How AI-Powered Innovation Accelerated Swindon's NEC Housing Implementation

Max Harrington
May 9
3 min read

Updated: May 24

How AI-Powered Innovation Accelerated Swindon's NEC Housing Implementation

Introduction: A High-Stakes Challenge

When Swindon Borough Council embarked on a two-year journey to replace its aging 'Open Housing' system with the new NEC Housing platform, the stakes were high.

Budget constraints, a small team, and tight deadlines meant there was little room for error. Many housing management system (HMS) implementations historically failed to deliver full functionality on "Day 1," resulting in costly fixes.

To sidestep these pitfalls, Swindon collaborated with Quality Led Projects (QLP) and turned to an unexpected ally—Artificial Intelligence (AI)—to streamline the project and ensure success.

Harnessing AI to Transform Project Delivery

With an ambitious "big bang" go-live approach, Swindon's project team needed to minimise manual workload while ensuring high accuracy.

The primary objective?

Delivering a fully functional system “Right First Time.” AI became the key to achieving this, particularly in automating acceptance criteria and test case generation.

A proof of concept (PoC) was conducted to evaluate AI’s potential in three key areas:

Business requirements documentation
Acceptance criteria development
Test case generation

The results were striking—AI proved to be most effective in automating the creation of acceptance criteria and test scripts, leading to significant efficiency gains.

The AI-Driven Approach

To make the most of AI, the project team adopted a structured approach, incorporating best practices to ensure accuracy and reliability.

1. Using the 'User Story' Format for AI Training

Defining business requirements through structured user stories helped train AI to generate relevant and high-quality outputs. This ensured:

Faster generation of user stories, acceptance criteria, and test cases
Enhanced clarity and consistency
Streamlined review and approval processes

2. Implementing AI-Driven Testing and Validation

Several key steps were taken to integrate AI effectively:

Tool Selection

ChatGPT AI was used to automate acceptance criteria creation.
Multiple AI tools were tested for generating executable test steps tailored to the new system.

Prompt Development

Contextual Persona Training: AI was instructed to act as a Local Authority Housing team member, ensuring domain-specific language and tone.
Data Anchoring: AI was provided references from legislation, local policies, and HMS documentation to ensure compliance (e.g., Housing Act 1985, Homelessness Reduction Act 2017).
Explicit Constraints: AI was guided to focus on relevant functionality, avoiding redundant acceptance criteria.

Test Creation & Execution

Parameterise AI prompts allowed automated generation of business-specific test cases.
AI-generated test scripts were reviewed by subject matter experts before implementation.
Automated test execution tools were introduced to further reduce manual workload.

The Results: A Game-Changer for NEC Implementation

The impact of AI on the NEC Housing implementation was transformative.

Before AI Implementation:

Business analysts required 8 minutes to create a single acceptance criterion.
Manual test case creation took 1-2 hours per scenario.

After AI Implementation:

AI generated 12 acceptance criteria per user story in under a minute.
Test creation time was slashed from 1-2 hours to less than a minute.
The approach saved approximately two person-years of effort.
Improved consistency and quality across test cases led to higher project success rates.

Beyond Implementation: The Road Ahead

AI has not only streamlined Swindon’s NEC Housing rollout but has also set a precedent for future projects. The next phase involves integrating specialist test automation tools to execute AI-generated test cases, ensuring:

Continuous validation of the NEC system during upgrades.
Elimination of manual testing overhead, saving time and costs.
Smoother long-term system performance.

A Model for Future Success

Swindon’s success story is a blueprint for other social landlords looking to Optimise their own HMS implementations.

By strategically using AI, councils and housing providers can save thousands of pounds, accelerate delivery timelines, and improve service quality.

"Our partnership with QLP, built on trust and innovation, enabled us to navigate a complex implementation effectively. By breaking down challenges into manageable tasks, we ensured a high-performing project team achieving the right outcomes."

— Arlene Griffin, Head of Housing Commissioning and Strategy

Final Thoughts

A robust HMS is the backbone of effective housing services. Swindon Borough Council’s innovative approach has shown that AI isn’t just a futuristic concept—it’s a practical tool that can drive real-world transformation today. By leveraging AI, councils can achieve greater efficiency, better compliance, and higher customer satisfaction, setting new standards in public sector digital transformation.