CASE STUDY

Creating an environment for innovation in engineering design

The Challenge

A major international engineering and design practice was concerned that its application of digital engineering and other construction-software techniques was behind its competitors.
Furthermore, it wanted advice on how to drive forward a digital improvement programme – considering not only the steps that were required to introduce new technology, but also how to create a sustainable culture for innovation and growth.

The Solution

Through a set of structured interviews with directors and managers across the UK and Europe, we carried out an audit of “innovations” within the company. We were able to benchmark the various initiatives against industry practice; and consider both the investment and the potential for growth surrounding each. We then advised on the most promising innovations to pursue.
We considered a range of models to make innovation sustainable: our recommended approach was a mixture of partnering with software specialists (to bring DevOps and user acceptance testing skills); and the creation of Independent Operating Units (IOUs) as preferred by Geoffrey A. Moore in Zone to Win.

The Result

The client has radically changed its approach to R&D expenditure, centralising and optimising its expenditure on a small number of major initiatives.

It is reducing dramatically the number of offices that carry out design work, so that it can invest in centres of excellence that take forward more advanced aspects of BIM (design libraries, standardisation etc).

It is looking to partner with a software developer and a major client to develop a building surveying software product pioneered by a dynamic internal team (but who did not have the resources and experience to commercialise this properly as a product.

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Bevan Ross

BEVAN ROSS

Australian Representative

Bevan is an expert on steel frame fabrication and manufacturing, having held a senior role at BlueScope (Australia’s leading steel supplier). He has developed several start-ups in and around steel marketplaces and the use of BIM to streamline the fabrication process. He is a leading member of the C-Tech Club and is supporting Priestland with a number of projects and engagements in Australia.

John Roberts

Managing Director

John has spent 20 years in engineering consultancy, leading strategy and change programmes at Atkins, Hyder Consulting and WSP (where he was Global Strategy Director). Most recently, he led digital transformation at AECOM. He is a Fellow of both the Institution of Civil Engineering and the Institute of Physics. He holds a First Class Physics Degree from Keble College Oxford and an MBA from London Business School. He specialises in advising clients on strategy, innovation and technology 'use cases'. He is also highly experienced in bid management, business development and key account management.

JOHN ROBERTS

Digital Design & Construction Engineer

John is a civil and structural engineer with 35 years of experience as a technical integrator and collaborator. The visualisation, optimisation and integration of digital design and construction workflows has always been key, for his projects in the rail, nuclear and buildings sectors.

Mike Turpin

Revit specialist and BIM strategy lead

Mike is one of the UK’s leading experts on the implementation of BIM, and has 12 years’ experience of using Revit. He is an Autodesk Revit certified professional for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure (3 separate qualifications) He is also an Autodesk training provider. Most recently, Mike was Head of BIM at Capita from 2014 – 17. As a consultant, he now advises clients on all aspects of BIM – from company strategy, policy and implementation through to technical standards, software adoption and training.

MIKEY T

Revitspecialist and BIM strategy lead

Mike is one of the UK’s leading experts on the implementation of BIM, and has 12 years’ experience of using Revit. He is an Autodesk Revit certified professional for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Revit Structure (3 separate qualifications) He is also an Autodesk training provider Most recently, Mike was Head of BIM at Capita from 2014 – 17. As a consultant, he now advises clients on all aspects of BIM – from company strategy, policy and implementation through to technical standards, software adoption and training.

ELIZABETH MANT

ERP Implementation Project Manager

Lizzie is a project manager, with extensive SAP Implementation experience, data migration, data analysis, organization and communication abilities. Experienced in training plans, data migration management, change management, governance and data validation experience.

NIGEL PUGH

Nigel is an experienced technology leader with 20 years’ experience in managing distributed and offshore teams, scaling software engineering functions and building high-quality, high-output teams. He is a specialist in scaling cloud architectures, databases, IoT systems, high volume embedded systems, electronics design and manufacturing, and cybersecurity. He was Chief Technology Officer at Minibems and held senior technology/development roles at BetFair and “British Gas Hive”.

ELIZABETH MANT

ERP Implementation Project Manager

RUSTY PATTERSON

Highway Sector Specialist

Rusty has spent the last 30 years working within the highways sector, and has developed strategic relationships with manufacturers. He is ideally placed to advise on the challenges around the integration of new ideas and installation methods so as to help improve safety and reduce carbon.

TOBY CHISNALL

Change Management Director

Toby is a change management professional who develops, supports and delivers change and transformation programmes that provide tangible results for our clients. He’s an MBA graduate with a substantial and successful track record in organisational change. Priding himself not just in developing transformative strategies but in working with people at all levels of an organisation to ensure plans are fully realised. Toby led an award-winning team to deliver digital transformation for a leading UK housebuilder.

SAM JACK

Technology Director

Sam has 28 years’ experience in integrated project delivery and the implementation of technology, processes and development of people for the construction and wider property sector. He has an in-depth background in design-for-manufacture and construction, construction industrialisation, as well as advanced experience in integrated design, planning and co-ordination and BIM processes. Sam has held design roles with Amec, WSP and Crown House technologies. He co-founded Fulcro Engineering Services, which specialises in design and construction virtual prototyping.

JOHN PRIESTLAND

Managing Director

VISUALISATION

Virtual prototyping in construction develops an accurate model (digital twin) of the asset to be constructed, so it can be simulated and operated in the 3D development environment, to secure much better outcomes when it comes to be delivered in real life.

VALUE PROPOSITIONS

By value proposition, we mean the innovation, service or a feature that makes a company attractive to its clients. We are able to structure and articulate value propositions and use cases, providing a qualitative and quantitiative metholodology to develop and review them.

TRAINING

We are skilled in providing training solutions, from client management, bidding and strategy on the one hand, to various aspects of digital technology and modern methods of construction. We are able to offer detailed training, as well as a high-level introduction to digital techniques for senior management.

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

We are experienced in auditing the technology, systems and platforms currently in use by clients, along with developing "roadmaps" to design, develop and implement new technologies to meet client needs.

STRATEGY

Strategy is about choice - whether the choice of market, sector or service; or the choice of business model; or the choice of software or partner. We have structured approaches to capture requirements, better understand trade-offs and help clients make better choices.

SIMULATION

Software systems such as Synchro and Lanner Witness allow construction sequences and processes to be simulated and optimised. This allows bottlenecks and clashes to be identified and reduced long before the programme is to be delivered on site.

PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION AND RISK

Digital models and planning methods allow implementation issues and risk to be simulated, understood and, where possible, managed out of the programme. Better data and modelling allows better project choices and outcomes.

PROGRAMME DELIVERY

Our expertise covers the entire programme delivery process - from pre-concept, design, construction, commissioning, operations and decommissioning. This allows us to advise on whole life issues and on digital techniques that allow data to be used across asset stages.

PROCUREMENT

Procurement holds back innovation in digital construction - for example, it is difficult for many public sector clients to embrace DfMA if it requires decisions on the design/fabrication process too early in the project lifecycle such that effective competition at tender stage is prevented. We are skilled in advising clients on procurement models that allow Modern Methods of Construction, while keeping competitive tension and 'proof' that value-for-money has been secured.

PLANNING + PROJECT CONTROLS

Planning and project controls are the data gathering, data management and analytical processes used to predict, understand and constructively influence the time and cost outcomes of a project or programme. We see huge benefits of linking project planning and control with BIM models, so that the design choices and cost information can be incorporated into the planning process.

LASER- BASED SCANNING

Laser scanning is a method of high-accuracy mapping or reality capture that uses laser beams to quickly capture complete detail of the entire building construction project—much like a camera taking a 360-degree photo, but with an accurate position for every pixel. These point-cloud scans can allow the creation of a Digital Twin for an existing building or structure.

INNOVATION

Innovation - in terms of new ideas and creative thinking - can benefit from a structured approach in terms of tools and organisational design. We are expert in carrying out innovation audits and advising clients on how to allow organisations to exploit the benefits of the tools and techniques that their staff are inventing. This can include setting up independent operating units (IOUS), incubators or partnering with external companies with complementary skills.

FACTORY FABRICATION + ENGINEERING

Another way of describing the benefits from using manufacturing techniques in construction.

DIGITAL TWINS

Digital twins are engineering-credible (usually) 3D representations of buildings, systems or infrastructure. They allow virtual prototyping and simulation of changes before they are carried out in the real world. When linked to smart sensors (and the internet-of-things) they allow dynamic real-time management and optimisation of systems.

DIGITAL DESIGN PROCESS

Traditional design processes are unstructured and have the various disciplines working independently with limited, periodic co-ordination. We have expertise in structuring design processes using templates to capture dependencies between design tasks and build in learning loops so that subsequent projects learn from the linkages on previous projects.

DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURE + ASSEMBLY (DfMA)

DfMA can be volumetric or component-based. It uses manufacturing techniques (whether off-site or in an on-site 'flying factory) to bring efficiencty and replicability to an industry whose 'artisan craftsman' techniques have changed little in a century.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Customer experience mapping is a process for discovering how users feel about their interactions with a building or piece of infrastructure. Increasingly, asset owners are wanting to offer 'outcomes' or a 'user experience' - that is, a productive workplace, rather than just an office environment.

CULTURAL CHANGE

Changing the culture and behaviours of the organisation is one of the most challenging, difficult and important aspects of change management. It needs to be done alongside changes to software, processes and systems.

COST MANAGEMENT

The purpose of the cost plan is to allocate the budget to the main elements of the project to provide a basis for cost control. We see cost management as increasingly integrating in a dynamic way with design choices and schedule.

COST CONSULTING SOFTWARE

Increasingly, cost consulting software is converging with 3D design software, so that 3D take-offs can come from the BIM model. We are expert in the relative strengths of the various cost consulting software tools, and how they can best be integrated with processes and systems across the company as a whole.

CONCURRENT ENGINEERING

Concurrent engineering is a method of designing and developing products, in which the different stages run simultaneously, rather than consecutively. It has been used in aerospace and automotive for decades, but is relatively new in construction (which has relied on a linear design - build - operate sequence).

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at minimising waste and making the most of resources. This regenerative approach is in contrast to the traditional linear economy, which has a 'take, make, dispose' model of production. New construction techniques, such as Design-for-Manufacture-and-Assembly (DfMA) offer new ways of using a reusing resources.

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Change management covers the support and help individuals, teams, and organisations in making organizational change. We provide change management in and around systems, software, processes and people (including behavioural change).

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

We help organisations build strong and strategic relationships with clients, partners and end-users.

BUSINESS CASES

Too many initiatives in digital transformation take place without a strong business case (a justification for a proposed project or undertaking on the basis of its expected commercial benefit). We are skilled at developing business/use cases and have developed, for example, a library of use cases for 'Digital Twins'.

BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (BMS)

A building management system is a computer-based control system installed in buildings that controls and monitors the building's mechanical and electrical equipment such as ventilation, lighting, power systems, fire systems, and security systems. A 'smart' BMS, linked to sensors and the internet-of-things can create a dynamic 'Digital Twin' that allows buildings to be managed and optimised in real time.

BIM / DIGITAL ENGINEERING

BIM or Building Information Modelling is a process for creating and managing information on a construction project across the project lifecycle. The Model can be used to improve design choices (for example, through the elimination of 'clashes'); can be linked to cost, schedule and whole-life costs; and lead to the creation of a 'Digital Twin'. Working on the database at BIM Level 3 improves collaboration and effectiveness across the team.

ANALYTICS

Analytics refers to the methods of deriving correlations and meaning from datasets to improve efficiency and effectiveness in project performance. The systems may be rule-based or involve machine-learning techniques such as supervised or unsupervised learning.

3D visualisation

3D visualisation provides the ability to show interior and exterior designs, layout, lighting, texture and even geography, prior to development. It also allows the creation of 'virtual prototypes' and the simulation of construction processes, so that bottlenecks can be designed out and eliminated. We can also use virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) environments and devices to improve the user interface.

4D planning

4D Planning using software tools such as Synchro allows the schedule to be 'visualised'. Users can see how the programme progresses as the 3D rendering moves forward, linked to the schedule, over time. It allows designers and planners to to optimise the 'buildability' of projects, reduce 'clashes' and is also useful in the context of claims management.

Creating an environment for innovation in engineering design

Creating an environment for innovation in engineering design

The Challenge

The Solution

The Result

MORE CASE STUDIES

Supply chain strategy for highways products

UK market development strategy for US construction-tech start-up

Implementing digital construction for a leading UK housebuilder

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BEVAN ROSS

John Roberts

JOHN ROBERTS

Mike Turpin

MIKEY T

ELIZABETH MANT

NIGEL PUGH

ELIZABETH MANT

RUSTY PATTERSON

TOBY CHISNALL

SAM JACK

JOHN PRIESTLAND

VISUALISATION

VALUE PROPOSITIONS

TRAINING

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

STRATEGY

SIMULATION

PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION AND RISK

PROGRAMME DELIVERY

PROCUREMENT

PLANNING + PROJECT CONTROLS

LASER- BASED SCANNING

INNOVATION

FACTORY FABRICATION + ENGINEERING

DIGITAL TWINS

DIGITAL DESIGN PROCESS

DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURE + ASSEMBLY (DfMA)

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

CULTURAL CHANGE

COST MANAGEMENT

COST CONSULTING SOFTWARE

CONCURRENT ENGINEERING

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

CHANGE MANAGEMENT

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

BUSINESS CASES

BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (BMS)

BIM / DIGITAL ENGINEERING

ANALYTICS

3D visualisation

4D planning