Allocating resources to large construction projects
This company's resource management is a complex operation that coordinates suppliers, contractors, internal staff, external staff and work schedules to ensure the right workers are assigned to the right projects. This intricate process supports various construction projects and manages a massive workforce.
Every year, over 10,000 workers are processed through their service centres. The manual nature of their procedure was a significant bottleneck, creating inefficiencies and consuming valuable time.
The core challenge was to modernise and digitise this process. By doing so, we aimed to eliminate outdated workflows and unlock substantial time savings, with a clear goal of recapturing over 54,000 working hours annually, which is equivalent to 28 full-time positions.
Discovery and research
The project began with a deep dive into the existing resource management process. Since no suitable off-the-shelf solution existed, the team took a user-centred approach to define the problem space.
Ecosystem mapping: We first identified all key players and their roles in the resource allocation process, including job performers, suppliers, and internal staff.
Story-based interviews: We conducted extensive interviews with a diverse group of stakeholders, including managers, workers, suppliers, and procurement teams. This was crucial for understanding the pain points and needs from every perspective.
Process workshops: We held workshops to map out the current resource allocation workflow, which helped us identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
Strategy and prioritisation
With a clear understanding of the challenges, the team moved into the strategic phase to define the path forward.
Prioritisation: We analysed the gathered insights to identify and prioritise the most critical problems to solve first.
Product strategy: Based on these priorities, we developed a comprehensive product strategy that would guide the entire build.
Identifying "low-hanging fruit": We pinpointed quick wins—features that could be implemented early to deliver immediate value and benefit larger groups (traction).
Design and development
With a strategy in place, the team began the hands-on work of building the solution.
Concept development: We developed a clear concept for the new system, outlining its functionality and user experience.
Detailed design: We created detailed designs and prototypes for the product.
User testing: These designs were tested with real users to gather feedback and make necessary iterations.
Product build: Finally, with validated designs, the development of the new system began.
