Navigating Complexity: A Design-Led Approach to Data-Centric Operations

Successfully navigating this transition requires a holistic, design-led methodology. While traditional consultancy often focuses on analysing existing data to optimise established processes, a design-led approach is fundamentally different. It is a creative, human-centred methodology for navigating ambiguity and co-creating entirely new solutions. When developing data-centric facilities, the core challenge is not just optimising the "as-is" but defining the "to-be." Our approach tackles this head-on. We bridge the gap between strategy, technology, and people, ensuring that new operational models are not only technically sound but are also understood, adopted, and trusted by the personnel who must run them. 

This document outlines the key points of our value proposition for assisting organisations in rethinking their approach to complex development projects, ensuring the final asset is not only technically viable but also operationally and organizationally robust.

The Challenge: Moving from the Known to the Unknown

The ambition to create data-centric facilities introduces unprecedented complexity. Traditional, siloed project development is insufficient when the core operating model is being redesigned.

Key challenges for these projects include:

• Defining a clear long-term strategic vision (clarifying the main goals of the new data-centric organisation) to effectively guide immediate technical, operational, and financial choices.

• Aligning dozens of internal and external stakeholders (e.g., IT, automation, operations, maintenance, vendors) who have different priorities, timelines, and vocabularies.

• Translating new, abstract operational models into tangible processes and roles that personnel can trust and adopt.

• Designing new critical functions (such as those related to condition monitoring, logistics, and maintenance) from the ground up, ensuring they are integrated across all organisational silos.

Our Design-Led Approach to Operations

Our work provides the essential "connective tissue" for complex projects. We provide project support, strategic analysis, and concept development, applying human-centred design methodologies to bridge the gap between strategy and execution.

1. Anchoring Strategy with a Clear Vision

Activities and Approach: We lead foresight and vision work to establish a clear, long-term target for the asset's operational future. This process anchors all subsequent technical and organisational decisions, preventing costly misalignments. We analyse existing value chains, strategies, and decision-making processes to identify the foundational requirements for the new operational model. This work often involves applying frameworks for Man-Technology-Organisation (MTO) analysis, situational awareness, and human-factors engineering.

Value & Deliverables:

• A unified strategic vision, shared and understood by all stakeholders.

• Clear analysis of system, technology, and human-factors requirements.

• A strategic roadmap to guide development from the current state to the future autonomous goal.

2. Making Complex Operations Tangible

Activities and Approach: New operating models are often abstract and difficult for stakeholders to grasp. A primary challenge is ensuring all personnel can understand and adopt them. We engage with project teams to map and visualise new operational concepts—such as a Central Control Centre—and their interaction with the new asset. We analyse the new roles and responsibilities required, with a focus on building alignment and trust with future operators.

Value & Deliverables:

• Visual models of new operational processes and communication lines.

• Analysis of new operational roles and associated competency gaps.

• Human-centred methods for translating abstract strategies into understandable and adoptable operational realities.

3. Integrating Critical Cross-Functional Systems

Activities and Approach: Data-driven operations rely on new, complex, and deeply integrated systems (e.g., online condition monitoring, data-driven maintenance). These systems cut across traditional organisational silos. We use a systems-oriented approach to map existing procedures, conduct expert interviews, and facilitate interdisciplinary workshops. This allows us to identify systemic barriers and co-develop new, robust solutions that are fit for purpose.

Value & Deliverables:

• A re-framed strategic approach for critical functions.

• Identification of key challenges in data continuity, stakeholder alignment, and process ownership.

• Concrete proposals for long-term organisational change, new documentation systems, and cross-disciplinary collaboration forums.

Conclusion

Our work establishes the strategic, organisational, and operational foundation for complex new facilities. We provide an essential design-led approach to manage complexity, align stakeholders, and de-risk the project by ensuring the final solution is not just technically ambitious but also organizationally robust and operationally sound.