Return to Articles

Client cases

Enhancing Public Infrastructure Estimations: Transforming Mediaan’s Predictive Costing Tool

In the complex world of public infrastructure projects, accurate cost estimations are critical. The Cel Prijsadvies, part of the Vlaamse Overheid’s Department of Mobility and Public Works, required a modernized tool to improve financial assessments for outsourced construction projects such as roads, bridges, and buildings.  To achieve this, Mediaan engaged us to redesign and enhance its “Ramingen” application—an essential tool for project cost estimations. Our mission was to modernize the technology, improve user experience, and ensure scalability for broader governmental use. 

The Challenge: Modernizing a Legacy System for Greater Impact 

Cel Prijsadvies faced several operational hurdles with the existing tool: 

  • Outdated Technology: The application was running on an obsolete platform (APEX 18.x), limiting performance and future development. 
  • Limited Collaboration: The tool was primarily used within Cel Prijsadvies, but lacked integration and feedback from other branches within the ministry. 
  • User Engagement Issues: Collecting relevant feedback to make meaningful improvements was challenging, leading to suboptimal feature development. 
  • Balancing Scope & Feasibility: Any enhancements needed to be scalable, technically feasible, and valuable for a broad range of users. 

How we+ Supported Mediaan in Delivering a High-Performance Solution 

Our experts collaborated with Mediaan to address these challenges through a strategic and technical overhaul of the “Ramingen” application. Our approach included:

 

1/ Upgrading to a Future-Proof Technology Stack

  • Migrated the platform from APEX 18 to APEX 23.1, ensuring long-term stability and scalability. 
  • Integrated modern tools such as PL/SQL, SQL, CSS, JavaScript, and jQuery to enhance functionality. 

 

2/ Redesigning the User Experience for Maximum Efficiency

  • Enhanced Calculation Speed: Optimized backend processes to accelerate cost estimation calculations. 
  • Improved UI/UX: Created a more intuitive interface, aligning with the ministry’s other digital tools. 
  • Higher Data Density: Maximized on-screen information while maintaining clarity and usability.

 

3/ Strengthening User Collaboration & Feedback Loops

  • Broadened Adoption: Adapted the tool for use across multiple branches within the ministry. 
  • Continuous Feedback Integration: Engaged with key users to refine the application based on real-world usage. 
  • New Feedback Tools: Developed a structured process for user insights, fostering continuous improvement. 

 

The Results: A More Powerful and Scalable Cost Estimation Tool 

The collaboration between we+ and Mediaan delivered significant improvements: 

  • Seamless Migration to Modern Technology: Eliminated legacy constraints, enabling future scalability. 
  • Faster & More Accurate Cost Estimations: Enhanced processing power for real-time calculations. 
  • Increased User Engagement: More stakeholders across government branches actively using and refining the tool. 
  • Improved Decision-Making: Enabled data-driven financial planning for public infrastructure projects. 

Conclusion: A Strategic Partnership Driving Digital Transformation 

Through this project, we+ empowered Mediaan to modernize its cost estimation platform, delivering tangible benefits to the Vlaamse Overheid. By blending technical expertise with user-centric development, we+ helped create a scalable, high-performance solution that enhances financial planning for public infrastructure projects. 

With a strengthened feedback loop and future-proof technology in place, Mediaan is now better positioned to drive innovation in governmental cost engineering. 

 

A client case by Sander Steinbusch