A fully customized system
Our cooperation began by developing a digital service used in connection with roof inspections. During the first stage, we automatized a set of roof inspection reporting tools that allowed inspectors to enter their observations directly into the system during inspections.
The development of each set of functions started with service design: first, we acquired a detailed understanding of the work carried out by the people at Kattotutka. We conducted interviews that provided us with a good general overview, but we also found it important to visit the rooftops to see what the inspectors actually did in practice.
The goal of service design was to get rid of any unnecessary steps that the use of the existing tools had created in the workflow. The customized system helped to improve the situation in two ways:
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The UIs could be built to provide data and functions that the work stages required. The views provided reflect the different work stages, which means that the user doesn’t have to constantly switch between different views. Instead, each stage of the work can be handled in the same view from start to finish.
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When the system is custom-built, all relevant data can be made available in the correct format. There’s no need to manually transfer data from one program or view to another anymore. Instead, all data transfers take place in the background.
An example of this is the so-called Map of Observations. Previously, the inspector had to manually prepare a diagram of all roof repair needs, which was time-consuming. In addition, as the resulting map was part of the report document, the repair team had to spend some time digging it up before getting started with their work.
Now the inspector only has to mark the location of each observation on a photo taken by a drone. The map gets automatically included in the report, and the location data is easily accessible to the roofers.
The digitalization of the report increased its quality, consistency and comprehensiveness and sped up the inspectors’ work. The report can be prepared without extensive IT skills.
After finishing the inspection functionality, Kattotutka’s competitiveness was improved by digitalizing the processes of the company one by one. The work included, for example, the development of sales and work management services. A comprehensive ERP system began to take shape with each finished functionality. Off-the-shelf applications have gradually been discarded.
One of the key success factors in the project was Kattotutka’s realization that the ERP had to support the company’s operations. This led us to solve business-specific challenges one by one. The functionalities we’ve built have been developed further throughout our cooperation using Agile methods.
