Welcome to the 2024 Deighton User Conference (DUC) recap! Bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts at Deighton’s headquarters, DUC has always served as a beacon of knowledge and collaboration, and this year was no exception. From insightful presentations to interactive sessions, DUC2024 not only showcased the latest advancements in dTIMS, but also explored the evolving landscape of global asset management. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the field, join us as we dive into the highlights and key takeaways from this unforgettable event.
Day 1
The conference kicked off with a heartfelt celebration of the relationships that define Deighton – from long-standing client partnerships, to the dedication of our internal staff whose anniversaries were recognized by Vicki Deighton, CEO.
Left to right: Reid Kiniry and Rick Scott, Vermont, Vicki Deighton, CEO, Deighton Associates Ltd, Karen Deasy and Kay Hopper, Vermont
Following the warm welcome, DUC2024 started with a compelling presentation by the President of Deighton, Rob Piane, on the Deighton Water Model and its associated challenges. Developed in 1994, this model serves as a tangible representation of asset management principles. The session delved into its core concepts, setting the stage for the first of a series of challenges spread out throughout the week. In this DUC Challenge clients engaged in a hands-on exercise to discover optimal ratios for water distribution within the model.
Rob Piane, President, Deighton Associates Ltd
To end the day, clients were invited to showcase their agency and highlight the transformative impact of the dTIMS product suite on their asset network during our client introductory sessions.
Day 2
Each morning, DUC begins with a recap of what took place the day before, and what attendees can expect to see throughout the upcoming sessions. Followed by a second round of client introductory sessions, the audience was excited to welcome our VP of Engineering, Chris Chau and our Head of Product Management, Joel Beaulieu to the stage to highlight the latest advancements in our products and services, focusing particularly on performance improvements.
Deighton’s Chris Chau (left) and Joel Beaulieu (right)
After a quick break, Rob Piane delivered a session focusing on prevalent asset management challenges, highlighting how recent advancements in dTIMS effectively streamline these labor-intensive processes. After, Stephen Smyth and Gerard O’Dea from Transport for Infrastructure Ireland (TII) presented a compelling case study recounting their journey, milestones, and transformative impact that Deighton and dTIMS have had on their asset network.
Stephen Smyth, Travel Infrastructure Ireland
Closing out day 2, Rob Piane introduced strategies for advancing active travel infrastructure, while Jeff Zavitski, partnered with TII, explored the seamless integration of an environmental management system into their existing PMS. Our Director of Business Development, Gary Ruck, then led us into our next DUC Challenge, where attendees were split into three groups and tasked with answering question focused on the strategic, tactical, and operational levels of asset management. Each group presented their innovative ideas and solutions to the others.
Attendees participating in the DUC Challenge
Day 3
On Day 3, the DUC challenges continued with examples and demonstrations of strategic, tactical, and operational uses of the dTIMS Product Suite. Following its completion, attendees engaged in a case study presented by Reid Kiniry from Vermont, demonstrating their approach to achieving strategic objectives through execution, setting the stage for our tactical workshop. During this workshop, led by Dr. Gustav Rohde, participants actively contributed to an open forum discussion on bridging the gap between Strategic (dTIMS BA) and Operational (dTIMS OM) perspectives, providing unique concepts and ideas based on geographical variances amongst the attendees.
Attendees engaging in the Tactical Workshop
That afternoon, Lillian Wester-Andersen delved into a captivating exploration of Vejdirektoratet's asset management journey, driven by the dTIMS Product Suite. Next up, Zutari’s Johan Gerber captivated the audience with a case study on integrating water infrastructure management into dTIMS BA, including deconstructing 3-dimensional models of pump systems and using augmented reality to view live results.
Johan Gerber, Zutari
We were once again greeted by Gary Ruck for an insightful session on the asset management journey. Gary elaborated on the previously mentioned three levels of asset management, and delved deeper into their connection with the six categories of the roadmap. He provided concrete examples illustrating how these concepts relate to dTIMS.
Gary Ruck, Deighton Associates Ltd
To conclude this productive day, Joel Beaulieu and Chris Chau presented key updates on dTIMS products. Their presentation offered a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements and updates to the dTIMS Platform. Attendees gained valuable insights into enhanced features and functionalities aimed at optimizing infrastructure asset management processes.
Joel Beaulieu, Deighton Associates Ltd
Day 4
The last day of DUC was primarily focused on the future of dTIMS, and was kicked-off by Ian Greenwood, of Greenwood Associates Infrastructure Consultants, who presented on institutionalizing asset management, climate resilience and adaptation, as well as GHG modelling.
Ian Greenwood, Greenwood Associates Infrastructure Consultants
After Ian’s keynote presentation, we announced the winner of the dTIMS Cup, a trophy awarded to the individual who demonstrated the highest level of achievement throughout our challenges. We are pleased to announce that Gerard O’Dea from TII is the winner of our DUC2024 dTIMS Cup and will be added to the esteemed trophy located in Deighton’s head office.
The dTIMS Cup
Dave Penney, our Technical Director of Research and Innovation, then led a session introducing four strategic projects that highlight our dedication to pioneering sophisticated solutions across our product lines. Following that, we held the “Behind the Curtain” dTIMS Product Roadmap Session. Joel Beaulieu unveiled the long-term vision for the dTIMS Platform through our strategic product roadmap. Delving into the future segment, Joel showcased the innovative features and enhancements planned for the long-term horizon.
Deighton’s Dave Penney (left) and Alex Sinicyn (right)
Our final session was our Innovation Workshop. During this session, attendees received a comprehensive overview of our portfolio of ongoing ideas, and had the opportunity to weight features, enhancements, and suggestions in the dTIMS Product Suite to assist in the future development of our products.
Deighton’s Dave Penney (left) and Joy Guha (right)
As DUC2024 came to a close, it was clear this year’s conference was fueled by innovation and collaboration. From exploring the intricacies of dTIMS, to envisioning its future applications in global asset management, each session deepened our understanding and sparked new ideas. We extend our thanks to all attendees, whose contributions and enthusiasm made this event exceptional. We are always excited to share the dTIMS experience and we can’t wait for DUC2025, scheduled for June 9 – June 12, 2025!
Interested in learning more about any of the dTIMS products featured in these sessions? Book a demo with a member of the Deighton team today to learn more!
