How AI and Technology Are Powering Digital Transformation: Insights from Deltek Customers

As digital transformation accelerates across the engineering and professional services industries, firms are increasingly turning to AI and ERP solutions to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and empower teams. At the 2025 Deltek Project Nation Live customer conference in London, leaders from SLR Consulting, Transition Technology and Zutari shared how they are leveraging Deltek solutions and artificial intelligence to drive growth, adapt to change, and future-proof their businesses.

Each panellist shared their unique journey toward embracing technology and transformation, enhancing operations through innovative tech solutions and strategically utilizing artificial intelligence (AI).

The panel was made up of:

• David Creighton, Global Business System Manager at SLR Consulting
• Aleksandra Grzelak, Delivery Operations Director at Transition Technologies PSC
• Mike Riley, Head of Services at Deltek Partner Silversoft, on behalf of their customer, Zutari

How Deltek ERP is Driving Scalable Growth in Engineering Firms

The panel kicked off the discussion by talking about how they are leveraging Deltek's solutions to drive significant transformation and integration across their operations.

David shared insights into SLR's journey with Deltek Vantagepoint, highlighting how the ERP system has supported their rapid growth. "We've grown quite rapidly from twelve hundred people to five thousand. We use Deltek Vantagepoint to unify processes and quickly bring in acquired companies." This consolidation has enabled the business to align metrics and KPIs quickly and efficiently, allowing for faster integration and a comprehensive understanding of new businesses. "Aligning key metrics and KPIs means that we can very quickly understand the businesses we're acquiring," he explained.

The panel shared a common focus on strategic digital transformation, with Mike highlighting Zutari's journey towards a more cohesive digital framework using Deltek's solutions. "Zutari's goal is to achieve full digital integration," Mike stated. "Before implementing Deltek Vantagepoint, they relied on numerous isolated systems centred on financial processes."

Mike confirmed that transitioning to a centralized ERP solution empowered the company to adopt end-to-end project management practices, fundamentally transforming its operations and increasing efficiency. "They've also adopted the complete Deltek talent suite," Mike noted, underscoring its dedication to leveraging technology that seamlessly supports both project execution and talent management.

These examples underscore the importance of selecting robust technology platforms that support current needs and are agile enough to foster growth and support change.

AI in Engineering: Real-World Use Cases from SLR and Zutari

According to the 6th Annual Deltek Clarity Study:

• 82% of firms say AI has reduced time spent on tasks
• Nearly 80% of UK professional services firms plan to invest more in AI in 2025

David outlined AI's impact at SLR, noting its rapid rise to prominence in recent years. "It's interesting because AI seems to have crept up quickly since ChatGPT, but it's actually been around for a while," he observed. Last September, the company initiated a new strategy to explore AI's potential, asking for input from across the business about possible applications.

A notable use case is SLR's help desk powered by Generative AI. This enhances customer interaction and assists clients in analyzing policies and procedures for regulatory compliance. Internally, SLR is experimenting with Deltek Dela™ and Smart Summaries within Deltek Vantagepoint to analyze its own data.

Addressing common concerns about job displacement as a result of AI adoption, Aleksandra emphasizes the synergy between human and artificial intelligence. "It's vital to focus on human intelligence alongside artificial intelligence; the idea is to show them how AI can help them accelerate their jobs, make their life simpler, but not to replace them." she asserted. By illustrating how AI can simplify and enhance work processes, organizations can transform apprehension into empowerment, paving the way for employees to embrace AI.

David highlighted a similar sentiment at SLR: "We're using it as an enhanced tool. " He illustrated how AI supports growth without threatening existing jobs. Instead of replacing positions, AI streamlines operations, allowing employees to spend more time on meaningful, skill-intensive tasks.

Positioning AI as an augmentative tool allows businesses to innovate and enables employees to focus on high-value activities, ensuring that human creativity and strategic thinking are prioritized.

The Future of Project Management: Leveraging AI to Get the Most from Data

Organizations are beginning to understand data's significant role in enhancing decision-making processes and improving project outcomes. AI is a key player in this transformation, reshaping data utilization across various sectors.

Mike shared AI and data use cases in the engineering sector. "Zutari are seeing a lot of increased use from the engineering team." He explained that these teams are leveraging data and modelling to create virtual replicas of structures and systems, enabling them to engage in scenario planning and predict outcomes more accurately.

AI's potential to revolutionize project management is undeniable, but its integration into back-office operations introduces a set of challenges and opportunities. Mike commented, "Back office and finance teams, are actually struggling to see how they're going to use AI." He confirmed that there's a keen interest in exploring what Deltek's AI functionality offers and that users are actively engaging by opting in, testing features and assessing the impact on their workflows.

As users start consuming data differently, with new tools making information readily available, businesses are compelled to reconsider what they will allow and how they will encourage AI utilization. By embracing these experimental stages and adapting to new tools, back-office teams can transform their data consumption and use AI to derive strategic insights, ultimately driving organizational efficiency and enhancing decision-making.

People at the Heart of Progress: Navigating Change and Driving Technology Adoption

The human element is vital in implementing technology and managing change. Aleksandra noted, "We've been a software company delivering solutions to our customers for years, and now that we're on the receiving end of change, it's quite new for us. What we've learned is that user training is critical for acceptance, and proactive communication is key."

Mike acknowledged similar focus at Zutari: "They invested heavily in communication and training, but despite these efforts, challenges with prevailing behaviors and culture remained." This reflects the struggle to change entrenched habits and highlights the need for change management to the focus on both business processes and culture.

David underscored the importance of early technology integration and cultural alignment based on his experiences of onboarding companies acquired by SLR. "It's really about change management, getting people on board. We want to listen to them and take on board their feedback. We're not dictating what will happen." David continued, "It's about getting them in early and showing them what we're doing with our systems and technology."

Successful technological change requires more than just new tools—it demands comprehensive communication, training and a human-focused approach. Mike further emphasized the challenge of shifting cultural norms toward technology, stating, "Ingrained behaviors and culture are not always easily changed, even with significant investment."

Deltek Customers are Successfully Navigating the Digital Landscape

The Deltek Project Nation Live customer panel highlighted the complexities of technological transformation, emphasizing the importance of cultural adaptation, clear communication and comprehensive change management.

However, the panel made one thing clear: digital transformation is no longer optional—it's essential. As firms continue to embrace AI, ERP systems, and people-focused change management, they’re not just staying competitive—they’re building smarter, more resilient operations.

Want to learn more about how Deltek can support your transformation? Contact us or download the