Forplaner GmbH

Future-proof spatial planning

Programming challenges

People sit together at an office desk and look at a large monitor.
  • Customer since
    2021
  • Location
    Dortmund
  • Industry
    Digital Start-up
  • Service
    Mobile App / Web App | DXP / CMS | Design, UX & UI

Identify settlement areas and infrastructure

FORPLANERTOOLS is a constantly growing digital platform with which settlement areas and infrastructures can be developed in a needs-based and future-proof manner during spatial planning. The platform's tools (currently Demografieinfo, Demografierechner and Kapazitätsplaner) can be used individually or in combination. Thanks to an uncomplicated data export, planners can easily connect the results to existing desktop solutions and process them in common office applications.

Forplaner GmbH needed a competent partner to implement the software: the digital agency Krankikom used its extensive expertise to develop FORPLANERTOOLS step by step. Programming the customised platform was a challenge because the complex applications are based on large amounts of data. An important focus during development was on a user-friendly application for the users. The product is already being used successfully on the market.

A computer display on which a Forplaner customer reference from the Krankikom GmbH portfolio is presented.
Close-up of a person's hand pointing at a laptop screen, wearing a smartwatch
Individual using the Forplaner application on a laptop in a clean and organized workspace. | © Freepik Premium licence @ hkwai1012
Opened laptop with the Forplaner application, which is located on a couch.

Digitalisation of spatial planning

In spatial planning, decisions are made whose effects are often only recognisable years or decades later. This makes the process a complex and challenging task. In order to be able to make future-oriented decisions, Krankikom was asked to develop a well-founded and user-friendly digital platform for Forplaner GmbH.

A user-friendly digital platform

The existing extensive collection of desktop-based digital tools was to be transferred to the FORPLANERBOX in order to provide users (e.g. in authorities and planning offices) with a particularly user-friendly digital application via the browser. This will enable users to directly recognise the need for action, find development potential, develop optimal planning strategies and compare planning alternatives, as well as provide assessment results quickly and clearly.

Customised software solution with Krankikom

Forplaner GmbH needed a customised software solution and found this expertise at Krankikom with its 50 permanently employed developers.

A man with a beard and glasses is working at a computer in an office and wearing headphones. | © Photo: Ilja Kagan, 2022

Scalable and future-orientated architecture

Krankikom has developed a future-proof and growth-capable architecture on which the various tools have been implemented step by step. Further tools can be added in the future. The data was available in the form of complex Excel modelling. Krankikom also wanted to enable the connection of third-party solutions. An important issue in this project was the scalability of the architecture and the technologies used in order to meet future requirements and extensions to the functional scope of FORPLANERBOX as well as the growing number of users. When selecting the technology, attention was paid to future viability and openness, and the data platform was set up on a Pimcore basis.

Back end and front end for efficient planning processes

All FORPLANERBOX modules and users can access the data platform. It therefore reflects the role and rights model of the software.

The various FORPLANERBOX modules each consist of a back end, in which users with the appropriate rights create the basic data for planning, and a front end, in which users work with this data to run through, display and analyse future scenarios in a clear and user-friendly way in the shortest possible time. The FORPLANERBOX modules can import data directly from the file exchange platform without manual intervention and store the results of analyses directly there.

Agile development and continuous customer feedback

Krankikom used agile development methods to develop the required tools step by step and continuously incorporate feedback from the customer. Regular test phases are carried out during the development process to ensure that the tools fulfil the expected functions and handle the scientific data correctly.

Successful market launch and expansion

FORPLANERTOOLS is an advanced software platform that offers versatile tools for the needs-based development of settlement areas and infrastructure by optimising planning processes.

FORPLANERTOOLS is currently being successfully launched on the market. Forplaner GmbH is expanding throughout Germany and Europe.

Laptop showing Forplaner application interface with analytical graphs and data.
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