Capability: Data Visualisation and Reporting

Why effective project prioritisation in consultancy is crucial

Posted on: 10 October 2024
Why effective project prioritisation in consultancy is crucial

When it comes to consultancy, project prioritisation is critical so that customers receive urgent or important work first before less vital items. In straightforward projects with one product owner and a finite backlog, you can approach this issue by working through the backlog and asking them to label them using MoSCoW, the prioritisation technique used in project management and business analysis to help stakeholders understand the importance of various requirements, for example. It’s when you move to a project with multiple product owners and an ever– extending backlog that the problems appear, however.  

So, what are the common project prioritisation challenges arising in consultancy nowadays and what solutions are available to consultants to solve them? 

Common challenges in consultancy around project prioritisation

Within each project, each stakeholder (this could be from multiple products, multiple product owners or stakeholders without a product owner) will bring their own backlog, each believing that their demands are the most important and that all your resources are theirs to use. Negotiating between these product owners can be difficult, especially as they may have their own deadlines that they’ve committed to, perhaps only needing your resources for part of their project and a delay could cause their entire project not being delivered on time.  

While earlier and clearer communication would undoubtedly help with these issues in the long run, where do consultants start in the meantime? 

How consultants can improve project prioritisation

Consultants that refer to a categorical prioritisation list for each project (such as the example below) will notice immediate and significant improvements. By scoring each project against a list of categories, with the resulting score used to order the backlog and any incoming items, their respective priority and importance will be illustrated to the wider business.  The category list is:  

Once a project has been scored on each of these points, the total score is calculated. This is then used to rank projects against each other. It’s important to reassess the time rating approximately every three months, as this rating will need to be increased to reflect the real-world situation.  

Benefits of this approach

The advantage of adopting this approach is that it enables you to provide an explanation as to why certain projects are higher priority than others rather than using a more subjective approach. It’s possible to add a higher rating to categories so that the calculation better represents the company’s priorities.  

Potential difficulties of this approach

Some of the issues we’ve noticed so far are that these categories don’t necessarily work as well for enabling items such as a pilot, which won’t deliver any benefit to the system on its own but is required before the new feature can be started. To bolster this, we had to consider the ultimate deliverable being enabled, otherwise, the supporting item would score too low.  

 Technical debt is another type of work that doesn’t quite fit into these categories, which is why we ultimately decided to remove it and prioritise it separately.  

 Despite all the categorisation and discussions, you can end up with a list that doesn’t quite correspond with your gut feeling based on market trends. To mitigate this, a review was organised every few months to monitor scoring accuracy.  

Conclusion  

For projects without a finite backlog where upfront prioritisation isn’t possible, this approach allows you to prioritise against existing work in flight. However, it’s important to account for the amount of time, effort and morale downturn it takes to pause and restart.  

This method of prioritisation is ultimately particularly a useful tool for prioritising the constant stream of incoming projects from multiple product owners. The conversations that come out of the prioritisation are also of substantial value, and to some extent, enable the prediction of what will be delivered in the near future.  

To learn more about project prioritisation in consultancy, speak to one of CACI’s experts today. 

Why consultancy is the perfect profession for problem solvers

Posted on: 16 September 2024
Why consultancy is the perfect profession for problem solvers

Puzzle Consultancy

Those who relish the thrill of solving puzzles and the rush of competition are likely to find a perfect match in the world of consultancy. This profession, often associated with high-stakes business decisions and strategic planning, can offer a dynamic environment where one’s passion for learning, problem-solving and helping businesses thrive can come to life. So, how exactly does consultancy work become the ultimate puzzle, providing endless opportunities to learn, solve problems and see tangible benefits unfold? 

The endless puzzle: continuous learning in consultancy 

One of the most exhilarating aspects of consultancy is the constant influx of new challenges. Just like puzzles, each project presents a unique problem to solve, often requiring fresh knowledge and innovative thinking. The variety in consultancy work— ranging from industries like healthcare and finance to technology and retail— ensures that there’s always something new to learn. For puzzle enthusiasts, this is akin to encountering a new, complex puzzle every day. 

Each client and project creates an opportunity to dive into new territories, understand different business models and stay updated with industry trends. This constant learning keeps minds sharp and satisfies curiosity, with every assignment more intricate and rewarding than the last. 

The competitive edge: thriving on problem-solving and strategy  

Consultancy isn’t just about applying standard solutions, it’s about crafting unique strategies that can give clients a competitive edge. This aspect will resonate deeply with those that are naturally competitive. Just as one would approach any challenge with the goal of finding the best and most efficient solution, the aim in consultancy is to devise strategies that not only solve a client’s problem, but also position them favourably in their market. 

The thrill of this competitive element is a significant motivator. It can drive creative thinking, meticulous data analysis and team collaboration to brainstorm the best approaches. The satisfaction that comes from cracking a particularly tough problem or devising a winning strategy can be immensely rewarding, much like completing a particularly challenging puzzle. 

The reward of impact: helping businesses improve 

While the intellectual stimulation and competitive aspects of consultancy can be exciting, the real joy comes from seeing tangible impacts. There’s a unique satisfaction in knowing that recommendations and strategies can significantly improve a business’ operations, profitability or market position, as though seeing the pieces of a puzzle come together to form a clear and complete picture. 

Helping businesses in this way can provide a profound sense of accomplishment, with each success story a testament to the hard work and strategic thinking that goes into project work. This impact-driven aspect of consultancy adds depth to the puzzle-solving experience, making it not just an intellectual exercise, but a meaningful endeavour that positively affects real businesses and people. 

Consultancy as the ultimate puzzle

Consultancy is the ultimate puzzle— one that’s ever-evolving and endlessly rewarding. For those who enjoy puzzles and competition, it offers a perfect blend of continuous learning, problem-solving and the thrill of seeing tangible results. Consultancy is a career that challenges the mind, fosters creativity and provides an unparalleled opportunity to make a real difference to organisations and people. It not only satisfies a love for challenges, but also fuels a passion for helping others succeed.  

Find out how CACI’s expert consultants can support your unique business needs by getting in touch with us here. 

Unlocking the Power of Government Data: Moving from Siloed Information to Smart Public Services

Posted on: 10 September 2024
Unlocking the Power of Government Data: Moving from Siloed Information to Smart Public Services

Government agencies are collecting unprecedented volumes of data, yet much of it remains untapped, trapped in silos that prevent effective decision-making and service improvements. This data holds immense potential to transform public services by enabling more accurate, timely insights into service delivery, effectiveness, and efficiency. However, the way data is currently collected, stored, and structured often renders it under-utilised or completely unused.

In this blog, co-authored by Ali Nicholl from IOTICS and Nick Turner from CACI, we explore the critical user requirements for a data-driven smarter state and propose a scalable, federated approach to data discovery, access, and sharing. By enabling real-time data access at the point of need, this approach not only empowers better public services but also provides a coherent AI-ready workflow that leverages existing legacy systems without disruptive centralisation, duplication, or increased complexity.

The Challenge: Making Data Work for Everyone

In today’s environment, where both government and industry are under pressure to do more with less, reduce complexity, and comply with stringent regulations, several pain points persist:

  • Breaking down data silos: Data is often trapped within departmental or organisational boundaries.
  • Improving data quality: Data accuracy and consistency are compromised without a coordinated approach.
  • Addressing data custodianship concerns: Worries around GDPR, security, and data misinterpretation hinder sharing.
  • Ensuring controlled access: Striking the right balance between open access and secure controls.
  • Managing costs: High expenses related to data transit, hosting, and maintenance.
  • Overcoming budget constraints: Investment in new systems while maximising returns on legacy assets.
  • Becoming AI-ready: Adopting new technologies without costly overhauls.

For any system to be truly data-driven, it needs a minimum standard for quality, availability, consistency, and interoperability—without sacrificing security and appropriate access control. It’s the organisations closest to the data sources that have the best insights into managing quality and availability. However, leaving consistency and interoperability solely in the hands of data owners can lead to fragmentation, while expecting any single organisation to manage all data ownership is unrealistic.

The Evolving Solution Space: Technology, Policy, and Attitude Shifts

Recent advances in technology and shifts in policy have begun to address these challenges. Nearly two decades ago, the Reuse of Public Sector Information Regulations (2005) and the Transparency Agenda (2010) laid the foundation for more open attitudes towards data sharing in the UK. The evolution of cloud technology and API-driven architectures has further improved data accessibility by reducing latency and enhancing interoperability.

For example, the UK Transport Sector has effectively used open data APIs to share real-time transport information with developers and service providers, resulting in over 600 apps that benefit millions of Londoners every day. However, while these methodologies improve access, they do not fully solve the “data silo problem”—where data remains fragmented and lacks context, limiting its utility for broader insights.

A Federated Approach: Keeping Data in Place While Maximising Its Value

Our combined experience at IOTICS and CACI has only reinforced how unsustainable current approaches are. A smarter state needs a smarter approach. A federated approach. A federated approach allows data to stay in situ within its existing silos, accessible through a controlled, consistent, and extensible framework. This approach eliminates the need for costly mass data migrations while still unlocking insights at the point of need. Creating a more equitable democratisation of decision-making by ensuring that the right data is available at the right time.

This methodology aligns with how Health Services in the UK have approached data integration in recent initiatives. Within Social Care Networks, for example, connecting existing systems rather than centralising all data has ensured the Healthcare sector maintains flexibility to access relevant information while adhering to security and privacy requirements.

Data visualisation

Understanding Stakeholder Needs: Tailoring Solutions for Maximum Impact

Different stakeholders have different goals and challenges when it comes to leveraging data. Here’s how a federated approach such as ours addresses their specific pain points:

  • CIOs need timely, reliable data for informed decision-making. Our solution ensures up-to-date insights without the need for complex data migration, helping CIOs set policies and make strategic decisions with confidence.
  • Heads of Data and CDOs seek to maximise ROI from data assets. We provide enhanced data discoverability and governance, ensuring that those who need access can find and use data efficiently.
  • Service Owners focus on delivering policy or strategic outcomes. Our approach reduces the under-utilisation of data, enabling service improvements without significant operational disruption.
  • Data Analysts require consistent and high-quality data for accurate analysis. By maintaining data integrity and enabling seamless integration across sources, we empower analysts to deliver actionable insights.
  • End Users demand real-time access to relevant data without navigating multiple platforms. Our solution brings data closer to its source, maximising relevance and minimising inconsistency.

Building a Data-Driven Smarter State: The Path Forward

Creating a data-driven smarter state requires lowering the barriers for departments, organisations, and individuals to surface their data and enrich it with context, turning it into actionable insights. A federated approach represents a scalable, flexible, and low-risk path towards unlocking the full potential of government data. The journey from siloed information to integrated insight is not just about technology; it’s about creating an ecosystem where data flows seamlessly, fostering collaboration, innovation, and smarter decision-making across the public sector.

To build this future, we must prioritise accessible, context-rich data and scalable collaboration across stakeholders. The smarter state of tomorrow is within reach if we embrace these principles today.

This blog was submitted to TechUK as part of their “Building the Smarter State Week” and can be found on their website here.

Insights from the Northumbrian Water Innovation Festival 2024

Posted on: 29 August 2024
Insights from the Northumbrian Water Innovation Festival 2024

Attending the Northumbrian Water Innovation Festival last month was a very informative experience for our CACI Mood team, filled with insightful discussions and ground-breaking innovations. Held at Newcastle Racecourse, the festival brought together 3,000 people from 32 countries, creating a vibrant and diverse atmosphere. As a proud sponsor, we had the opportunity to support this great event and showcase Mood’s innovation capabilities at our exhibition stand. 

An Inspiring Setting for Innovation 

From the outset of the event, it was clear that this was not just another industry conference; it was an opportunity to break down barriers, open dialogue, and explore new ideas in a completely different context.  

The festival’s structure, which included a record 37 sprints, facilitated rapid problem-solving and idea generation. These sprints were filled with thought-provoking discussions, and we were lucky to hear insights from the likes of British Olympians Steve Cram CBE and Ellie Simmonds, who shared valuable perspectives. 

Specific Innovations and Collaborative Approaches 

One of the most striking aspects of the festival was the diversity of participants, which included suppliers like us, industry veterans, and aspiring professionals. This diversity enriched every discussion with fresh insights and novel approaches, underscoring the value of varied viewpoints in problem-solving.  

Notable innovations included solutions for improving water quality, achieving net zero emissions, and reducing pollution and leakage. A particularly impactful sprint, led by data-giant Cognizant, focused on leveraging AI technology to enhance the health of local rivers. 

Overcoming Business Challenges 

The festival also highlighted the importance of overcoming challenges through collaboration. The structured yet flexible format of the workshops, including design sprints and daily dashes, ensured that participants remained focused and productive. These sessions were expertly guided by sprint leads, facilitating a collaborative environment where participants could step out of their usual roles and approach problems from different angles. 

Personal and Professional Insights 

Engaging with a diverse group in a non-work environment allowed me to gain new perspectives on the challenges facing our water sector clients. It was refreshing to address issues in a setting where creativity was encouraged, and there were no predefined expectations about the “right” way to approach a problem. Professionally, the festival highlighted the importance of stepping outside our usual routines to generate actionable ideas. 

The Value of Participation 

Participating in the festival was more than just a productive use of time; it was an investment in the future of our water industry. The insights gained and connections made will undoubtedly contribute to more effective and innovative solutions for our clients.  

The festival demonstrated that breaking away from conventional settings and embracing a more open and creative approach can lead to endless possibilities. 

Looking Forward 

Moving forward from the festival, we hope apply elements of it to foster a more open and creative environment in our meetings and workshops. Encouraging diverse participation and thinking outside the box will continue to drive innovation in our projects and add value for our clients.

The Innovation Festival was a remarkable experience that highlighted the power of creativity, diversity, and open collaboration. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing the outcomes of this festival and am confident they will drive positive change in the water sector and beyond.

For more details on the festival, visit www.innovationfestival.org. 

Discover the power of Mood here.

Shaping an elite team mentality

Posted on: 22 May 2024
Shaping an elite team mentality

Written by Richard Thompson, Senior Technical Consultant, Mood

Team sports and consultancy may at first appear to be separate disciplines, but scratch beneath the surface and there are many similarities that can be drawn between the two. The drive to produce top–class performances is not something that comes naturally to all, but for those who strive for it, the end result can be quite special. The quest for excellence is an attitude that is forged and shared by all whom strive to be at the top of their game and constantly improve. 

Working on the analogy further, additional commonalities between sports and consultancy unveil themselves, especially in terms of the approach taken. Nothing is achieved easily; judgement is based on the outcome, and difficulties are faced along the journey to achieving desired goals. 

While everyone involved will have a different take, below are my four main focuses when undertaking any activity (both sporting and consultancy) to ensure my team achieves its greatest potential. 

1. Why are we doing this?

In any aspect of life, if people innately understand why they are conducting a task and believe in its benefits, they will give it their all. Having personally been involved in consultancy for 13 years and coaching sports for 25, , I always ask the team “Why are we doing this?” upon carrying out any activity for the first time. The answers serve as a great barometer as to whether they have understood what they are being asked to do, and will flush out any concerns (or better alternatives) and will often provide previously unsought insights. 

This can also be a great validation tool for why the action is being conducted, and the response “We’ve always done it that way” simply does not cut it as a reason. Time and techniques move on, and if people do not keep up, teams will be behind from the start. 

2.Teamwork

Cooperation between team members is crucial to achieving the desired result. Even individual efforts are reliant on a team who are often behind the scenes, who can ensure the preparation is correct and the conditions are in place for an optimal outcome. 

A top-class performer places immense value on their team, knowing that in order to succeed, everyone must align. Therefore, each individual must be treated with utmost respect. Appreciation on all levels works, whether it be calling out a colleague’s efforts, a token of appreciation or even a small compliment. Teammates are the ultimate ambassadors for future efforts. 

3. “I can’t”

Admitting that you cannot do everything should never be seen as a weakness. Self-evaluation is vital in all walks of life and ensures the team has the right people in the right place, at the right time. This does not mean individual ability is not desired, but it should be used in conjunction with the right mix of abilities. The world’s best footballer cannot beat the best team on their own, for example, they need a strong mix of abilities around them to put them in right position at the right time, to do what they do best. 

The statement “I can’t” should therefore be “I can’t on my own.” 

4. Effort

“Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” – Tim Notke, high school basketball coach.

Effort is the backbone of growth and success. This applies in all aspects of life, especially in learning and improvement. Effort drives learning, and when you put effort into a task, you are actively engaging with it. Effort allows you to learn from mistakes and gain new skills or knowledge while increasing your resilience and determination. 

How CACI can help

Whether you feel you have any sort of sporting mindset or not is irrelevant. What is vital, however, is the merits of the why, the who, the what and the how. 

At CACI, we have the optimal mix of talent and experience across multiple domains, from business analysts defining the why, the who and the what, to consultants, designers and architects providing the how. We help global businesses turn data and information assets to key success drivers as strategic components in a coherent and evolving system architecture, while also connecting stakeholders and practitioners to collaborate in complex business architecture projects. 

If you have a complex problem, contact Mood to see how we may help you align strategy and vision, optimise data driven decision-making and future-proof your business. 

Digital Twin: Seeing the Future

Posted on: 28 February 2023
Digital Twin: Seeing the Future

 

Predicting what’s coming next and understanding how best to respond is the kind of challenge organisations struggle with all the time. As the world becomes less predictable and ever-changing technology transforms operations, historical data becomes harder to extrapolate. And even if you can make reasonable assumptions about future changes, how they will impact on the various aspects of your business is even more problematic.

Decision makers need another tool in their arsenal to help them build effective strategies that can guide big changes and investments. They need to combine an understanding of their setup with realistic projections of how external and internal changes could have an impact. A Digital Twin built with predictive models can combine these needs, giving highly relevant and reliable data that can guide your future course.

The Defence Fuels Prototype

Using Mood Software and in collaboration with the MOD’s Defence Fuels Transformation, CACI built a digital twin focused on fuel movement within an air station. With it we aimed to understand the present, but also crucially, to predict the near future and test further reaching changes.

We used two kinds of predictive model that can learn from actual behaviour. For immediate projections, we implemented machine learning models that used a small sample of historical data concerning requirements for refuelling vehicles given a certain demand, allowing an ‘early warning system’ to be created.

However, we knew that the real value came in understanding what’s further ahead, where there is a higher risk of the wrong decision seriously impacting the success of operations. We adapted and integrated an existing Defence Fuels Enterprise simulation model, Fuel Supply Analysis Model (FSAM), to allow the testing of how a unit would operate given changes to the configuration of refuelling vehicles.

Functions were coded in a regular programming language to mimic the structural model and to mimic the kinds of behaviour that is evidenced through the data pipeline. As a result, we are able to make changes to these functions to easily understand what the corresponding changes would be in the real world.

This allows decision makers to test alternative solutions with the simulation models calibrated against existing data. Models informed by practical realities enables testing with greater speed and confidence so you have some likely outcomes before committing to any change.

 

What does this mean for me?

Digital Twins are extremely flexible pieces of technology that can be built to suit all kinds of organisations. They are currently in use in factories, defence, retail and healthcare. Adaptable to real world assets and online systems, it’s hard to think of any area they couldn’t be applied to.

Pairing a digital representation of your operations, processes and systems with predictive and simulation models allows substantial de-risking of decision making. You can predict what will happen if your resourcing situation changes, and plan accordingly; you can also understand the impact of sweeping structural changes. The resulting data has been proven against real-world decisions, making it truly reliable.

Time magazine has predicted that Digital Twins will ‘shape the future’ of multiple industries going forward and I think it’s hard to argue with that.

If you’re looking for more on what Digital Twin might be able to do for you, read ‘Defence Fuels – Digital Twin’. In this white paper we show how we’re using Digital Twin to make improvements worth millions of pounds.

For more on Mood Software and how it can be your organisation’s digital operating model, visit the product page.

What can a Digital Twin do for you?

Posted on: 27 January 2023
What can a Digital Twin do for you?

Digital Twin

Meaningfully improving your organisation’s operations sometimes requires more than just tinkering: it can require substantial change to bring everything up to scratch. But the risks of getting it wrong, especially for mission critical solutions depended on by multiple parties, frequently turn decision makers off. What if you could trial that change, with reliable predictions and the potential to model different scenarios, before pushing the button?

CACI’s Digital Twin offers just that capability. Based on an idea that’s breaking new ground from businesses like BMW to government agencies like NASA, it gives decision makers a highly accurate view into the future. Working as a real-time digital counterpart of any system, it can be used to simulate potential situations on the current set up, or model the impact of future alterations.

Producing realistic data (that’s been shown to match the effects of actual decisions once they’ve been undertaken), this technology massively reduces risk across an organisation. Scenario planning is accelerated, with enhanced complexity, resulting in better alignment between decision makers.

What are Digital Twins doing right now?

From physical assets like wind turbines and water distribution, Digital Twins are now being broadly used for business operations, and federated to tackle larger problems, like the control of a ‘smart city’. They’re also being used for micro-instances of highly risky situations, allowing surgeons to practice heart surgery, and to build quicker, more effective prototypes of fighter jets.

Recently, Anglo American used this technology to create a twin of its Quellaveco mine; ‘digital mining specialists can perform predictive tests that help reduce safety risks, optimise the use of resources and improve the performance of production equipment’. Interest is increasingly growing in this tech’s potential use within retail, where instability from both supply and demand sides have been causing havoc since the pandemic.

This technology allows such businesses to take control of their resources, systems and physical spaces, while trialling the impact of future situations before they come to pass. In a world where instability is the new norm, Digital Twins supersede reliance on historical data. They also allow better insight and analysis into current processes for quicker improvements, and overall give an unparalleled level of transparency.

Digital twin data visual

Where does Mood come in?

Mood Software is CACI’s proprietary data visualisation tool and has a record of success in enabling stakeholders to better understand their complex organisations. Mood is crucial to CACI’s Digital Twin solution as it integrates systems to create a single working model for management and planning. It enables collaborative planning, modelling and testing, bringing together stakeholders so they can work to the same goals.

Making effective decisions requires optimal access to data – and the future is one area we don’t have that on. But with Digital Twin technology, you are able to draw your own path, and make decisions with an enhanced level of insight.

If you’re looking for more on what Digital Twin might be able to do for you, read ‘Defence Fuels – Digital Twin’. In this white paper we show how we’re using Digital Twin to make improvements worth millions of pounds.

Oceans of Data – An Online Hack

Posted on: 29 November 2021
Oceans of Data – An Online Hack

Back in October 2021, CACI took part in the Northumbrian Waters Innovation Festival. One of the events we participated in was the Oceans of Data hack sponsored by Sia Partners – Chris, Ian, Matt and Myself (Paul) all attended remotely representing CACI. The data hack wasn’t scheduled to start until the Tuesday, but a kick-off event was being held on the Monday morning, the highlight of which was an impromptu workout session run by none other than Mr Motivator himself; it was high energy fun and exhausting! If you want to see just how exhausting… watch this.

Taking the rest of the day to recover from that, we got hold of the data sets being provided for the data hack under an NDA and set about our challenge. For the Oceans of Data challenge, we were asked how can we leverage insights from our ocean of operational data to make our services even more reliable and resilient?

“Data introduction: In 2019, NWG invested in Cloud technology to capture and store the vast volumes of data generated by our 30+ SCADA systems – now creating almost 45 million data records per day. While great progress has been made to extract value from this data, we are confident that much more insight can be generated about the performance of our assets, their rate of deterioration and the way they respond to changing operational conditions”.

The data provided was broken down into two broadly distinct sets of data:

  1. Work Order information out of their Asset Management System (Maximo).
  2. Sensor data from their extant SCADA networks across several sewage treatment plants. There was also some supplementary information provided, including an asset classification hierarchy that Northumbrian Water have crafted and a series of SCADA Mimics (high level process flows).

The stated objective of the data hack was to provide a path to holistic analysis of the data, particularly, correlating sensor data to work order data providing a history of activity leading up to corrective work orders. This historic information could then be used in predictive modelling of future failure; thereby turning all the reactive maintenance activity (which is relatively time consuming and costly) into scheduled maintenance activity (which is planned, less disruptive and much cheaper).

Day 1

The hack consisted of presentations by Northumbrian Water around the operating of sewage treatment plants, to provide us with a basic understanding of the business, forming the teams for the hack and a first pass at data analysis; working out what could and could not be done in the rest of the time available.

The event had an amazing mix of people attending, ranging from data scientists and machine learning (ML) experts to software engineering expertise. My team consisted of software engineering specialists, which worked well for our chosen idea as our teams abundant Java and React experience proved invaluable. Along with the experts attending, we could also call on our own ML and data scientists within CACI if we needed any advice.

Having dived into the data, Team CACI decided to play to our strengths and develop something, focusing on the data sets in isolation and hopefully providing Northumbrian Water with a new way of interpreting their data.

Day 2

We spent the day preparing the data into machine readable formats and finalising the approach for the application and then actually building it. We chose to provide a heatmap analysis of the two datasets, with Work Orders being visualised across the asset classification hierarchy and Sensor data being visualised across the SCADA Mimics (high level process flow diagrams) that had been made available.

Day 3

Day 3 was focused on refining the application – bug fixing, visual styling, cutting bits we had no time for (such is the way of the hackathon!) – and creating the presentation, which included the demo that we would show the judging panel.

Unfortunately, we ran out of time on the sensor data visualisation, so that hit the cutting room floor. This allowed us to focus on bug fixing the application and making it look more like the asset classification hierarchy we had been shown – making it relatable to Northumbrian Water.

The afternoon of Day 3 was spent presenting the solutions from all the teams and being judged. As the presentations progressed (Team CACI had opted to go last) a common theme arose: correlating the two data sets was very difficult and to do it with any degree of accuracy/success would require more data.

We were the only team who had made a working proof of concept, while others had focused on presentations. Our interactive website that the judges could play with was well received. The fact that we had used Northumbrian Water’s own asset classification hierarchy was positively acknowledged and provoked quite a bit of interest. We were then subjected to some questioning by the judging panel before they retired to select the category winners.

I am delighted to announce that we won the Best Data Visualisation category:

OCEANS OF DATA HACK AWARD

The CACI data hackathon team really impressed the judges with their solution, a prototype data visualisation to help direct our maintenance teams toward our most problematic assets, structured to represent our asset hierarchy in clear format to enable rapid insights. We enjoyed working with the team who remained enthusiastic despite the challenging task we’d set for them! Thank you and well done.

Northumbrian Waters

Takeaways from the Event

There were a few takeaways from the data hack and the event as a whole:

  • With preparation, virtual events of this kind can really work, congratulations to Northumbrian Water for putting on such a successful event.
  • As ever, time is your enemy, the teams only had about 16 working hours available to us to produce something and everybody made the absolute most out of the time allowed.
  • Finally, this was a team effort, but massive thanks to Chris, Ian and Matt who did all the hard work, I just presented it at the end. Not forgetting Ryan who nominated us, and the Critical National Infrastructure team, for selecting the event.

For more information on the event and our proof of concept expertise, or our wider CACI capabilities, contact us at cni@caci.co.uk.