Data integration sounds simple on paper: you connect systems, bring models together, and voilà – the digital reality is ready.
In practice, however, many projects fail not because of technology, but due to two invisible barriers:
- IT security and
- cross-disciplinary understanding.
When data protection becomes a showstopper
Especially in sensitive sectors such as pharmaceutical research, energy supply, or critical infrastructure, cloud storage is often not an option. Building models, access logs, or sensor data are not only valuable but also strictly regulated. An uncontrolled data flow can lead to legal consequences and security risks.
Even within an organization, not all information is equally sensitive. A campus map or GIS layer may often be publicly accessible, while floor plans are usually restricted to internal use and often limited to specific areas. The situation becomes even more restrictive with IoT sensor data, access logs, or research infrastructure. This data is subject to clearly defined security zones, finely graded access rights, and complex approval processes. Anyone implementing a digitalization platform in such an environment must be able to do more than simply visualize data nicely.
Flexible architecture instead of Cloud-Dogma
speedikon® VIP was built precisely for these realities. The platform does not force companies into rigid cloud concepts but adapts to existing security architectures. It can be operated entirely on-premise, ensuring that sensitive data never leaves the internal network. At the same time, it supports hybrid scenarios in which internal systems interact with selected cloud services via encrypted interfaces.
Granular access control ensures that each employee can only access the data relevant to their tasks. The information can remain in its original systems – whether BIM servers, secured IoT gateways, or GIS databases – and still be made available through a unified interface. In many industries, this flexibility is not a luxury but a prerequisite for launching digitalization projects at all.
When disciplines speak past each other
Alongside security, clarity is the second critical issue. Large organizations bring together disciplines that work on the same buildings but speak different languages. CAFM experts understand maintenance logic but not GIS coordinate systems. GIS specialists master projections and topologies but rarely deal with BIM models. Asset managers, in turn, are not interested in technical details – they simply want answers: When was this system last serviced? How are temperatures developing in the south wing?
As long as each specialist stays within its own system, collaboration becomes an exercise in translation – error-prone and time-consuming.
A common language for everyone
speedikon® VIP provides a solution by establishing a shared visual layer. Complex information is presented in interactive 3D and map views that are as intuitive to navigate as familiar online mapping services. Users see exactly the information they need – tailored to their role and without requiring in-depth knowledge of the underlying systems or file formats.
Technicians can access maintenance histories directly on the digital model, GIS experts see their layers in a practical context, and managers receive clear answers without technical overhead. The result is shared understanding and easier cross-disciplinary collaboration.
From data silos to real operational capability
What may look like simple visualization is actually a profound cultural shift. speedikon® VIP connects not only data but also the people and roles that previously worked in isolation. It breaks down information silos, makes complex systems understandable, and enables everyone – from field technicians to executives – to act based on the same foundation.
Especially in security-critical and complex environments, this shared perspective can make the difference between a disconnected data landscape and true digital capability.
For more information, please contact speedikon FM AG directly at info@speedikonfm.com or visit www.speedikonvip.de.
Picture: Framence GmbH
