Case Study - Demonstrating Our Minimal Systems Approach

At Econ, we excel at untangling complexity in the Food & Trade sector. However, our core principles—operational mastery, transparent vantage, and minimal-systems thinking—translate powerfully to other highly regulated industries, including healthcare.

SaaristoTerveys, a dedicated healthcare provider serving Finland’s archipelago communities, faced significant operational hurdles stemming from outdated digital infrastructure. While not our typical Food & Trade client, their challenges resonated with our expertise in environments demanding data integrity, compliance, and reliable user experiences, even under constraints like limited connectivity.

Their existing setup created several operational bottlenecks:

• An unsupported Adobe Muse website requiring over 21MB to load—crippling performance for users in low-bandwidth archipelago areas.
• Fragmented booking, payment, and gift card systems, forcing time-consuming manual reconciliation and increasing error potential (e.g., managing Edenred, ePassi, Smartum payments separately).
• Severe SEO penalties due to duplicate content served across HTTP/HTTPS and a separate mobile site, hindering patient discoverability.
• Brand guidelines using color combinations (light yellow/white text) that failed WCAG accessibility standards, posing risks for users needing high contrast or screen readers.
• A previous recommendation for a complex WordPress setup threatened to create a "plugin trap"—increasing maintenance, security risks, and operational overhead, counter to the need for streamlined, reliable tools in healthcare.

SaaristoTerveys needed a partner who could see beyond surface-level web design to address the underlying operational inefficiencies and compliance risks—delivering a solution that was robust, lightweight, and fundamentally trustworthy.

Econ applied its minimal-systems methodology, mirroring the discipline we bring to complex Food & Trade supply chains. We focused on eliminating bloat, unifying workflows, and ensuring compliance:

1. Ultralight, Unified Architecture

• Replaced the 21MB Muse site with a lean solution built on Next.js, TypeScript, and TailwindCSS, achieving a ~1MB minimal load time.
• Designed a single, device-responsive platform, eliminating duplicate mobile content and ensuring a consistent experience across all connection speeds and devices.

2. Streamlined Operational Tools

• Consolidated booking and payment workflows into a unified framework, drastically reducing manual reconciliation efforts for staff.
• Built an integration-ready foundation, ensuring future tools or compliance requirements could be added without costly refactoring, preserving the client's investment.

3. Accessibility & Transparent Communication

• Implemented full keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility, meeting essential accessibility standards for healthcare providers.
• Exercised direct, honest communication regarding the brand color contrast issues. While the client chose to retain their palette, we implemented best practices elsewhere to maximize legibility and compliance within those constraints.

4. SEO Remediation & Technical Integrity

• Resolved duplicate content issues by consolidating the site under a single, secure HTTPS domain and removing the separate mobile version.
• Ensured a clean technical foundation, improving search engine visibility and establishing a trustworthy online presence.

5. Applying Regulated Industry Expertise

• Leveraged our experience with compliance and data integrity from Food & Trade (like GS1 standards) to build a reliable, secure platform suited to healthcare's demands. Our focus remained on creating technology that serves operational needs seamlessly and reliably.

Econ’s operationally focused approach delivered significant improvements, demonstrating the power of minimal systems even outside our core Food & Trade specialization:

Drastic Performance Improvement (~95% Load Reduction)

The site’s load size plummeted from 21MB to ~1MB, providing a fast, frictionless experience for all users, especially critical in areas with poor connectivity.

Enhanced Operational Efficiency

Staff were freed from manual reconciliation tasks, as booking and payment systems became unified and streamlined, reducing errors and saving valuable time.

Improved Discoverability & Brand Trust

Correcting SEO issues and consolidating the web presence under a single domain restored search engine visibility and presented a more professional, unified brand.

Strengthened Compliance & Accessibility

The site now meets modern accessibility standards for keyboard and screen reader users. Our transparent handling of brand color challenges built trust, even when navigating client preferences.

Validation of Econ's Minimal Systems Approach

This project proved that our core methodology—prioritizing operational needs, ensuring compliance, and building lean, reliable systems—delivers exceptional value in diverse regulated environments, including healthcare.