Information Technology
A building’s ICT infrastructure and network are the backbone which creates opportunities for innovation and enables users to thrive. We see ICT infrastructure as an essential service just as critical as a building's electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems.
In our experience, we often see ICT packaged alongside a service consultant’s scope to deliver a building’s electrical or plumbing services. However, there is a significant difference in the maturity of these packages and the resources necessary to deliver an ICT system which provides value to users. Frequently, we have been contracted to ‘rescue’ a building’s ICT infrastructure due to constraints on the number of technically capable resources available to complete the works.
At UT Consulting we have a dedicated team of ICT infrastructure consultants which have delivered some of the largest ICT deployments in Australia. Our team is highly experienced, specialised, and capable of adding significant value to a building and project. We believe the necessity of ICT services deserves specialist consultants and specialist teams.
Capabilities
UT Consulting employs dedicated ICT specialists with extensive experience in designing ICT infrastructure for major projects. Because our ICT consultants work alongside our audio visual and communications consultants, they are intimately familiar with the design requirements, risks, and considerations that must be made to accommodate these packages.
Since 2003, our approach to ICT design has adapted as technologies have evolved. Currently, we are experts at designing highly available, fast, and resilient networks that can accommodate the latest technologies on the market.
Our team has been fortunate to:
- Serve as the State Technical Advisor for Queensland and Victoria and numerous major health infrastructure projects.
- Design and coordinate the ICT infrastructure for some of Australia’s largest correctional centres, corporate entities, and major buildings.
- Provide technical advisory services on numerous high profile projects.
- Assist luxury hotels to provide their guests with fast, secure, and accessible networks and content channels.
- Create competitive gaming environments with minimal latency, even with hundreds of users and broadcasting requirements.
- Provide technical advice and guidance to Australia’s leading tertiary educators regarding network upgrade pathways and technologies.
Our Method
A key reason for our success is the methodology we created to cater for the unique requirements and constraints placed on ICT consultants. Our methodology is the product of over a decade of projects and constant iteration to ensure our team is best equipped to manage large scale ICT infrastructure projects.
While our specific methodology may differ depending on the complexity of a project, at a very high level our philosophy is as follows:
- Start with a methodology
- Adapt your methodology to include an understanding of the project context (sector, duration, procurement method, etc).
- Learn from your project success to iterate on your methodology
- Repeat
Servicing the Project
Feasibility Study & Business Case
UT Consulting provide ICT & AV inputs into a business case with budget estimates covering the best practise requirements for the facility. As part of this process our Consultants discuss key requirements, assumptions, and dependencies for the ICT & AV solution packages.
The business requirements form the basis of our design decisions and enable us to produce a design grounded in meeting the needs of the organisation in question.
ICT Audit & Brief Phase
UT Consultants conduct an audit of all existing technologies deployed, relevant to the nominated scope, and provide recommendation for extension or replacement, noting key risks and dependencies relevant to the project.
Our team coordinate design dependencies with other key consultants including Architecture, Engineering and Communications and highlight these throughout the brief.
During early design phases, we produce a design brief confirming all scoped system requirements (functional & technical). Provide high level designs, overall technical architecture, and systems specific recommendations. Prepare estimate budgets for endorsement of stakeholders. The briefing phase also nominates key dependencies and integration requirements for each system and further inform the technical specification.
ICT Systems Detailed Design
UT Consulting provide detailed design specification for the project’s scope systems. Works include detailing all project requirements, functional and technical requirements, training, maintenance and support, and also integrated systems and building engineering dependencies.
The purpose of this stage is to clearly articulate system design and specification documentation and drawings and provide a clear scope of works for each system. The documentation is reviewed with all key stakeholder and final coordination with consideration for design dependencies are conducted with other key consultants including Architecture, Engineering, and Communications.
Tender Evaluation, Award, & Contract Administration
Once contractors have responded to our tender package, we review their submissions on behalf of the client and advise accordingly. Each submission is weighted, and we advise the client on which contractor is best aligned with meeting the capability, design requirements and cost expectations of the project.
During this stage we also review scope changes and contractor variation claims on behalf of the client to ensure they are validated and submitted costs are fair and reasonable. Furthermore, our team oversee the commissioning alongside the appointed contractor to ensure the works are coordinated with other services. We also remain on hand once appointed to field any design questions or adjustments which must be made for the project. Once the system has been commissioned, we validate the various integrations to ensure they are aligned with the relevant specifications.
Defects Liability Period
Prior to the Defects Liability Period, once the infrastructure has been commissioned, our consultants complete a post-implementation review to ensure all facets of the ICT infrastructure have been implemented correctly.
Before the project is completed, we ensure the contractor’s systems meets our technical specification, that all defects are rectified, and that the client’s business requirements have been addressed. During DLP we will provide review and advice on defects responsibility and resolution.
Post Occupancy Evaluation
Following the Defects Liability Period, UT Consulting provide a report outlining the design objectives of each system and its success in consultation with the Client.
The report we produce during this stage also includes recommendation on solutions that should be taken forward or removed for future projects.