The challenge
During a period of significant organisational change, a leading UK engineering technology organisation partnered with Cadspec to modernise its engineering data environment. The client has been anonymised due to the confidential nature of the engagement, but the challenges, delivery approach and project outcomes remain unchanged. As the organisation evolved, its engineering information had become spread across separate teams, systems and infrastructure. What had worked well for individual parts of the business was becoming increasingly difficult to manage as the company moved towards a more unified operating model. Two separate engineering data environments supported approximately 25 design and engineering users across two sites, creating unnecessary complexity and making it harder to manage information consistently across the organisation. This meant the challenge went further than just requiring a software upgrade. The business needed to bring its engineering data together, reduce operational risk, protect a substantial body of legacy information and create a simpler environment that could support its future direction, all while minimising disruption to day-to-day engineering activity.
Our approach
Cadspec began by reviewing how engineering information was being managed across the two teams, along with the supporting infrastructure and the risks associated with bringing the environments together. Rather than attempting one large-scale change, the project was deliberately broken into manageable phases. This allowed each stage to be completed and validated before moving to the next, reducing disruption to the business and allowing the engineering teams to continue operating throughout the transition. The objective was clear: create one more manageable engineering data environment while protecting the information the business depended on.
Responding to what we found
As the project progressed, it became clear that the challenge was not simply about moving data from one system to another. Years of accumulated engineering information had created inconsistencies, duplicate files and legacy relationships that made consolidation more complex than initially anticipated. At this point, the project became as much about data quality and business resilience as migration. Cadspec adapted the delivery approach, working through the affected data and resolving issues as they emerged rather than allowing legacy problems to compromise the project. This was a critical part of the engagement. The organisation was not simply left with its existing problems transferred onto newer infrastructure. The migration also helped expose and address underlying issues that had developed over time.
Why Cadspec?
Cadspec worked closely with the organisation to understand the business context behind the project, manage the risks associated with change and adapt the delivery plan as new issues emerged.
That meant balancing three priorities throughout the project:
- Protecting critical engineering information
- Minimising disruption to the business
- Creating a simpler and more scalable environment for the future
This consultancy-led approach allowed the project to continue successfully despite complexities that could not have been fully identified before the migration began.
The outcome
The project brought the organisation’s previously separate engineering information onto a more unified and manageable platform.
- More than 100,000 engineering files were successfully transferred into the new environment, with repeated verification carried out to ensure the source information had been captured correctly.
- The project also delivered a substantial reduction in the size of the engineering data environment.
- The legacy system occupied approximately 750GB. Following consolidation, the destination environment was approximately 135GB, an 82% reduction.
For the business, the benefits extended beyond storage.
A simpler operating environment
The two previously separate engineering data environments are now managed through common infrastructure, reducing complexity and making ongoing administration easier.
- Reduced operational risk – The phased delivery approach allowed the organisation to make a significant infrastructure change while minimising disruption to active engineering teams.
- Greater visibility of legacy issues – The project exposed historic data-quality problems that had previously been hidden within the existing systems, giving the organisation a clearer understanding of where further improvement is required.
- A stronger foundation for future growth – The new environment provides a more manageable platform from which the organisation can improve engineering processes, governance and collaboration over time.
Looking ahead
The project also created a clear roadmap for further improvement. Around 8,800 duplicate files were identified during the migration, providing the business with a defined starting point for future data cleansing and governance work. Further opportunities were also identified around file naming, information structure, lifecycle control and engineering data management. The project therefore did more than consolidate two engineering systems. It helped the organisation reduce complexity, protect critical engineering information and establish a stronger digital foundation for the next stage of its development.
Customer Perspective
“Cadspec helped us bring together two established engineering data environments while keeping disruption to the business to a minimum. The project became more complex as legacy data issues emerged, but the team adapted the approach, worked through the challenges, and delivered a much cleaner and more manageable environment for us going forward.”
Principal Systems Engineer
UK Engineering Technology Organisation
Cadspec Perspective
“Engineering data transformation is fundamentally a business risk and governance issue, not simply a technology project. Our priority was to protect critical engineering information, maintain business continuity and reduce the risk embedded within years of legacy data. As the complexity of the environment emerged, the strength of our technical team was critical. Their expertise, persistence, and ability to adapt the delivery approach ensured we addressed the underlying issues rather than simply transferring them into a new system. This was also a highly collaborative engagement. The client’s technical and engineering teams were a pleasure to work with, and that close partnership was a major factor in the success of the project. The result is a cleaner, more resilient and materially de-risked engineering environment, with a much stronger foundation for governance, scalability and future growth.”
Alex Bordino
Business Consultant, Cadspec
