Starting point: Inspection work on board without network access
Inspection tasks inside ships create unique challenges for digital tools. At Meyer, inspections are conducted physically within the ship structure, where network access may be unreliable or entirely unavailable. As a result, inspections and their observations were traditionally recorded on paper.
Inspections were performed in the production environment, but documentation was finalised later. Observations were written down on paper, then scanned and manually entered into various systems. This meant several manual steps that consumed time and added workload without improving the actual quality of inspection work.
Goal: A digital inspection tool that works fully offline
Meyer’s goal was to eliminate paper and transition to a digital inspection process that supports the realities of shipbuilding. A key requirement was the ability to perform and record inspections digitally even without a network connection.
At the same time, the new solution needed to integrate seamlessly into the existing system landscape rather than become yet another standalone tool. Jira served as a natural foundation for the new solution.
Ambientia was selected as the development partner based on Meyer’s previous positive experience with Jira related projects and trust in Ambientia’s practical expertise.
“We have a long history working with Ambientia on Jira-related implementations, so they were a very natural choice for developing this inspection tool as well.”
-Karl Lövgren, Regional Manager, Meyer Turku
Solution: An offline-capable inspection tool integrated with Jira
The collaboration resulted in developing a tool that allows inspections and remarks to be recorded digitally directly on board, even when no network connection is available. The tool is fully integrated with the Jira environment, so the data flows directly into the familiar system without extra manual transfers.
The core objective was to simplify everyday work in production. Inspections and their documentation now happen at the same moment and in the same workflow, eliminating the need for after the fact data entry, corrections, or interpretation of handwritten notes.
Project progress: Iterative development based on real needs
The project began around two years ago. The first version of the inspection tool was introduced relatively quickly — roughly six months after kickoff, or at the latest within nine months. The tool was taken into use even before all features were complete.
Development proceeded iteratively. The scope became clearer during the process, and it expanded slightly as real-time usage revealed new needs. These insights were incorporated while the tool was already actively used in production.
Results: Manual work and paper handling nearly eliminated
The digital, offline-capable inspection tool has significantly changed Meyer’s inspection process. Paper notes have essentially disappeared, as has scanning and manual post processing.
Inspections and related observations are now recorded digitally on site, at the moment the work is done. This has streamlined the process, reduced unnecessary manual labour, and removed several previously unavoidable but time consuming intermediate steps.
Current state and next steps
The inspection tool has been in active use for about a year. Currently, it is used mainly for cabin sales and inspections, where the number of inspections is high and smooth documentation is essential.
Over the next six months, the goal is to expand its use to additional inspection types. This will make the digital, offline-capable solution an even more integral part of Meyer’s production workflow.
“We’ve been able to significantly reduce manual note taking on paper. Documents are no longer scanned, and remarks are no longer entered manually afterward.”
-Karl Lövgren, Regional Manager, Meyer Turku
