In partnership with Severn Trent, we are delighted to have won the Project Controls Expo Award for Global Project Controls Innovation of the Year 2024. This recognition highlights our commitment to driving innovation in the utilities sector. By leveraging AI-driven insights, real-time data, and automated reporting, we have set new standards in project delivery, positioning us as a leader in digital project management innovation globally.
Project Background.
The project led by Movar, in collaboration with Severn Trent Water (STW), aims to revolutionise utility sector controls through a cutting-edge Digital Project Management Office (PMO). This initiative, crucial as STW embarks on its AMP8 journey with over £6.6 billion in capital projects, integrates AI, Digital Twins, and real-time reporting to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve decision-making in managing significant investments.
It introduces a dynamic reporting system that combines data from all aspects of a project, including schedules, costs, milestones, and risks. With Symterra on board, it also includes real-time updates from project sites. AI-driven narratives produced based on STW’s best practices and live updates from sites, further refine project oversight, especially for senior stakeholders. This system accommodates various user levels, from on-site workers to senior stakeholders, making it a tailored yet very versatile solution. It supports bulk uploads of various project schedules, processing them in under 3 minutes, which significantly enhances productivity and ensures that project managers can focus on other critical tasks without unnecessary delays. Innovative project metrics are now displayed on an interactive GIS-powered map, giving a comprehensive overview of projects, costs, milestones, risks, and on-site performance. These metrics are complemented by RAG ratings, helping managers quickly pinpoint critical issues and delve into individual project details for further analysis.
This transformative approach redefines project management within the utilities sector and aligns with STW’s strategic objectives of sustainability and operational excellence, establishing a new benchmark in data-driven management.
Striving to be Leaders in Innovation.
The STW Digital PMO project was a collaborative effort involving diverse roles and expertise. Key contributors included Data Scientists, Data Engineers, Data Analysts, Project Managers, Project Planners, Cost Engineers, and many more field specialists, all coordinated by Movar.
The innovation was primarily driven by Movar's leadership, who saw the need for digital transformation in project management at STW, with significant contributions from Severn Trent's leadership and Symterra. The innovators were motivated by the opportunity to enhance project efficiency, decision-making processes, and real-time monitoring capabilities at STW. Their motivation stemmed from a desire to set new industry standards in project management and realise tangible improvements in operational outcomes.
The innovation and attitude of the project team were managed through strong leadership, clear communication, and continuous professional development. Regular strategy sessions and project reviews ensured all team members were aligned with project goals and maintained a high standard of professional conduct. A professional approach was maintained by instituting a structured project management framework, including comprehensive training programs, rigorous data governance protocols, and adherence to industry best practices. Intensive testing involved people on-site to senior stakeholders, validating the solution's effectiveness.
The relationship between team members and stakeholders was managed through regular updates and stakeholder engagement sessions, ensuring transparency and building trust. This professional environment fostered a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, essential for the project's success and evolution of practices at STW.
The Results from the Innovation.
The innovation within Severn Trent Water's Digital PMO project has significantly transformed project management practices, leading to substantial improvements and efficiencies.
Key results observed from the implementation include:
- Enhanced Project Visibility: Utilising GIS maps to visualise novel project metrics has greatly increased visibility into project statuses, enabling quicker identification and resolution of issues.
- Streamlined Schedule Management: Automated schedule processing and real-time updates every 15 minutes have replaced time-consuming manual data entry and calculations, enhancing schedule accuracy and adherence to project timelines.
- Informed Decision-Making: AI-driven narratives provide deep insights and context, improving decision-making quality through data-driven analysis.
- Increased Productivity: The automated system saves weeks of data gathering and calculations, freeing up project managers, cost engineers, and planners to focus on more strategic and creative tasks.
- Cost Savings: These technological advancements have collectively led to projected cost savings of 20%, through more efficient resource allocation, reduced downtime, and minimised delays.
- Cultural Shift: The shift towards data-driven project management has instilled a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, setting new benchmarks within the industry.
These achievements demonstrate the significant impact of the Digital PMO project, not only in enhancing operational efficiency but also in driving financial savings and establishing a new standard for project management in the utilities sector. This transformation allows team members to concentrate on solving problems rather than spending time identifying them, marking a significant advancement in project control practices.
In Summary.
This was a remarkable transformation of project management at Severn Trent Water. Using AI-driven insights, real-time data from Symterra, and automated reports, we significantly improved project delivery by boosting efficiency, decision-making, and safety. This innovation set new industry standards, promoted sustainable practices, and ensured operational excellence. By cutting costs and improving service reliability, our project greatly benefitted both the organisation and the wider community. This innovative approach showcases our leadership in digital project management within the utilities sector, setting a new benchmark for others to follow.
If you are interested in discussing how Movar could help transform your next project with digital innovation, please get in touch.
