Dan Rennison
Dan’s the head of our data insights team, which is involved in the collection, collation and analysis of data . It’s a relatively new discipline in infrastructure but he draws on the experience he’s gained over almost two decades in the infrastructure industry and gleans insights from other industries that have been doing this for longer such as the retail and technology sectors, to provide advice to our clients. He says there’s always something new and interesting about his work, whether it’s talking to clients about their challenges, strategic thinking about the type of data and how much of it is needed to address these issues, or looking at the insights his team can offer.
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Head of data insights
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Data insights
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Data collection, data analysis, critical national infrastructure, digital twin
About Dan
Dan’s 20 years in the infrastructure sector have been spent in roles ranging from construction management through to senior leadership. In recent years, he was offered the opportunity to take part in a Masters programme at the University of Cambridge, where he focused his attention on the limited use of data in the infrastructure sector and how it could be better used to benefit organisations and communities. That complemented Costain’s focus on smart infrastructure solutions so that’s when this latest chapter in his career began.
The benefits to clients of taking more of an interest in data
In his role, Dan gathers data from different sources, and then uses his analytical skills, and digital tools, to derive value from it for our clients. That helps them generate efficiencies, boost productivity and improve the performance of their assets. He can also help them answer important questions about the future, such as: “what if …?”
Dan, on how data can be used to improve people’s lives
We can improve people’s lives if we’re able to take a complex problem, and identify the sources of data that may hold the key to a solution. Dan shares the example of tools like machine learning that have helped us pinpoint the factors that increase the risk to our people when they’re working on site. If we can understand why the risk escalates we can work with our team to change the behaviours that contribute to it. That means we’re creating a safer environment for our people and everyone who works alongside them. We can also use data to identify issues early on and prevent or minimise disruption to our clients’ operations.
The next five years
So, what does the future hold? He explains: “I want to bring together the disciplines of behavioural science and data insights to help our clients and the wider industry recognise, and trust, the value of data so they can make the changes in their business that will improve performance.”
Email us to learn more about how the data insights team can help with your next project.
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