IRFU

In March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic dramatically altered the way the world operates, changing how we worked and lived overnight. Ireland saw it's towns and communities locked down as people were forced to stay at home to help protect the most vulnerable. Months later, as we continued to navigate the impact of the pandemic, we began the slow journey to reopening.

For the IRFU, the initial measures meant that all matches and training had to come to a sudden halt, with the re-opening leaving the organisation with a fresh challenge, to rethink the match-day experience in line with new government restrictions and health care recommendations.

To scale up the 'training bubbles' methodology that had proven effective during the return to training campaign, the IRFU engaged with Storm Technology to create a scalable technology solution that could manage the immediate and future influx of external visitors. Critical to the success of the project was not only the accuracy and reliability required to adhere to government guidelines and prevent the spread of Covid-19 but also deliver experience excellence. The solution needed to deliver seamless usability that was simply an extension of the match-day experience.

To meet these requirements Storm harnessed the power of Power Platform. Building a portal and corresponding app that would manage the entry and screening of external visitors while providing the flexibility to make rapid-changes on demand thanks to the systems low-code design.

Looking ahead to the future of sporting events amid the pandemic, it is clear strict safety practices and restrictions will be with us for some time. By investing in a scalable, changeable, and modern solution, the IRFU were able to ensure complete compliance with Irish government guidelines.