The digital heart of a world class complex project - the ‘JV in a box’
The challenge
Take a high profile road construction project, controversial on the world stage, where multiple large suppliers need to work together over many years. How do you ensure you make the most of digital ways of working to optimise efficiency?
How could National Highways ensure their A303 Stonehenge tunnel scheme harnessed the power of digital to ensure all partners work seamlessly together, across multiple organisations, multiple digital platforms, through multiple phases?
MindCraft needed to set up the digital blueprint, for one of the UK’s most flagship and complex infrastructure projects.
Our solution
Traditionally client and contractors on major infrastructure projects have used their own internal company IT platforms, throughout the development and delivery of schemes – this has meant splintered, inefficient digital engagement and inconsistent data sharing.
‘JV in a box’
MindCraft developed a ‘JV in a box’ approach – a single Microsoft O365 platform for all the core suppliers - a secure tenant in Microsoft Azure, governed by best-in-class IT frameworks.
National Highways recognised digital warranted its own workstream. Not only did MindCraft set up and run a high-quality IT service desk, the workstream put digital at the heart of every aspect of the project.
Nurturing a close relationship with Microsoft’s customer excellence team, MindCraft was consistently ahead of the game driving adoption of new features time and time again.
Microsoft’s Customer Success Manager said:
‘MindCraft is a great example of a small digital consultancy which punched well above its weight embedding Microsoft’s tools in the A303 project. Their team was always at the forefront of driving adoption of new tools, from the latest Surface Hubs to pioneering the use of CoPilot. The lessons learned for other projects have been enormous.
‘It has been amazing to work with their team and seeing how much effort they have put in to training and adoption amongst staff to take them along with you on the digital journey.’
MindCraft had already pioneered this approach learning from the highly successful A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme, to inform early work on the Lower Thames Crossing and on the A428 Black Cat scheme.
Pioneering cyber safety
A303 Stonehenge brought further challenges around data security, given the high-profile opposition and the ever-growing risk of cyber-attack.
In a first for National Highways, MindCraft instilled cyber security in every system and process, and successfully secured the world standard ISO27001 certification and Cyber Essentials Plus for the project. This put cyber safety alongside the well understood health and safety agenda.
The MindCraft team were able to innovate, developing apps to support the extensive archaeology programme – for the first time driving efficiencies in data collection, digitising former paper processes, saving cost and time.
MindCraft’s Managing Director Angus Walker explained:
'This ‘JV in a box’ digital model is one from which other projects across different sectors would benefit – research shows the investment in a shared digital approach across joint ventures and multiple suppliers reaps huge benefits in terms of efficiencies in time and costs.'
The benefits
Simple really:
· Improved and streamlined, efficient collaborative working on a single Microsoft Office platform. For the first time in many suppliers’ experience they were all able to access the same shared systems, to make bookings, sharing data and even print.
· Unsurpassed security of information and recognition through ISO 27001 certification.
· Driving innovation through MindCraft’s ability to develop improved digital applications, using data science to improve cross-project reporting and information management.
All of that reduces costs and drives delivery – it was a shame the Government cancelled the scheme as the team were looking ahead to supporting construction with digital at the heart of everyday.
The Programme Director for National Highways said:
'MindCraft have been at the core of our unique project – they have driven us forward digitally; in a way no other project has experienced. It’s vital other projects learn from the digital approach and roll it out elsewhere to drive between ways of working and efficiencies.'