How a Workflow engine would have made my old job easier

The author reflects on their experience with a project at AT&T called Video Optimizer, an open-source tool designed to improve mobile app efficiency and reduce network costs. Initially, the project struggled with a monolithic Java application that was difficult to manage and test, prompting a desire for automated analysis. In 2017, AT&T's initiative to transition large apps into microservices presented an opportunity for the team to restructure Video Optimizer into a more agile, cloud-based version with automated testing. Despite receiving funding and planning a microservices architecture, the project ultimately faced challenges due to inadequate workflow orchestration and reliance on proprietary infrastructure, leading to its eventual failure. The author suggests that using Netflix Conductor, which they learned about after joining Orkes, could have improved the project's success by effectively managing microservice communication and workflow orchestration.