CASE STUDY
Building a Robust Operations Power App to Replace a Maxed‑Out SharePoint Site
INTRODUCTION
An internal SharePoint 2013 site was originally developed to support the safety review and operations permitting process for over 100 concurrent research and development projects. Over time, the system became increasingly inefficient and difficult to maintain. Researchers and managers were required to navigate a fragmented process involving outdated InfoPath forms, email-based approvals, manually updated spreadsheets, and document libraries that had exceeded practical limits.
As frustrations mounted, users expressed a clear preference for reverting to paper-based workflows rather than engaging with the existing system. Recognizing the operational and compliance risks associated with this legacy platform, the organization engaged M&S to design and implement a more robust, scalable solution.
The Challenge
The existing system presented multiple technical and functional constraints.
Each time an experiment was modified users were required to re-initiate the entire permitting process. This compounded administrative burden across hundreds of projects, resulting in delays and frustration.
Legacy Technology
The platform was based on SharePoint 2013 and InfoPath, both of which are no longer supported or well-suited for complex workflow automation.
Manual Overhead
Stakeholders relied heavily on spreadsheets, email chains, and recurring data calls to coordinate updates and generate reports.
Fragmented Workflows
Safety reviews, approvals, training compliance, and document tracking were handled through disjointed systems and informal processes.
User Fatigue
The system’s inefficiencies discouraged adoption, especially among researchers whose time is better spent on core scientific work.
The Solution
We led a complete overhaul of the operations permitting process, beginning with in-depth interviews across user groups to identify pain points and map out the existing workflow. This discovery phase resulted in a clear, actionable process model and a prioritized feature set, developed in close collaboration with the business owner.
The team then designed and built a modern Power App, replacing the legacy SharePoint system. The solution included digitized forms, a searchable document library, integrated training compliance tracking, and automated reporting. Historical data and documents were fully migrated, ensuring continuity. Delivered in under a year, the new system streamlined operations and reduced costs, proving that modernization doesn’t have to come with enterprise-scale complexity or price.
the results
The new application is fully deployed and delivering clear results. Researchers and managers who once avoided the old system now actively use the new platform, thanks to its improved speed, usability, and streamlined workflows. Designed for long-term scalability, the app is already expanding to support additional permitting processes. Most notably, it was delivered quickly and cost-effectively. We demonstrated how thoughtful design and targeted technology can transform a broken process into a sustainable, high-impact solution.