How to Access Remote Data For Engineering Teams

 ​Let’s set the scene – you’ve just landed a project requiring you to work from the office, from the site and on the road.

The two main protagonists of your journey are large engineering datasets and remote data access (queue ominous music).

Conflict arises when your complex engineering data is left un-managed, revealing itself as the villain – and placing your project in a perilous position of slow data transfers, data duplication and collaboration breakdowns.

You have a decision to make: embrace remote data access with a data management system (DMS) or manage your data delays and limited flexibility with a generic management system. Fasten your seat-belts, this (epic) story has just begun…

Continue our story by watching the video presentation from 12d Synergy CEO Joel Gregory below; or keep scrolling and continue reading!

What is Remote Data Access?

Remote data access gives you the ability to effectively collaborate and access your project data from around the world. It gives your staff the freedom to work productively from anywhere, with the safety of full version control.

Having remote data access is now more important than ever; employee expectations on flexibility are evolving, projects are getting bigger, and deadlines are becoming tighter.

Think of it as the hero in your projects journey – allowing you to boost productivity all while maximising employee well-being.

Barriers to Remote Data Access

So what’s stopping you from accessing your data remotely?

The ever-expanding size and complexity of engineering datasets.  As Joel Gregory (12d Synergy CEO) explains; “One of the biggest challenges of our industry is the size of the data sets”.

Working with remote access demands transferring and accessing data across offices, sites and even continents. But with generic systems, slow data transfer and inaccessible data makes this impossible.

As a result, staff become chained to their office desk, and welfare suffers. This is in addition to the duplicate files, no backups and loss of data integrity.

Unlocking Faster Data Transfers and Digital Collaboration

Data management systems (like 12d Synergy) have broken through these barriers, enabling remote access to a controlled common data environment. This allows the time-saving freedom to access your engineering data from another office, on the road, or from home.

As Ben Brown (Civil Designer [WSP]) explains;

“It would take between 30-40 minutes to open projects. Due to the local caching technology in 12d Synergy, projects now open in around 1-2 minute. I can now work from any office in the country or from home and I know my data will load quickly.”

Benefits of Remote Data Access For Your Team

Remote data access increases your business’ output and your ability to hit deadlines as work can be shared between offices. This mobility allows your business to win more work as projects won in busier regions can be done by quieter offices.

It also allows you to put the life back into ‘work-life’ balance, easily connecting your team through digital collaboration. This also enables your business to be more productive while minimising expensive fly-in fly-out and relocation travel.

Remote data access also allows your team to then access simpler resourcing – unlocking a global talent pool without expensive and disruptive relocations. This gives you the flexibility to expand your team’s specialist skillset from around the world.

By embracing remote data access, you defeat the villainous mismanagement of geospatial data. But more importantly, you successfully start your quest to a collaborative, safe and streamlined project (queue uplifting music).

The story continues! Check out our Flexible Working eBook below: