GlobalGiving - Contract

As part of the GlobalGiving code modernization team, I played a pivotal role in transitioning from a bespoke J2EE web application to industry-standard open-source web frameworks. Key to this process was the implementation of the open-source Solr project, which replaced Google's custom search product. I developed indexing jobs for all web and static content, significantly enhancing the site's search functionality.

GlobalGiving

Business Needs

  • GlobalGiving was dealing with considerable technical debt with their custom web framework. Resources were needed to help upgrade their system to a more robust, extensible, and easily maintainable product.
  • The business group wanted to migrate off of Google's search product which did not offer customizations.
  • Partners wanted to integrate GlobalGiving's marketplace into their products, therefore, a new REST API interface was required.

Solutions Provided

  • Developed, designed, and documented RESTful web services, which were instrumental in enabling partners to use GlobalGiving as a donation platform. This initiative drove increased revenue and expanded the site's reach.
  • Introduced a faceted search functionality by replacing the existing Google custom search with the open-source Solr project, which continues to be the central navigation component for the site's marketplace.
  • Built custom portals catering to specific projects such as the Nike Human Race and the employee giving/matching donation site.
  • Participated in the team effort to modernize the existing servlet architecture, transitioning to a more current IoC and MVC framework.