Saving time, money and complexity through workflow transformation

Today’s post is a quick look at a project delivered for one of our clients. This project involved transforming one of their workflows, which is centred around the tracking and management of specific events happening on the roading network.

This client was already using RAMM. So the transformation process took this existing workflow, part of which was being done in another piece of software, and instead made it a native RAMM experience. It also supercharged some things along the way.

This project saved the client time, money and overall complexity for their workflow and business processes.

Lets unpack this and take a look.

First some background...

The client had an existing process in place to track, respond to, and report on particular events which were happening on the network.

To help with handling this workflow, they were paying for an application where they could record some details about these events. This was problematic for a number of reasons, including things like;

• This other software was not free, so the client was incurring regular licensing costs (over and above their RAMM costs they were already paying).

• The event data captured in this other bit of software was location specific. However, there was no direct mirroring or integration with the network definition held in RAMM.

• Bringing data together from the two systems had some unnecessary complexity, such as trying to reconcile the location data from the other system back to RAMM roads and carriageways.

So The Datastack was brought in to build something better.

Foundations of the new solution

With the natural link to RAMM by way of the events being located on the same roading network, a custom RAMM solution was the go-to option.

A bespoke data model was built to house the data in RAMM, leveraging the functionality of user defined tables. This new data structure supports all the existing minimum reporting attribution needed for each event. Plus it provided the opportunity to put in some nice value-added extras to make life better for the client.

A custom data model was built in RAMM through the UDT Manager functionality

Because the new event management solution is native inside of RAMM, it had an immediately familiar feel for the team at launch. This also meant there was a very small learning curve to pick up the new way of doing things.

The visualisation options have been an instant improvement over the other piece of software. The event data could be viewed in the RAMM grid or spatially via RAMM map.

It has also enabled cross-dataset visualisations and context. As other RAMM data can be added as layers into the same map, the tracked events can be viewed sitting right alongside other core RAMM information.

Automated reporting

The regular reporting inputs that were extracted from the other software each month, are now all automated within RAMM. This includes SQL-based data analysis and reporting for key insights such as KPI outcomes.

Where all the extra magic happens - RAMM SQL

These reporting outcomes are fed out to the required team members, on time every time, to include in their external-facing reports. As the reporting logic is all codified in SQL, this means consistent and repeatable outcomes are delivered each time.

Dispatches as a task management solution? Yes!

A creative approach was implemented to effectively use RAMM dispatches as a simple task management tracking workflow.

Leveraging the existing capabilities in RAMM dispatches to create a simple task management setup

A trigger based approach is defined in the system, based around particular event conditions that require subsequent follow up action. When the trigger conditions are met, a dispatch is automatically created for the event, and associated back to the event record.

Again with the familiarity of RAMM, this means dispatches can be used to initiate and track the follow up activities, and check these off as being complete when all required work is done.

This delivered all the savings

There were a bunch of savings achieved through this project, including;

Saving money; this new solution enabled the client to drop the other bit of software they were using altogether. This delivered direct financial savings to the client, as the licensing costs of the other software are now avoided altogether.

Saving time; many automations were built into the new solution. From automatic and timely reporting outcomes, to simplified trigger-based dispatch creation. These automation enhancements have saved the client time by streamlining the workflow and removing manual data processing requirements.

Saving unnecessary complexity; The team was already working in RAMM on the regular, so building the solution directly in RAMM meant there was a minimal learning curve for staff. The new solution has a very familiar look and feel, and is a natural extension of the interfaces and network information already being used. The workflow automations put in place also make a lot of (what were once) manual processes now automatic outcomes.

So that wraps up this post.

Has this prompted any ideas for workflow improvements you could introduce for you or your team? Is there something you are doing now, that you just know can be made more simplified, better or easier?

We are always happy to help, so reach out via our contact page if you want to have a chat!