Customer
Helsinki Exhibition Centre
In a Nutshell
eMessukesus, or "eMe", is a registration system and workspace for exhibitors at convention centre events. The focus of eMessukesus development is on small and medium clients - Success at the event determines whether the client can afford and wants to participate next time. The aim is to offer the selected target group the most accessible and comprehensive self-service options possible.
Customer
Helsinki Exhibition Centre
Industry
Events
Services
Service Design
Specification
User Interface/User Experience
Challenge
Registration and Workspace – Key to a Successful Event
The foundation for the new eMessukeskus was the replacement of the old Drupal implementation with a new and more refined system. A common challenge with such a project is that, by default, there is a desire to carry over all the good features of the old system into the new one, while also wishing to retain the poorer functionalities but without their previous flaws. Additionally, the old system had numerous integrations with the Messukeskus Dynamics 365 system, from which all event, customer, and product information is retrieved, and where participation and sales data are entered. Participating in an event and constructing their own exhibition stand is a significant undertaking for small and medium-sized clients. There is much to consider and remember in relation to the event, and there may not necessarily be a great deal of routine in attending events. Registration and the workspace need to support the client and provide the foundation for a successful event.
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Solution
Specification and Service Design
The functional specification and concept of the new eMessukeskus were developed through service design and co-design methods in workshops and target group interviews. The workshops included a comprehensive representation from the trade centre's sales and customer service representatives, system managers, and management. The interviews selected B2B customers of the trade centre who had experience in participating in events.
Implementation
The architecture of eMessukeskus is based on a headless model, which separates content management from the presentation layer. The Stage CMS acts as a central backend system from which content is delivered flexibly through REST interfaces. In the presentation layer (frontend), there are two separate instances based on Next.js – eMessukeskus itself and Expomark eShop. This shared technical foundation allows for the delivery of customised versions for both platforms. Significant advantages of the headless approach include improved scalability and performance. The system's bidirectional ERP integration (D365) is event-driven. Data is not transferred between systems on a scheduled basis, but only moves as needed immediately upon changes occurring. This model ensures real-time data accuracy and enhances information flow. The technical foundation of the integration is Azure Service Bus queues, which allow for reliable and asynchronous communication between the ERP system and applications. Alongside the production environment is a comprehensive QA environment, which is connected to the corresponding test environment of the ERP system. This allows for all functions, including integrations, to be tested and developed safely without jeopardising production.
