Building an Enterprise Resource Management System

title: "Building an Enterprise Resource Management System" date: "2024-09-20" readTime: "10 min" category: "Enterprise" tags: ["Next.js", "React", "TypeScript", "Real-time", "Airtable"] excerpt: "How we built a comprehensive resource management platform supporting 17 UN-Habitat team members with real-time collaboration and task tracking." image: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1611224923853-80b023f02d71?w=1920&q=80" featured: true

The Challenge

At UN-Habitat, our team of 17 members was struggling with task allocation, project tracking, and resource management across multiple concurrent projects. We needed a solution that could:

Handle complex task dependencies
Provide real-time updates
Integrate with existing tools
Scale with our growing needs

Solution Architecture

Technology Stack

We chose a modern, scalable stack:

Frontend: Next.js 15 with React 19
Language: TypeScript for type safety
Backend: Airtable as a flexible database
Real-time: WebSocket connections for live updates
AI Integration: LLMs for smart task suggestions
Automation: MCP servers for workflow automation

System Design

interface ResourceManagementSystem {
  users: TeamMember[];
  projects: Project[];
  tasks: Task[];
  resources: Resource[];
  realTimeSync: WebSocketConnection;
}

class TaskManager {
  async assignTask(task: Task, assignee: TeamMember) {
    // Validate resource availability
    const available = await this.checkAvailability(assignee);
    
    // Smart assignment with AI suggestions
    if (!available) {
      const suggestions = await this.getSuggestions(task);
      return suggestions;
    }
    
    // Real-time notification
    await this.notifyAssignee(assignee, task);
    return this.updateTaskStatus(task, 'assigned');
  }
}

Key Features Implemented

1. Real-time Collaboration

Using WebSockets, team members see updates instantly:

const useRealtimeSync = () => {
  useEffect(() => {
    const ws = new WebSocket(process.env.WS_URL);
    
    ws.on('task-update', (data) => {
      updateLocalState(data);
      showNotification(`Task ${data.title} updated`);
    });
    
    return () => ws.close();
  }, []);
};

2. Smart Task Assignment

AI-powered recommendations based on:

Team member expertise
Current workload
Task complexity
Historical performance

3. Comprehensive Dashboard

The dashboard provides:

Project overview with progress tracking
Resource utilization charts
Upcoming deadlines
Team availability matrix

4. Airtable Integration

class AirtableSync {
  private base: Airtable.Base;
  
  async syncTasks() {
    const records = await this.base('Tasks')
      .select({ view: 'Grid view' })
      .all();
    
    return records.map(record => ({
      id: record.id,
      title: record.get('Title'),
      assignee: record.get('Assignee'),
      status: record.get('Status'),
      deadline: record.get('Deadline')
    }));
  }
}

Performance Optimization

Caching Strategy

Implemented multi-level caching:

Browser cache for static assets
Redis for API responses
Local state management with Zustand

Code Splitting

Dynamic imports for better performance:

const DashboardCharts = dynamic(
  () => import('../components/DashboardCharts'),
  { 
    loading: () => <ChartSkeleton />,
    ssr: false 
  }
);

Impact Metrics

After 6 months of deployment:

40% improvement in task completion efficiency
500+ tasks managed monthly
99.9% uptime achieved
17 active users with high satisfaction scores

Challenges Overcome

1. Data Synchronization

Problem: Keeping Airtable and local state in sync Solution: Implemented optimistic updates with rollback on failure

2. Performance at Scale

Problem: Dashboard loading slowly with large datasets Solution: Virtual scrolling and pagination

3. User Adoption

Problem: Initial resistance to new system Solution: Comprehensive training and gradual rollout

Lessons Learned

Start Simple: MVP approach allowed quick feedback
User Input is Gold: Regular feedback sessions shaped features
Performance First: Optimization from day one pays off
Documentation Matters: Comprehensive docs reduced support requests

Security Considerations

Role-based access control (RBAC)
API key rotation
Encrypted connections
Audit logging for compliance

Future Enhancements

Mobile app for field workers
Advanced analytics with ML predictions
Integration with more third-party tools
Automated report generation

Technical Deep Dive

State Management

const useResourceStore = create<ResourceStore>((set) => ({
  tasks: [],
  users: [],
  
  addTask: (task) => set((state) => ({
    tasks: [...state.tasks, task]
  })),
  
  updateTask: (id, updates) => set((state) => ({
    tasks: state.tasks.map(task => 
      task.id === id ? { ...task, ...updates } : task
    )
  }))
}));

Real-time Notifications

class NotificationService {
  async notify(user: TeamMember, message: string) {
    // In-app notification
    await this.sendInApp(user.id, message);
    
    // Email notification for high priority
    if (this.isHighPriority(message)) {
      await this.sendEmail(user.email, message);
    }
    
    // Push notification if enabled
    if (user.pushEnabled) {
      await this.sendPush(user.deviceToken, message);
    }
  }
}

Conclusion

Building this enterprise resource management system demonstrated how modern web technologies can solve complex organizational challenges. The combination of real-time updates, AI-powered features, and thoughtful UX design created a tool that significantly improved our team's efficiency.

The success of this project lies not just in the technology choices, but in understanding user needs and iterating based on feedback. As we continue to enhance the system, it serves as a foundation for how UN-Habitat manages resources across all our global initiatives.