Defence Personnel Rewards Platform Link to heading

Commercial Project Overview Link to heading

As a software engineer with PixelPixel, I contributed to the development of a location-based member discounts platform for Australian Partners of Defence (APOD), a Department of Veterans’ Affairs backed organisation serving defence personnel. This scale-up project involved migrating from the defunct Adobe Business Catalyst platform while building a comprehensive rewards and benefits system.

Platform Capabilities Link to heading

Member Services Link to heading

• Location-based discounts - geographically targeted offers for defence personnel
• Digital coupons system - electronic coupon distribution and redemption
• Gift card management - comprehensive gift card platform with redemption tracking
• Member rewards program - points-based loyalty system for defence community
• Geographic targeting - location-aware services using Google Maps integration

Defence Community Focus Link to heading

• Department of Veterans’ Affairs backing - official support for defence personnel benefits
• National coverage - supporting defence personnel across Australia
• Exclusive member benefits - targeted discounts and offers for military families
• Community support services - connecting defence personnel with local businesses

Technical Contributions Link to heading

Platform Migration & Development Link to heading

• Legacy system migration - successfully migrated from defunct Adobe Business Catalyst platform
• Google Cloud Platform deployment - built scalable cloud-native architecture on GCP
• JavaScript/Node.js development - full-stack development using modern JavaScript technologies
• Google Maps integration - implemented location-based services and geographic targeting
• Data migration expertise - preserved critical member and business data during platform transition

Team Collaboration Link to heading

• 10-member development team - collaborated across three states on complex platform development
• Cross-functional coordination - worked with design, product, and business teams
• Agile development practices - delivered iterative improvements throughout the project lifecycle
• Quality assurance - ensured platform reliability for critical defence community services

Technical Architecture Link to heading

Cloud-Native Design Link to heading

• Google Cloud Platform infrastructure - leveraged GCP services for scalability and reliability
• Microservices architecture - built modular, maintainable system components
• Location-based services - integrated Google Maps APIs for geographic functionality
• Data processing pipelines - handled complex member data and business information
• API-first approach - designed flexible integration points for future expansion

Migration Challenges Link to heading

• Legacy data preservation - ensured zero data loss during Adobe Business Catalyst migration
• Business continuity - maintained service availability during platform transition
• Multi-state coordination - managed development across distributed team locations
• Performance optimisation - optimised for Australia-wide geographic distribution

Business Impact Link to heading

Community Service Link to heading

• Defence personnel support - provided essential benefits platform for military families
• National reach - served defence community across Australia
• Government partnership - delivered on Department of Veterans’ Affairs backed initiative
• Business network growth - connected defence personnel with participating local businesses

Technical Innovation Link to heading

• Platform modernisation - rescued critical defence services from obsolete technology
• Geographic intelligence - pioneered location-based services for defence community
• Data migration success - preserved years of member and business data
• Collaborative development - demonstrated effective distributed team coordination

Professional Development Link to heading

Government Sector Expertise Link to heading

• Defence community services - understanding of military personnel needs and benefits
• Government partnerships - experience with Department of Veterans’ Affairs requirements
• Public service delivery - commitment to serving Australia’s defence community
• Compliance and security - adherence to government standards for member data protection

Platform Migration Mastery Link to heading

• Legacy system rescue - expertise in migrating from discontinued platforms
• Data migration strategies - proven ability to preserve critical business data
• Business continuity planning - maintaining services during major platform transitions
• Cross-state team coordination - effective collaboration across distributed development teams

This project demonstrated the ability to deliver mission-critical services for Australia’s defence community while managing complex technical migrations and distributed team coordination at scale.