Skip to main content

SFM Insurance

Jul 2005 to May 2007​

Consultant: 1 year, 11 months

Roles: Architect and Senior Software Engineer

Technologies: Adobe ColdFusion, Oracle

Project​

SFM (State Fund Mutual) is a large insurance underwriter specializing in workers' compensation insurance.

SFM needed an extranet for customer and partner access to internal systems.

The solution was a custom-built, enterprise grade, extranet, which automating manual processes and off-loaded customer support.

An intranet was added to the project to streamline onboarding, facilitate internal communications, and support numerous HR and technology functions.

Challenges​

With no prior industry or insurance experience, I needed to learn the business well enough to communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Insurance is heavily regulated. Changing a single word can trigger a regulatory review, which is to be avoided at all costs.

Ensure the development team understood internet technologies. My goal was to seamlessly transition my development work to the customer. The customer development team had no internet experience as they were focused on client-server technologies.

Activities​

The client relied on my previous internet and architecture experience to guide them through the process - from concept to information architecture to development, implementation, and support.

Built an extranet and integrated it with SFM's enterprise systems.

Built an intranet, which is used for a range of activities, including, onboarding, internal communications, customer service, and numerous other functions (HR, payroll, support, technology, etc.).

Taught internet technologies to the development staff.

Results​

As the Architect I designed the extranet and the intranet. Including front end, back end infrastructure and processes, security, and training programs.

As a Senior Software Engineer I implemented the extranet and intranet and transitioned all work to SFM's development staff, which was focused on client-server development.

My consulting contract was extended 3 times, for 6 months at a time.