Business Category
Merit Recipient

auticon Australia approached listed Australian retailer Woolworths, about the benefits of bringing people with different ways of thinking together to solve problems and ultimately, how this could result in innovation. Woolworths knowing the benefits of diversity, were keen to explore with auticon the value of neurodiversity and how this could increase innovation in their IT project teams.

Woolworths agreed to a six-month pilot program where auticon consultants would be embedded into the Supply Chain IT Quality Assurance and Testing team, reinforced by auticon’s 360-degree support model. Which supports both the consultant and helps elevate the organisations understanding of autism.

One of the initial projects for the consultants was to review and improve upon the software being used to test Woolworths in-store bar code scanning equipment. The intent was to improve this software to reduce the time in testing their machines and to create efficiencies.

After reviewing the project and making improvements to the software, the team at auticon put forward a recommendation that would significantly enhance the speed of testing scanners.

Using an unconventional approach, the consultants combined their knowledge of software with their knowledge of robotics to automate the bar code scanning process. Not only creating efficiency in the code but also reducing the manual effort in the testing process.

This was a great result; the project team had achieved not only the ability to deliver the required work enhancing the software, but they had also delivered on providing real innovation and improvements outside of what they were expecting.