Woolpert earns trademark for Inspansion, a method of adding capacity through analytics

Developed by Woolpert’s David Tomber, Inspansion employs business intelligence strategies to solve facility issues without physically expanding a building footprint.

Woolpert has been granted a trademark for Inspansion, a method of adding capacity through analytics in place of physical expansion, by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Woolpert Director of Strategic Consulting David Tomber developed Inspansion to help airports identify logical efficiencies in operations, technology and staffing to optimize facility performance, while deferring capital investment.

David Tomber Woolpert.jpgTomber, a longtime leader in the aviation industry, first realized the benefits of Inspansion in the mid-2000s while working as the aviation planning manager for Port of Seattle/Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. He researched and employed nontraditional planning and operational strategies, such as expediting check-in processes and integrating additional technologies, to accommodate peak-hour passenger capacity without physically expanding the airport. This strategic approach focused on operational process improvement and technology in lieu of more expensive capital development solutions. These practices and others like them have since been adopted by airports and other facilities around the world.

“In addition to providing traditional planning for Sea-Tac, I was fortunate to head a think tank for strategic innovation,” Tomber said. “The combination of working in that environment daily and understanding the pulse of the airport while having the flexibility to devise creative solutions was invaluable. A lot of consultants don’t have that luxury and opportunity to test their ideas in a real-world setting.”

Tomber said Inspansion was inspired by the book, “The Toyota Way,” which describes how the company developed a method to manufacture cars so they would have fewer defects, get to market more quickly and provide more choices for customers. Toyota is among the companies that adhere to “lean” business practices, which maximize customer value while minimizing waste.

“Inspansion aligns with lean principles because it provides facilities with an alternative to building their way out of capacity problems, while addressing the core issue that will benefit customers,” Tomber said. “In the case of airports, terminal expansions are very expensive. If you don’t have to build, you save a lot of money and you are being sustainable by conserving materials, reducing energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions, and by not adding to your facility’s carbon footprint. The economic and environmental value of Inspansion is tremendous, and I hope it can continue to benefit businesses of all kinds.”