Austmine is the leading industry association for the Australian Mining Equipment, Technology, and Services (METS) sector. As a not-for-profit association, Austmine exists to promote the global advancement of technology and innovation in mining. One of the things they do is offer a program called "Austmine Innovate." The team plays the role of an independent facilitator and coordinator of industry innovation programs. This aims to unify multiple companies under a single goal or "challenge." For example, many mining companies want to leverage battery technology for machinery, but how does a giant truck in a remote location charge and recharge its batteries, and can it afford to sit idle for hours while doing so?
Through running these innovation challenges, multiple vendors (mining companies) unite, allowing participants (external suppliers, consultancies, and vendors) to put forward their idea and concept to solve the issue. Judges (industry advisory panels) then review, score and award the best idea to receive funding to develop the solution further.
They already had a digital platform in use, so when is the best time to migrate or rebuild, and why?
Digital discovery and consultation by a strategy lead team
When the Dapth consultants first met Austmine, they were tasked with conducting a digital discovery process. The aim was to map the current state of operations, workflows, and processes that related to the handling of the Austmine Innovation program. After successfully facilitating the BHP Charge on Challenge program, Austmine identified the need to position themselves to scale as they look to offer the same service to many other mining companies across Australia and the rest of the world.
Software and application analysis
Initially, it was assumed that there was already a tool to facilitate the program (AwardForce), so it was perceived as an area that was already set up and functional. While this tool is an enterprise-level solution with plenty of high-quality features and functionality, it was not built to match exactly how Austmine needed to operate and manage their service.
Process mapping ideal state vs current state
During the audit and analysis, it became clear that Austmine had a unique and bespoke process for managing their innovation program. The process also uncovered other systems and platforms where data was shared , as well as the recommended practices and ideals for transferring data in an automated manner (reducing manual intervention and increasing security).