Recognising that the success of technical systems is dependent not only on the quality of the system, but also the people and processes surrounding them, we worked with the Grey District Council to get a better understanding of their SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system to understand the value it was providing the organisation and how it could most effectively be improved.   

We developed an assessment tool that enabled managers to view the SCADA system with a ‘business lens’, meaning they could gather information about the tools, people and processes affecting the use of the system.  This then provided a way to identify the causes of service disruptions, which in this case stemmed from the water/wastewater utilities.   By working closely with our client and listening to their challenges, we identified the need to look further than just the system itself, and work the people and processes. 

By doing so, we have provided Grey District Council with a roadmap that is grounded in the Council’s asset management and business environment, which in turn helps to secure funding as it is assessed as investment decisions, not just costs to the system.