TDD in the real world: when to use it (and when not to)?

A strategic approach to modernizing code At e-Core, we often partner with organizations whose software technically “works” in production, but just barely. Over time, shifting teams, competing priorities, and tight deadlines lead to codebases that are fragile, expensive to maintain, and risky to enhance. In this context, software refactoring becomes more than a technical task. It’s a business strategy that preserves continuity while unlocking future growth. Defining refactoring: Evolution without disruption Software refactoring is the disciplined restructuring of existing code, improving readability, modularity, and performance, without altering its external behavior. Unlike a full rewrite, refactoring delivers incremental value by: Accelerating feature delivery through cleaner, more modular code. Reducing operational risk by eliminating brittleness and regressions. Lowering total cost of ownership by making enhancements less labor-intensive. Why refactoring matters for business  Healthy codebases have a direct business impact: Faster Time-to-Market: Modular components support parallel development and faster releases. Greater resilience: Decoupled services isolate failures and simplify maintenance. Easier onboarding: Clear architecture and design patterns help new developers ramp up quickly. Sustainable cost savings: Less firefighting, fewer regressions, and lower maintenance overhead. What may look like a simple “cleanup” is often the first step toward digital reinvention. Refactoring techniques In enterprise environments built on Java, C#, or Python, we apply proven object-oriented refactoring techniques to increase cohesion and extensibility: Class decoupling: Split monolithic classes into focused, single-responsibility components. SOLID principles: Apply interface segregation and dependency inversion to stabilize architecture. Composition over inheritance: Build flexible, interchangeable structures. Testability enhancements : Isolate side effects and inject dependencies for better test coverage. These techniques form the foundation of our incremental software refactoring roadmaps. Beyond OO: Choosing the right tools for each paradigm Modern languages blend programming paradigms. We help clients apply the right tools to the right problems: Functional patterns in Python to create concise, side-effect-free data pipelines. Kotlin/Scala hybrids that combine OO structure with expressive functional constructs. C# LINQ and Async for declarative data queries and scalable concurrency. This multi-paradigm approach ensures that systems remain robust, flexible, and expressive. A refactoring story: From debt to differentiation Case Study: Regional logistics provider

Background Ricksoft is known for its popular work and project management apps on the Atlassian Marketplace, including WBS Gantt-Chart for Jira and Excel-like Bulk Issue Editor for Jira. Originating in Japan, the company has grown to serve over 8,000 customers worldwide through nine apps. Their tools are trusted by some of the world’s most innovative companies to boost productivity and manage complex work. By 2019, Ricksoft was seeing growing demand from customers in the Americas and Europe, and needed to scale its support operation beyond Japan. To serve new markets effectively, they had to provide fast, high-quality service in English and across time zones, while maintaining the responsiveness and care that defined their brand. That’s when they turned to e-Core. Our approach We designed a support solution based on three key principles: timezone alignment, consistent high-quality service, and cultural alignment . To get things right from the start, our analysts flew to Japan for in-depth training. They didn’t just learn the products; they learned how Ricksoft works , communicates, and supports customers. Once training wrapped, we built the support operation around Ricksoft’s priorities: timely responses, consistency, and a thoughtful, human tone. We created detailed documentation and a clear process for hiring and onboarding, ensuring every new analyst could step into the role with confidence and alignment. We also introduced monthly updates to the knowledge base and took responsibility for keeping existing articles relevant. That work paid off: most tickets are now resolved in just two to three exchanges , and self-service performance has improved across the board. Today, Ricksoft holds a satisfaction rate of 89 percent and a CSAT of 4.63 out of 5 , well above industry averages. As new analysts joined over the years and support expanded to more products, the service quality remained consistent. “We place great confidence in e-Core’s hiring decisions,” says Alessandro Cristiano, Support Manager at Ricksoft. “They understand how we work, and their mission, values, and culture attract good talent. We had five different generations of agents in seven years, and the work was consistent all the time.” Building long-term value through support. To make support even more impactful, we set up a feedback loop between support and product. Recurring issues and feature requests are flagged and shared with product managers, turning support into a valuable channel to inform product strategy. Tone and empathy matter, too. Ricksoft’s brand is rooted in respect, clarity, and thoughtful communication. We greet returning customers by name, tailor our closings, and have consistently met their SLA targets—with 99% first-response compliance within 12 hours or less. “What is special about e-Core is that they listen first,” Cristiano says. “They don’t try to mold things just for efficiency if it doesn’t work for you. First, they absorb your culture, and then transform it.” To strengthen Ricksoft’s presence in the Atlassian Marketplace , we introduced a post-ticket review request process. That simple step led to more customer reviews, better app ratings, and increased visibility. “We’re now at the top search results, which helps increase our app installs, and ultimately our revenue,” says Cristiano. We also monitor Ricksoft-related activity in the Atlassian Community. When their apps are mentioned, our team responds quickly and accurately, helping Ricksoft remain visible, helpful, and credible in the ecosystem .