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Case Study: Swell

Swell is a consulting and training company specialized in the Power Platform. It was founded in 2016 with a clear purpose: helping organizations solve business challenges through the Power Platform — with a special focus on data, process automation, and AI.

Year

2024

Product Type

Complex LMS Migration & Rebuild

Client

Nuno Nogueira

Service

Joomla to WordPress Migration

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Project Overview

Migrating a Custom-Built LMS Without Data Loss

Swell was operating on a heavily customized Joomla setup where a standard eCommerce system had been extensively modified to function as a Learning Management System. Over time, this resulted in fragmented data structures, tightly coupled custom code, and limited scalability.

The objective was not a simple platform switch — it required a full technical rebuild, precise data recovery, and a clean WordPress-based LMS architecture that could support future growth.

The Challenge

Standard WordPress migration plugins failed due to:

  • The existing Joomla site was not using a native LMS
  • Core LMS functionality was built through custom eCommerce logic
  • Data relationships were inconsistent and undocumented
  • Non-standard database schemas
  • Custom user-course relationships
  • Irregular content and transactional data

A traditional migration approach would have caused data corruption or loss.

The Solution

Instead of forcing an automated migration, the project was executed through a controlled, database-driven process

  • Reverse-engineered the Joomla database structure
  • Mapped each data entity (users, courses, enrollments, content)
  • Manually rebuilt LMS components inside WordPress
  • Verified every dataset before final deployment

Connected databases directly to:

  • Validate records
  • Clean inconsistencies
  • Transfer data incrementally

Each LMS element was recreated natively in WordPress to ensure long-term maintainability.

The Results and
Key takeway

A Stable, Scalable WordPress LMS Built for Growth

  • Fully migrated LMS with verified data integrity
  • Clean WordPress architecture without legacy constraints
  • Improved performance and maintainability
  • Platform now supports future automation, optimization, and expansion

Most importantly, the client gained control and clarity — no hidden dependencies, no fragile systems.

This project demonstrates how complex, non-standard platforms can be migrated safely without shortcuts, even when plugins fail.

High-risk migrations require engineering decisions, not templates.

Client Feedback

Matloob Ahmed is a PHENOMENAL choice for website Migration! His work was incredibly professional, exceeded all expectations, and was completely bug-free. Working with him was a delight due to his politeness, deep understanding, and proactive communication.