In the contemporary data-driven marketing landscape, the capacity to rapidly simulate scenarios, optimize resource allocation, and maximize return on investment (ROI) is paramount for achieving success. Yet, numerous organizations find themselves constrained by outdated platforms that struggle to keep pace with present-day demands.

Gain Theory, a global consultancy specializing in marketing performance optimization, supports world-class brands, such as General Mills and Doordash, in making smarter decisions through data intelligence and mathematical modeling. At the heart of its platform is Gain Theory Interactive (GTi) — a strategic self-service tool that empowers consultants and clients to simulate marketing scenarios and optimize budget allocation.

To deliver a modern, scalable, and high-performing experience, facilitating quicker scenario simulation and more efficient optimization workflows – all while ensuring a seamless transition for existing users.

Initially constructed on a monolithic architecture utilizing legacy technologies, the GTi portal encountered limitations in scalability, high infrastructure expenditures, and sluggish delivery cycles that impeded innovation. Following multiple unsuccessful modernization attempts, Gain Theory collaborated with dti to develop GTi Next Gen – a re-engineered solution crafted to unlock enhanced speed, flexibility, and enduring value.

The aspiration extended beyond merely rebuilding the platform; it aimed to redefine it with an architecture permitting independent scaling, harmonious

coexistence between legacy and modern components, and an elevated user experience – all with minimal operational disruption.

Accelerate transformation without sacrificing continuity – achieved through a hybrid architecture, micro-frontends, and cloud-native delivery.

GTi Next Gen was meticulously architected from its foundation using a contemporary technology stack – Node.js, React, Next.js, and TypeScript – deployed within a multi-cloud environment via AWS and Azure. This dual-cloud strategy guaranteed adaptability to client-specific infrastructure requirements, regardless of the situation.

The backend infrastructure was reconfigured into Kubernetes-based microservices, while the frontend was implemented using micro-frontends with Module Federation. This inventive approach enabled the concurrent operation of legacy and modern modules within the same interface – allowing users to experience a fluid interaction without perceiving architectural boundaries.

This hybrid strategy afforded Gain Theory the ability to:

• • Gradually modernize without freezing or rewriting the entire system
  • Prevent regressions by isolating new and old codebases
  • Deliver new value faster, while maintaining access to legacy features
  • Test and validate new capabilities with real users before full rollout

• 80% reduction in optimization time for critical scenarios

The decoupled architecture facilitated the creation of a more intuitive user interface, offering design freedom and performance enhancements previously unattainable with the older architecture. Certain complex, edge-case optimizations that formerly consumed several minutes on the legacy platform are now resolved in under 1 minute in the Next Gen version.

The redesigned user experience prioritizes reducing cognitive load during intricate planning activities by streamlining workflows and providing contextual guidance, thereby enabling users to make superior decisions more swiftly – a crucial advantage in the rapidly evolving marketing landscape.

• 95% client adoption of at least two Next Gen modules
• 43% increase in unique visitors year-over-year
• 41.8% increase in monthly active users

The new architecture introduced a cost-efficient infrastructure model. In the legacy system, each client necessitated a fully replicated instance of the platform. The updated approach decoupled user interfaces from backend services, allowing each client to possess a lightweight, personalized frontend while sharing a single, scalable service layer.

After merely six months of phased rollout, the platform demonstrated notable improvements in both technical performance and user adoption:

• Cloud-native orchestration ensured resilience under high concurrent usage
• Elastic scaling matched resources to demand, optimizing infrastructure costs
• Next Gen modules rapidly accounted for ⅔ of total platform traffic
• Feature adoption reached impressive levels with 47% of users switching to Next Gen Plan Creation and 79% using Next Gen Comparison tools

The data unequivocally illustrates that users not only transitioned to the new platform – they enthusiastically embraced it, with usage escalating from 372 to 532 unique visitors (a 43% increase) and monthly active users climbing by 41.8% year-over-year.

GTi Next Gen represents more than just a modernized product – it is a strategic enabler for smarter, faster marketing decisions. By delivering value through a hybrid architecture, Gain Theory ensured that continuity and innovation could progress hand-in-hand, successfully circumventing the common pitfall of “all-or-nothing” modernization endeavors.

The platform now provides:

• Faster, more responsive simulation capabilities
• Enhanced user experience driving higher adoption
• Scalable infrastructure that grows with client needs
• Cost-efficient operations through shared service architecture
• Foundation for continuous innovation through modular design

Today, GTi stands as a dynamic, evolving platform specifically engineered to assist Gain Theory’s clients in navigating increasing marketing complexity and transforming data into actionable insights that propel business results.