What is NAVIA - Agile Operations Software?
Using NAVIA, can I implement a command room that gathers information in real time about my process, infrastructure or territory?
Yes. The dashboard is completely configurable to suit your management model and operational organisation, and when changes are made they are immediately available for the entire team, anywhere, on any mobile device.
Can I do away with paper and the information dispersed in Excel with NAVIA and still have access to all the information produced on a daily basis, in a well-organised format?
Absolutely. Regardless of the origin of the data, NAVIA allows integration of information using several programmes on the one hand, and on the other hand allows the various sources of information that the entity has for operational records, control and analysis of the organisation (whether these data are stored in hard copies or in digital format) to be replaced by the NAVIA solution.
Can my entire team get access to and input the information on NAVIA?
Yes. NAVIA was designed and developed from the bottom-up to enable collaboration among all the team members by allowing them to access, consult and share information in a controlled and monitored way, through a user-friendly system.
Does NAVIA allow operations management, maintenance, quality control, registration of records and risk assessment?
Yes. NAVIA allows all the tasks required for the management of your infrastructure, process or territory to be stored on a single system. Whether these tasks are linked to personnel and locations, jobs and operations, materials and equipment, control and indicators, or occurrences and risk, all the tasks linked to operational management can be attributed, planned, undertaken and monitored on NAVIA.
Benefits and advantages
What are the benefits, namely in terms of finances, that the implementation of NAVIA can bring to my company?
Using NAVIA can lead to a range of gains, and after 15 years of implementation experience in the market the following benefits can be listed, as examples:
- Optimisation and reduction of travel
- Elimination of paper consumption
- Reduction of staff costs (e.g. doing away with the need for several administrative tasks, optimising shifts, eliminating duplicated work)
- Energy and resource consumption optimisation (e.g. reagents)
- Management and optimisation of outsourcing contracts
- Sharp reduction in the time taken for the certification and auditing of quality, environmental and safety management processes.
What qualitative gains can NAVIA bring to my organisation?
NAVIA brings about significant qualitative gains in the operational management of an organisation, essentially because of the high level of production and supply of knowledge that the implementation of NAVIA gives rise to.
At the end of the working day, the previous piles of data (in paper or in dispersed digital files) are replaced with integrated, reliable information that is available to everybody linked to NAVIA, anytime. The information is supplied in a timely manner, identifying the parties involved, allowing preventive management and accountability to become the norm and accepted and valued by the teams.
Grounded management, informed decision making and perception of trends is made possible and reliable through a consolidated knowledge base using tools to process this knowledge and make it accessible. This knowledge management and sharing is one of the most innate assets of NAVIA.
If my company starts using NAVIA, what other software can be dispensed with?
NAVIA is by nature a data and knowledge compiler. It is typically integrated with systems of telemanagement (SCADA), Laboratories (LIMS), geographical and registrations (SIG), finance (ERP) and business (CRM).
Essentially, NAVIA eliminates and automates the processing that is usually undertaken in spreadsheets and on paper.
Specifically, what is the pay-back time of the investment to acquire NAVIA?
It depends on level of use and implementation that each organisation makes of NAVIA. We are aware of organisations that have recuperated their investment in NAVIA in less than one year, and others that have done so in up to two years.
Commercial questions
Could my company be too small to implement NAVIA?
NAVIA is operational management software that is adaptable to any infrastructure, process or territory, as it is completely parametrizable, regardless of geographical location, demographics, processes and resources of the organisation. Examples of the implementation of NAVIA range from operations with vast geographical dispersion and hundreds of users connected to the software, to small production processes. Therefore, we say that no operation is too big or too small for NAVIA, as in essence it is the organisation that adapts it to its dimension.
What kind of companies and infrastructures can use NAVIA?
NAVIA - agile operation software can be used by any kind of organisation that employs personnel and undertakes operations. As described earlier, NAVIA is a solution able to be configured by the organisation itself, designed to compile the information of its operational activity and transform it into effective knowledge, able to be managed by the teams anytime, anywhere, meaning that any kind of process, infrastructure or organisation can implement it. To see some of the organisations that have implemented NAVIA, also visit: Agile operations for water utilities, Agile Operations for smart cities, Agile operations for infrastructures
What is the licensing model under which I can purchase NAVIA?
NAVIA has different licensing modes that can be adapted to the needs and/or the investment restrictions of the organisation. For a more complete answer to this question, contact us.
Does NAVIA have optional modules? Why? How much do they cost?
Yes, NAVIA has optional modules that can be added to the basic solution so the organisation can tailor the choice to its particular circumstances, size and investment. These options are justified by the different types and sizes of organisations, to allow the investment and implementation decision to be phased and adjusted to the agenda and capacity of the organisation.
The cost is moderated, and like all commercial licensing, is scalable in line with the size of the entity. The modules are as follows:
- Participatory citizenship app
- Analytical quality control plan
- Management of reagents
- Waste management
- Integration with SCADAS
- Integration with SIG
- Integration with CRM
- Integration with ERP
- Integration with LIMS
The cost of each module is moderated and naturally variable. For further information, please contact us.
How much does NAVIA cost? Is it too expensive for my company?
The licensing cost of NAVIA is weighted in line with the size of the infrastructure, which in turn is based on two components; the cost of the licence of the server application (depending on the size of the system to be managed), and the number of concurrent users and number of mobile applications. The cost is therefore scalable and tailored to the size of the entity and its resources.
Does the purchase of NAVIA include support in the implementation and/or training? What is the cost?
The purchase of NAVIA, in any licensing mode, always includes a training programme and implementation support. The cost of this programme is defined in agreement with the entity that will use the system, in accordance with the requirements and availability of the organisation.
Are there other hidden costs?
No. NAVIA’s supply and implementation proposal always includes all the licensing, training and support costs, as well as everything required in terms of hardware and software.
Implementation and training
How is NAVIA implemented? Is it complicated?
Thanks to experience gained in the implementation of NAVIA in dozens of companies in a wide range of sectors and markets, a training programme is perfectly defined, structured and documented, which runs in tandem with an implementation programme. A modicum of dedication and involvement by the team that will use the programme is enough to ensure the implementation of NAVIA is fast and uncomplicated.
How long does it take to implement NAVIA?
NAVIA is available as soon as the decision is made to purchase it.
The implementation time will depend on the availability of the user, and is usually fast.
How will my company participate in the implementation of NAVIA?
The team that will use NAVIA plays a leading role in its implementation. The customisable nature of NAVIA is based on the user’s flexibility to tailor it to the circumstances, defining the parameters, routines and data outputs intended per team and individual, meaning that the NAVIA solution is supplied with standard parameters and the organisation is completely free to structure NAVIA to its needs. All of this with the help of the training programme and implementation support.
Will my company become dependent on the software supplier?
Definitely not! NAVIA is completely configured by its users in a user-friendly manner and with no programming needed. It is an uncomplicated solution that will rapidly become a collaborative platform for your entire team, which can evolve within NAVIA with complete freedom.
Who will help me in the implementation process and who will give the training?
The team involved in using NAVIA will have the full support of the NAVIA training and support team. An implementation training and support plan will be drawn up, at the end of which the users will be autonomous in the setting of parameters and using the software.
During this training and implementation phase, a helpdesk is also available through telephone and e-mail, and at the end there is also the possibility to establish a support and maintenance programme, for the period of time that the entity deems necessary.
We also emphasise that the NAVIA support and training team is highly experienced, has in-depth knowledge of the operational management activity of different kinds of infrastructures and makes a point of working closely with the teams on the ground to make sure their needs are addressed.
Will staff members who are less comfortable in using new technologies find it difficult working with NAVIA?
No. In our history of 15 years implementing NAVIA we can state that all individuals received and adapted to the NAVIA environment very easily, even less qualified employees. We believe that one of the reasons for this is the immediate benefit people can see as soon as it is implemented, namely in terms of simplification in their day-to-day work. Moreover, the user-friendly nature of NAVIA mobile solutions, using a smartphone or tablet, is illustrated by comparing it to the delivery of a simple SMS text message. Likewise, the collaborative nature underpinning the use of NAVIA transmits the perception of real involvement: everybody is included and everybody feels their importance in the organisation.
Technical questions
Does the purchase of NAVIA imply the need to purchase any more software?
No. The NAVIA licence includes everything needed for its correct functioning, namely the operating system, database and WEB server.
What hardware is needed to get NAVIA up and running?
If you do not purchase the NAVIA server, you have to have a server (which may be a virtual one) to host and run the system. This server has basic requirements. If you opt for the cloud version, you do not need a server. For each operational team that works with the mobile NAVIA system, a common Android tablet is needed.
How does mobile NAVIA work?
NAVIA allows total mobility of the teams on the ground without needing any special equipment or software. NAVIA can be accessed using a computer, tablet or smartphone that has access through communications (intranet, internet, remote VPN access, or other).
What communications capability do I need and how much will it cost me?
To use in a browser (on a computer), you must have an internal ETHERNET with access to the internet. Mobile user need to have WI-FI and/or GSM/3G. This last case is only necessary if the operational teams plan to be permanently online. As for the costs, WI-FI on the intranet is free of charge, GSM/3G has very low costs which are constantly getting lower.
Integration with other software
What software is compatible with NAVIA?
In general, NAVIA undertakes functional and data integration with any SIG system and with any SCADA system (telemanagement). Integration with LIMS, ERP and CRM systems is completely feasible, but requires analysis given that it is not a standard situation.
As well as these systems, NAVIA can be integrated with any other kind of database-driven software. Each situation will have to be assessed.
Who integrates NAVIA with other software and what is needed to do it?
The integration with other software has two phases. The first phase is technical and will be undertaken by the NAVIA team. The second phase depends on its parametrization and upgrading, and is therefore carried out by the team that uses the system. No programming or technical knowledge of any kind is required.
Is integration with other software an expensive and complex process?
Standard integration with SCADA and SIG is fast and cheap. Integration with ERP, CRM and LIMS depends on the level of functionality wanted.
What do I gain by integrating NAVIA with other software?
NAVIA is a middleware high-level data compiler, which collates all the information and knowledge linked to an infrastructure, process or territory in a single database and makes it available in a powerful and flexible dashboard. This is only fully achieved by integrating the data coming from all sources available in the company.
Support and technical assistance
After NAVIA has been implemented, who will help me?
The NAVIA team will always be available for you. We are permanently improving NAVIA - agile operation software and developing new functionalities. Through an expeditious and economic maintenance contract you can have all the support and all the new versions of NAVIA.
How do I contact NAVIA support? In what languages and through which channels?
The helpdesk is available from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm (Portuguese time), on all working days, in English, Spanish and Portuguese. The communication channels available are by telephone and e-mail. In certain situations, the support may be provided in person.
What are the most frequent technical problems with NAVIA?
With over 15 years of development and use by hundreds of users, NAVIA has achieved an extremely high level of performance and robustness. Its reliability and availability are in the order of 100%.
The only vulnerability of NAVIA is its dependence on a reliable and fast Ethernet, which nowadays can be guaranteed by most companies and in most locations.
What guarantees to I have as regards support by the NAVIA team?
All the contractual support and technical assistance, supplied in a timely manner, can be guaranteed through a maintenance contract established at the end of the implementation.
What guarantees do I have as regards the conservation of my data?
NAVIA implements an automatic, regular and monitored backup system. If it is down, the administrator is informed. A data backup guarantee service can also be contracted.