into production with minimal disruption to other features in flight. Additionally, these branches granted us the flexibility to pivot priorities as needed, ensuring that we could launch the outage map before some originally prioritized features were integrated.

The improved outage map was not initially part of our scope when we began working on MyDP&L. However, the long-lived feature branch approach enabled us to deliver iterative improvements that the DP&L integration team could launch when they were ready internally. Our experience with MyDP&L has been overwhelmingly positive, and we're confident that this approach will continue to yield successful results.

By collaborating closely with the internal integration team at Sparkbox, we've been able to achieve a seamless integration of our work into their existing infrastructure. This partnership has allowed us to deliver high-quality features that meet the evolving needs of DP&L's customers while staying within budget. As priorities shift and new opportunities arise, we're well-positioned to adapt and respond with innovative solutions that drive success for our clients.

In conclusion, Sparkbox parking represents a modernized evolution of design and development, one that prioritizes flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement. By embracing these principles, we've been able to deliver exceptional results for DP&L, setting the stage for future growth and innovation in the eServices application space.