ALS Compass - Intelligent Environmental Sampling Custom App

CLIENT

ALS (Australian Laboratory Services)

ALS is a global leader in providing laboratory testing, inspection, certification and verification solutions, operating in 370 sites across 65 countries. They provide high quality, innovative, professional testing services to help their clients make informed decisions.

BRIEF

Improve data accuracy with technology

ALS Compass simplifies the communications workflow of planning and quotation > project assignment > sample collection > analysis > receiving test results for ALS staff and clients.

A design for rain or shine

From our research, we found time pressure, unpredictable environmental conditions and a lack of standardisation in processes limited the uptake of digital platforms. ALS’ primary concern was to improve the efficiency (speed) and effectiveness (quality) of the sampling event and deliver an enhancement of services to end clients. A field sample’s journey was frequently disrupted by:

Requests for clarification via phone and email
Transcript errors of handwritten information
The discontinuation of real time reporting

To support long term adoption, our digitised concept mirrors the current process and integrates with existing ALS systems. The reimagined solution drives efficiency by eliminating paper-based steps in the generation and logging of chain-of-custody (COC) documentation.

Genuine trackability

We replaced handwritten labels and the accompanying paper COC with scannable barcode labels. The barcodes connect the collected sample with a sampling event (project and unique quote ID) and requested analysis, creating complete transparency on the status of every sample.

Barcodes also unlocked the opportunity to replace a cumbersome bottle fulfilment process with a digital inventory and in-app ordering service.

Build the missing link

ALS has two proprietary systems related to the soil and water analysis service; ALS Compass required integration with both. This posed a technical challenge in the absence of an API. Working together, Conduct designed a custom API, documenting endpoints, data structure and application requirements based on the UI. ALS internally built and tested the API in sprints, allowing for fluid cross-platform integration within the Xamarin Native framework.

Rethinking features around user needs

Prototypes were refined following a series of co-located, field-based validation sessions. New functions include: periodic data-syncing to allow users with limited connectivity to work offline; as well as the addition of sample metadata, GPS coordinates and an option to attach images to sampling events. ALS Compass was an end-to-end project with Conduct. The final result is a secure, co-designed, intelligent field assistant.

“The system is not only robust, but simple and uses readily available technology, which is easily reproducible and trackable and hence can stand-up to the process of rigorous auditing.” Robin Wagland, Auditor