Transforming 15 WinForms Developers into Full-Stack Engineers
How dedicated mentoring and custom framework patterns enabled a team-wide technology transition
Client: UK B2B insurance platform
Industry:Insurance & Benefits Solutions
Services:Strategic Technology Leadership
Key results at a glance
The challenge
The Problem
A B2B insurance platform had been running on a VB6 Windows Forms application with a WCF API layer for over five years. The system was increasingly difficult to extend, and the business needed to modernise to ASP.NET MVC.
The Challenge
- 15 developers with no web development experience
- Legacy VB6/WinForms application that needed phased migration
- No established patterns for the new architecture
- Production continuity required throughout transition
The migration wasn't just a technical challenge - it was a people challenge. You can't modernise a platform if the team doesn't know how to build for the web.
The results
Key results
- 15 WinForms developers transformed into full-stack engineers
- 20+ screens migrated from legacy VB6/WinForms application
- Team continued successfully after engagement ended
- Custom component patterns predated and aligned with Vue.js
- Systematic knowledge transfer through seminars and pair programming
Outcomes
Team Transformation
- 15 WinForms developers transformed into confident full-stack engineers
- Team continued successfully after the engagement ended
- Knowledge transfer proved sustainable beyond the consultant's departure
Technical Delivery
- 20+ screens migrated from VB6/WinForms to ASP.NET MVC
- Component patterns established that aligned with emerging frameworks
- API design supporting phased transition without production disruption
Lasting Impact
The company was later acquired, and contractors were released. But the upskilled team continued successfully - demonstrating that the transformation wasn't dependent on any individual.
Pattern Recognition
The custom jQuery framework predated Vue.js patterns by years. When Vue emerged as a viable option, the team's familiarity with component-based thinking made adoption natural. This validated the approach of building towards good patterns even when mainstream frameworks haven't caught up.
The solution
Our Approach
We combined technical delivery with systematic knowledge transfer.
Establishing Patterns
Within weeks, we became the recognised frontend authority, establishing patterns the team would follow:
- Custom jQuery framework: Implemented component-like patterns before modern frameworks made this standard
- Strangler pattern: Phased migration preserving production stability
- REST API design: Distributed architecture with facade patterns for the transition
The jQuery component framework was so similar to Vue.js that when Vue emerged later, adopting it felt natural - we had essentially been building towards the same concepts independently.
Team Development
Beyond writing code, we invested heavily in upskilling:
- Seminars and presentations: MVC.NET, REST API design, frontend development
- Peer reviews and code reviews: Establishing quality standards
- Pair programming sessions: Hands-on learning for complex implementations
- Bootstrap adoption: Consistent, maintainable frontend styling
Migration Delivery
Migrated 20+ screens from the legacy application:
- 10 screens completed independently
- 10 screens later refined when a dedicated UX developer joined
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