Short Course D: Beyond the Spreadsheet: Hands-On Lab for Smart Systems and Real ROI
Tracks
SHORT COURSES
Knowledge Level - NDT Level III
Presentation Topic Level - Intermediate
Target Audience - General Interest
Target Audience - Level III Managers
Target Audience - Small Business Managers
| Thursday, October 9, 2025 |
| 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM |
Overview
*Separate Registration Required
Speaker
Robert Woodward
Chief Technical Officer
Spearhead Labs
Short Course D: Beyond the Spreadsheet: Hands-On Lab for Smart Systems and Real ROI
2:00 PM - 6:00 PMPresentation Description
This interactive short course takes you beyond theory and into the driver’s seat of your own digital transformation. Over a single day, you’ll roll up your sleeves to:
1.Design and deploy a lightweight SQL database that replaces fragile spreadsheets with a rock-solid data foundation.
2.Build a Power App front-end—no pro-developer skills required—to enter and manage inspection, job, and invoicing data with ease.
3.Bring your data to life in Power BI: craft intuitive reports and dashboards that turn raw numbers into actionable insights.
By the end of the session, you won’t just understand when Excel falls short—you’ll have a live, modular tools in your hands to aid in automating manual and repetitive processes within your organization. You’ll see first-hand how a few simple automation tools and real-time dashboards cut errors, save hours, and give your team capacity.
Whether you’re an NDT manager tired of chasing broken formulas or a frontline engineer hungry for faster decisions, this lab gives you a turnkey roadmap to modernize on your terms. Walk away from this short course with a working prototype, a clear game plan for next steps, and the confidence to lead your team into the data-driven future.
1.Design and deploy a lightweight SQL database that replaces fragile spreadsheets with a rock-solid data foundation.
2.Build a Power App front-end—no pro-developer skills required—to enter and manage inspection, job, and invoicing data with ease.
3.Bring your data to life in Power BI: craft intuitive reports and dashboards that turn raw numbers into actionable insights.
By the end of the session, you won’t just understand when Excel falls short—you’ll have a live, modular tools in your hands to aid in automating manual and repetitive processes within your organization. You’ll see first-hand how a few simple automation tools and real-time dashboards cut errors, save hours, and give your team capacity.
Whether you’re an NDT manager tired of chasing broken formulas or a frontline engineer hungry for faster decisions, this lab gives you a turnkey roadmap to modernize on your terms. Walk away from this short course with a working prototype, a clear game plan for next steps, and the confidence to lead your team into the data-driven future.
Biography
Robert started out his career in the nondestructive inspection industry. Spending time in various manufacturing facilities and field service locations, he became familiar with many of the processes including construction, aerospace, power generation, and any other industry sectors he was tasked with servicing. Over time Robert moved into product development which involved the design, build, and programming of automated equipment to meet custom inspection applications. More recently, he spent time as a manufacturing director using his collective skills to improve efficiency through data analytics and manufacturing best practices. Robert currently serves as co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of Spearhead Labs where he helps organizations become commercially competitive through full stack web development, robotic process automation, and business analytics.
