A global view Insights, projects and people from across the world of Rail & Transit at SNC-Lavalin New Technology Auditing made simple with Audit Companion Graduate Challenge A team of six employees from the graduate development scheme were named winners of The Times Graduate Challenge. The prestigious competition is delivered in association with the UK daily newspaper and is open to businesses across the country. The aim of the training course is to develop leadership potential in recent graduates at the start of their professional careers. At SNC-Lavalin, the Rail & Transit team is developing an innovative new app, called Audit Companion, that will revolutionise how future audits are managed and conducted. Previously when assets were audited, findings were recorded using pen and paper, plus a digital camera for photographic evidence. Upon completion of the inspection, the handwritten notes were typed up and photos uploaded. If data analysis was required as part of the project, further data entry, coding and conversion was needed. ‘As you can imagine, this was a time-consuming task,’ said Software Solutions Team Leader Matt Davies. ‘The time taken to complete inspections also meant they were more costly. It seemed clear to me that developing a mobile solution would solve many of these issues.’ Tim Childs, a Senior Engineer in Asset Management and Maintenance Services, also saw a gap in the market. Together, the pair submitted their idea for an auditing app to the company’s internal ‘Ideas & Innovation Factory’. Tim was asked to prepare a feasibility study, with a view to launching a new product. The Senior Management team was impressed by the initial proposal and thought the project had potential. Tim submitted a formal business case to request funding and the idea was pitched successfully. Budget approval was granted and a team was mobilised to get it off the ground. Shortly after the project kicked off, a competition to name the app was held internally and ‘Audit Companion’ was born. The app is currently in the development phase and undergoing testing. Tim commented: ‘The days of pen and paper are nearly gone, as we are able to carry out more efficient and consistent asset inspections on tablet and mobile devices. As well as auditing trains, Audit Companion can be used by our customers to audit any asset on the go... the possibilities are endless.’ http://about.audit-companion.com NEWS IN BRIEF News in North America Kevin George will be joining SNC- Lavalin’s Rail & Transit team as Vice-President Rail & Transit Engineering, North America. He joins us from WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff and will be based in Toronto. The North American team started the year in style with numerous project kick-offs. These included the Via Rail fleet replacement, the Purple Line light rail project in Baltimore, and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) general engineering contract. UK Appointments There have been several senior appointments within the UK team. Former Head of Projects & Strategy, Andy McDonald, has been appointed Director, System Consulting & Assurance. Deputy Director of Infrastructure, James Howles, has been promoted to UK Director, Infrastructure. James took over from Iain Court, who took up the role of Business Development Director at the start of the year. snclavalin.com