Empowering Infrastructure Excellence: The SEMPx Cloud Solution Journey

Overview

SEMP is a global trusted advisor and provider of integrated System Engineering, System Assurance, and Safety Assurance for government, infrastructure owners and delivery organisations. Their primary focus is implementing a systems approach to tackle challenges in delivering complex projects, demonstrating their exclusive dedication to systems engineering for infrastructure projects. Their mission is to ensure the delivery of safe, secure, resilient, and operationally ready infrastructure that meets all stakeholders’ needs, contributing to the successful outcomes of complex projects and programmes. Semp Ltd operates across the UK and North America, offering global services with a dedicated team of System Engineers.

Additionally, Semp Ltd is renowned for its active involvement in large-scale projects and collaborations with key industry players like Network Rail, which has significantly strengthened their expertise and reputation in the field.

Furthermore, they have added specialists from various fields, enhancing their staff with a wide range of knowledge and recognising flaws in the systems that are now in use for systems engineering throughout time. They continuously look for ways to improve them through study, teamwork, and utilising their extensive international experience.

To sustain their valued position as a leading infrastructure systems consultancy, Semp Ltd makes substantial investments in short, medium, and long-term innovation activities, all geared towards real-world applications. As part of this commitment, they have introduced a cutting-edge platform named SEMPx.

The SEMPx platform is a cloud-based (SaaS) solution that seamlessly connects a project’s commercial, engineering, design, project delivery, and supply chain teams on one unified platform to ensure that project contractual requirements and specifications are managed and complied with throughout the project delivery lifecycle.

The challenges

Systems engineering, inherently linked to extensive, multi-year projects, demands a platform to handle and process large volumes of information throughout the project lifecycle. This data must be fully auditable and meticulously version-controlled to ensure integrity and transparency. From the outset, such a system requires a design that incorporates scalable hardware and software solutions, anticipating the need to store and manage expansive data over prolonged periods.

A key challenge lies in crafting an interface that is intuitively accessible to a diverse user base. This system must effectively map the intricate web of relationships between various data elements, a feature crucial for maintaining clear traceability and connections.

Moreover, the complexity of systems engineering necessitates a robust permission structure within the platform. This structure is critical due to the involvement of numerous personnel across different project facets and the need for seamless data sharing between various organisations.

Developing a system to support the entire systems engineering lifecycle requires a well-designed permission structure. This is particularly important due to the involvement of numerous individuals in different aspects of work across various projects, not to mention the necessity to share data between other organisations.

Most companies engaged in systems engineering currently rely on legacy software that falls short in terms of a user-friendly interface and a contemporary technological approach. Despite its shortcomings, this software has been in use for over a decade, leading users to become accustomed to its functionality and work with it reasonably. Convincing these users to transition from the familiar solution to a more modern platform featuring a completely redesigned interface and introducing new standards for systems engineering poses a significant challenge.

Finally, the platform aims to diminish the reliance on senior engineers throughout the process, providing guidance and assistance to junior engineers. The objective is not solely to create software for experienced users but also to support graduates throughout the process.

Our role

In the summer of 2021, Semp Ltd selected us as their IT partner, seeking our expertise to help conceptualise their new software, SEMPx. Our journey with them started right at the project’s birth, where we played a pivotal role in crafting the vision and turning it into a tangible reality.

Our initial engagement involved a series of workshops where we created the first conceptual mockups for SEMPx. These early prototypes underwent rigorous evaluations and user feedback, enabling us to fine-tune our approach and better align with user needs.

Once it was clear that the concept was robust and had the potential to enhance the work of engineers significantly, Semp Ltd entrusted us with the crucial task of bringing SEMPx to life. Our development team was mobilised, harnessing their skills and experience to transform this vision into a functional and impactful platform.

Our solution

After reviewing the proposed ideas, our initial action was to assess and confirm their relevance with the intended audience. To maximise both time and cost efficiency, we decided that creating a range of mockups and interactive prototypes would be the best strategy. This approach enabled us to swiftly develop a prototype that encapsulated the essential business elements of the solution within a compact time frame.

Following this, we developed a bespoke cloud platform using a multi-tenancy model tailored for extensive scalability. Reflecting on the varied needs identified in our workshops with SEMP, we pinpointed the platform’s Minimum Viable Product (MVP), focusing on establishing a solid foundational base. Adopting the Agile SCRUM methodology ensured our approach was highly adaptable, allowing us to respond to evolving requirements effectively.

The platform has been consistently refined and upgraded, adding new features and enhancing its user experience. Significant work has been invested in guaranteeing a satisfying user experience, which included numerous interactions with end users. Additionally, we strategically expanded our focus to encompass user groups beyond Requirement Engineers, streamlining the integration of various new user types onto the platform. In doing so, careful consideration was given to the technology stack used, ensuring it met current needs and could adapt to anticipated future developments.

Benefits

Modern Design: The cloud platform features a contemporary and visually appealing design. This modern aesthetic enhances the user experience and reflects the latest design principles, making it more engaging and user-friendly.

Intuitive: The platform is designed with user-friendliness in mind, offering an intuitive interface. This ensures that users, regardless of their level of technical expertise, can easily navigate through the system, reducing the learning curve and enhancing overall usability.

Traceability: A key advantage is the comprehensive traceability the platform provides. It allows stakeholders to trace the entire journey from the initial project requirements set by stakeholders to the final compliance of suppliers in delivering the required components. This traceability enhances transparency and accountability throughout the project lifecycle.

Assurance: The platform offers assurance by providing a reliable and secure environment for managing infrastructure projects. This includes features that ensure data integrity, version control, and auditability, instilling confidence in users regarding the accuracy and reliability of project-related information.

Compliance: Compliance is crucial to the platform, ensuring that projects adhere to relevant standards, regulations, and contractual obligations. The system is designed to support and enforce compliance requirements, reducing the risk of regulatory issues and enhancing overall project governance.

Built from the Ground Up for Infrastructure Projects: Unlike generic solutions, this cloud platform is purpose-built for infrastructure projects. It considers the unique challenges and requirements of such projects, offering specialised features and functionalities tailored to the intricacies of infrastructure development. This ensures the platform optimises with the industry’s specific needs.

In summary, the SEMPx cloud platform boasts a modern and intuitive design. It excels in providing end-to-end traceability, assurance, compliance, and specialised support for infrastructure projects, making it a comprehensive and tailored solution for the sector.

Project facts

Team - 4 x Backend Developers, 3 x Frontend Developers, 1 x QA Engineer, 1 x Business Analyst, 1 x Product Owner, 1 x UX/UI Designer, 1 x Project Manager Project management - Agile SCRUM Technology - ASP.NET Core (Abp.io framework), Angular (Single Page Application), Postgre SQL database, Redis, SignalR, hosted in Azure Cloud