Jacobs automates engineering processes with VIKTOR

As a global leader in professional services and engineering innovation, Jacobs has been at the forefront of transforming how work gets done. They're continuously finding ways to streamline workflows and increase efficiency. Early automation efforts involved leveraging tools like Autodesk Dynamo, Microsoft Power Automate, and FME. However, Jacobs' engineers quickly realized visual programming was just the beginning, which led to the creation of the Global Design Automation Program. Led by a team of over 50 experts, dedicated to pushing the boundaries of engineering automation by leveraging innovative tools and platforms, like VIKTOR.

What's holding back from reinventing tomorrow

With approximately 15 billion dollars in annual revenue and a talent force of over 50,000, professional services firm Jacobs is a global leader in engineering, technical, professional and construction services. They envision a smarter, more connected, and more sustainable world by challenging today and reinventing tomorrow. What's challenging them in achieving this vision are inefficiencies caused by manual, repetitive tasks that slow down processes and consume valuable engineering resources.

Global Design Automation as a solution

To address their challenges, Jacobs launched the Global Design Automation Program to enhance engineering processes and eliminate mundane and highly repetitive tasks.

A key part of this program, led by Global Technology Leader Marina Villanueva, was the search for technologies capable of accelerating automation efforts. “That’s how we found VIKTOR,” says Villanueva.

Automating engineering processes with VIKTOR

Since discovering VIKTOR—a platform for building and sharing engineering applications—in early 2023, Jacobs has developed several web apps that help them save time, collaborate more effectively, share knowledge, and optimize processes.

Currently, three applications are actively used, with more in development. These tools include applications for automated highway barrier design, steel pipe connection design, a Rayleigh Wave calculator, and a Return on Investment (ROI) calculator.

Determining Return On Investment

While most apps were developed by Jacobs' engineers, Villanueva personally designed the ROI calculator. It helps calculate the ROI of potential VIKTOR applications, making it easier for developers to secure funding for their ideas. "This app helps decision-makers understand the ultimate return on investment," she explains.

ROI app.png

The ROI calculator app on the VIKTOR platform

The ROI calculator not only assesses current tools but also predicts the potential ROI of future ideas, helping prioritize projects. "It’s valuable to know upfront whether something will provide a good return. If the ROI isn’t promising, we can focus our efforts elsewhere," says Villanueva.

The Rayleigh Wave calculator. Click 'pop out' tfor full screen.

Making engineering logic accessible

Although Villanueva doesn’t consider herself a professional software developer, with basic Python skills she was able to create an app on the VIKTOR platform.

"It was surprisingly easy and fun to build my own application. The biggest advantage was not having to design the user interface—VIKTOR took care of that." - Marina Villanueva, Global Technology Leader at Jacobs

Like many engineers, Villanueva prefers to focus on developing the logic behind the app. “Thanks to VIKTOR’s rapid iteration process, I was able to release something useful quickly and refine it later,” she explains.

“VIKTOR is extremely accessible for engineers. You don’t need to know HTML, CSS, or JavaScript—just Python. The platform removes much of the complexity that typically comes with web development. The intuitive user interface also helps with adoption.” – Marina Villanueva, Global Technology Leader at Jacobs

Scaling Automation across projects

As a global organization, Jacobs delivers engineering projects all over the world. The rollout of VIKTOR applications started in January 2023 in the Europe region, but Jacobs' strategy is to provide usage across all other regions. “We want to maximize our investment by enabling people from all regions to use the tools we are developing", Villanueva says.

Currently, Villanueva is working with organizational change management experts on an engagement plan to increase adoption and maximize the reuse of apps. One initiative is to merge the separate development environments from the UK and Europe and implement multi-region access to ensure people from one region can access applications made by the other.

In 2 to 3 years time, Villanueva expects that engineers at Jacobs will use applications to automate processes on all projects:

“My vision is that automation to deliver technical work becomes the norm, rather than the exception.” - Marina Villanueva, Global Technology Leader at Jacobs