A Paradigm Shift at Sweden’s Largest Insurance Company

Transformation
Architecture
DevOps
Kubernetes

Typescript
React

Rapid Modernization

Folksam transitioned from Angular to a modern React platform – simultaneously moving to a scalable Kubernetes infrastructure in the cloud. The result: faster development, higher stability, and a web platform built for the future.

More Efficient Development – Better Customer Experience

With component-driven React and containerized applications in Kubernetes, Folksam gained a more efficient development organization and the ability to create world-class customer journeys.

Sweden's largest insurance company, Folksam – where nearly every second Swede is insured – faced the same challenge as many large organizations: keeping up with the rapid pace of web development to avoid obsolete applications.

We Ahead supported the migration from Angular to React and the move to a new cloud-based technical platform.

Background

For several years, We Ahead has had the trust to help shape how Folksam’s web presence is managed and produced. This has resulted in modern, fast, and secure applications that meet the high standards of technical functionality and customer experience that Folksam aims to deliver.

Solution

A comprehensive effort was carried out, systematically migrating many workflows from early Angular.js to React. Multiple proofs-of-concept were created for key workflows before full implementation began.

React gave the organization greater flexibility to develop components and libraries that could be effectively reused across multiple projects. In addition to improving the developer experience – which also increased Folksam’s attractiveness as an employer – it provided UI/UX designers with more freedom to craft customer journeys aligned with business goals.

Technical Migration and Modernization

To create a stable and future-proof platform, we performed an extensive modernization of Folksam’s codebase and infrastructure. This laid the foundation for faster development, better team collaboration, and a more scalable operational environment.

Migration to React + TypeScript: Applications were moved from Angular and JavaScript to a modern React + TypeScript codebase.
Standardization and Shared Code Patterns: The codebase was cleaned up and standardized to facilitate reuse and collaboration across teams.
Cloud Infrastructure in Kubernetes (OpenShift): We supported the migration of applications to Kubernetes, including containerization, pipelines, and secure cloud operations.

Component-Driven Approach

To create a unified and modular frontend, a shared component library was built according to Atomic Design principles. This gave developers and designers a clear framework for building and reusing UI components across multiple applications.

Atomic Design Structure: The library consists of atoms, molecules, and organisms that together form complete page structures.
Continuous Maintenance: Components are regularly updated to ensure stability, reusability, and long-term sustainability.
Collaboration with UI/UX: Close cooperation with designers ensured cohesive customer journeys and consistent design patterns across the organization’s digital ecosystem.

Knowledge Transfer and Work Practices

To strengthen the organization’s long-term capacity, extensive knowledge sharing and onboarding of new developers were carried out. This ensured Folksam could continue developing its platforms independently with high quality.

Onboarding and Training: New developers were introduced to React and TypeScript and equipped with tools and methods to quickly become productive in the new technical environment.
Best Practices: Ongoing mentorship, workshops, and open forums spread knowledge and established efficient practices throughout the organization.
Alignment & Technical Direction: Our consultants worked across multiple teams to ensure shared understanding, consistent solutions, and unified technical direction.
Work Processes and Coding Standards: We helped define new workflows, coding standards, and development processes, laying the foundation for a sustainable platform.

Purpose-Driven Technology

All technical design and implementation were done with long-term sustainability, scalability, and performance in mind. This laid the groundwork for both today’s and tomorrow’s applications.

Business-Driven Technical Decisions: Every technical choice was made with the organization’s business needs and long-term goals in mind.
Flexible and Scalable Infrastructure: Applications and systems were built to be easily adaptable, scalable, and maintainable over time.
Standardized Processes and Pipelines: Clear development flows and CI/CD pipelines were established to ensure high quality, faster releases, and stable operations.

Results

The modernization effort delivered Folksam a stable, scalable, and future-proof web platform, improving development efficiency and enabling faster delivery of new features.

Modern Platform: The migration to React + TypeScript and the introduction of a shared component library resulted in modular and reusable solutions.
Scalable and Secure Operations: Kubernetes infrastructure enabled faster releases, secure operations, and easy scaling of applications.
Strengthened Organization: Onboarding, knowledge sharing, and established processes made Folksam more self-sufficient and efficient across multiple teams.
Improved Customer Experience: The technical modernization laid the foundation for faster development, new features, and more cohesive customer journeys.

In summary, this project represented a true paradigm shift: a modern platform, a more efficient development organization, and a technical ecosystem ready for the future.

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