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Connect the information that matters to the decision

We help clients identify the information that matters, connect to it where it is held and put the resulting improvements into use, working with the systems they already run.

Discuss a challengeExplore our approach
A data centre corridor with cabling running overhead

Which information matters

The data needed usually exists somewhere already, and the work is in deciding which of it bears on the question and how far it can be trusted.

  • Historical dataRecords from previous projects and operations, used to challenge assumptions, calibrate models and validate results.
  • Expert knowledgeWhat the people who run the operation know about how it behaves, much of which is never written down.
  • Operational informationCurrent schedules, costs, resources, documents and site records, read from the systems that hold them.
  • Existing softwareThe platforms an organisation has already invested in, which often hold more value than is being used.
The decisionOnly what it needs is drawn inEach source is weighed for how far it bears on the question and how much it can be trusted.

A model built with systems modelling and simulation may need only a few well-chosen data sources to answer its question. A process redesign under process and organisational improvement may need a link to one document register. We size the integration to the decision. Historical data is helpful where it adds understanding or validation, but it is not a precondition.

How the work runs

There are four stages, and implementation is part of the service, so the work ends with something actually in use.

  1. DefineAgree what the decision or improvement needs to know, and what level of accuracy is good enough.
  2. DiscoverFind where the relevant information lives today, who owns it and how reliable it is.
  3. ConnectLink to the sources where they are held, using our library of connectors to common platforms where one exists.
  4. ImplementPut the improvement into use in the client's existing systems, or in our own software where that suits better, and check that it is working.

Integrations with common built environment platforms

Our connector library covers platforms used across the industry, and if the one you need is not listed, ask us about it.

Weather and environmentMet Office Weather DataHub, Environment Agency, British Geological Survey, Visual Crossing and others.
Land, planning and highwaysOrdnance Survey Data Hub, HM Land Registry, planning.data.gov.uk, Street Manager (DfT) and others.
Cost and market dataRICS BCIS, ONS construction statistics, Find a Tender Service, Companies House and others.
Common data environmentsAutodesk Construction Cloud, Procore, Oracle Aconex, Asite Adoddle and others.
ProgrammePrimavera P6 EPPM, Microsoft Project, Bentley SYNCHRO, Asta Powerproject and others.
Design, GIS and asset systemsBentley iTwin Platform, Esri ArcGIS, Trimble Connect, IBM Maximo and others.
FinanceSage 200 and Sage 50, Xero, QuickBooks Online, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, COINS and others.
Site and plantSafetyCulture (iAuditor), Trackunit, HammerTech, CSCS Smart Check and others.
Materials and carbonEC3 and openEPD, One Click LCA, BRE SmartWaste, Climatiq and others.

Questions

Which platforms can you connect to?

Our library covers common platforms across weather and environment, land and planning, cost data, common data environments, programme, design and GIS, finance, site and plant, and materials and carbon. If the one you need is not there, ask us.

We do not know where half our data is. Is that a problem?

No, that is often where we start. Finding where information lives, and deciding which of it matters, comes before connecting anything.

Where does the data end up?

Usually it stays where it is held, and we connect to it there. Results go into the systems your teams already use, or into our own software where that suits better.

Do we have to replace the systems we already have?

No. If you have already invested in IT systems, we build on them and help you get more value from what you have.

How quickly can we get at our data?

It depends on the platform and the access arrangements. Where a connector already exists in our library, setting up the link is much quicker than building one from scratch.

Related services

Systems modelling and simulationUse the right data to calibrate and validate a model. Process and organisational improvementLink processes to the records that show they are followed. Technology and AI enablementIntroduce new capabilities into existing operations. Strategic and operational advisoryDecide which information investments are worth making.

Talk to us about a decision the information does not yet support

Tell us which decision is hard to make with the information you have. We can help work out what is needed and where it is.

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