Modernising GENLYD Aarhus
GENLYD Aarhus is Aarhus Municipality’s digital community platform, where residents can find others with similar interests, create invitations and become part of new communities.
The platform is used for activities such as walks, board games, supper clubs, cultural activities and informal get-togethers over a cup of coffee. With several thousand users, GENLYD Aarhus is an important tool in the municipality’s efforts to strengthen communities and prevent loneliness.
The previous platform was built on an older technology stack using Meteor and React. Although the solution continued to provide significant value for both residents and employees, its technical foundation made the platform increasingly difficult to maintain, develop and scale.
Aarhus Municipality therefore wanted a solution that could build on what was already working while providing a more modern foundation for user experience, administration, security and future development.
From existing knowledge to a new solution
The project began with an in-depth discovery phase in close collaboration with the GENLYD team and Aarhus Municipality’s digitalisation department.
We used the existing platform and the knowledge already built up around users, features and workflows as our starting point. From there, key parts of the solution were rethought, improved and, in several cases, redesigned.
The goal was not simply to migrate the existing platform to a new technology stack, but to create a more modern and user-friendly solution with a stronger technical foundation.
Through workshops, dialogue and regular status meetings, requirements, workflows and technical needs were clarified before development began. This gave everyone a shared overview of the project and made it possible to make the most important decisions early in the process.
A modern solution focused on security and reliable operation
The new GENLYD Aarhus platform is built with Laravel as the backend and Vue.js as the frontend. The solution has been developed using a multi-tenant architecture, allowing the system to support multiple separate entities without data being mixed across them. This makes the solution more flexible to develop further and provides a stronger foundation if the platform is later expanded to include new organisational units, target groups or use cases.
Safety, security and reliable operation were key requirements. The platform therefore includes:
- MitID login, ensuring that users are verified individuals over the age of 18
- SSO for employees via Aarhus Municipality’s central login solution
- Privacy by Design and Privacy by Default
- the ability for users to delete their own profiles and data
- moderation and content management tools
- notifications for employees when content requires attention
- an administration panel providing an overview of users, posts, statistics and content
itpilot has previous experience with solutions and integrations for municipalities where MitID, SSO, access management and secure user handling are key elements. This experience meant that critical parts of the project could be delivered quickly and with reduced risk.
At the same time, itpilot’s ISAE 3402 and ISAE 3000 assurance reports formed an important part of the basis for the partnership, as the solution processes personal data and operates in a municipal context with stringent requirements for documentation, security and responsible data processing.
A mobile-friendly platform with search engine visibility
Many users access GENLYD Aarhus from their mobile devices. The platform was therefore developed mobile first, ensuring that posts, profiles, registrations and messages work intuitively on smaller screens.
The platform is also prepared for Progressive Web App functionality, making it possible to provide a more app-like experience in the future.
As much of the platform’s content is only available to logged-in users, SEO was also an important consideration. Automatically generated landing pages for interest categories make it possible to build visibility in search engines without compromising protected user content.
Better tools for both residents and employees
The new platform provides residents with a more modern and secure user experience. At the same time, the GENLYD team has gained better tools for administering the platform, monitoring activity, moderating content and assisting users.
A more flexible registration system supports both open registration and “request to join”, allowing organisers to tailor the registration process to the type of community or activity.
The result is a platform that is easier to use, easier to administer and better equipped for future development.
Can we help strengthen your digital platform?
Many organisations rely on digital solutions that play an important role in their day-to-day operations but gradually become difficult to develop, maintain or adapt to changing needs.
At itpilot, we help you gain an overview, make the right decisions and create a digital solution that works in practice – for your users, your employees and the organisation behind it.
Would you like to learn more about the possibilities? Contact us on +45 87 25 07 87 or complete our contact form, and we will be happy to have a no-obligation conversation.
