Scaling Applied Research & Industry Collaboration

Humber’s Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation is a 93,000 sq. ft. "living lab" that required a robust platform to manage complex workflows, industry collaborations, and specialized technical services like 3D printing and CNC machining. By implementing QReserve as its "digital front door," the Centre replaced manual coordination with a centralized hub for project lifecycle management.

Humber Polytechnic’s Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation (Barrett CTI) is a 93,000 sq. ft.  advanced “living lab” and innovation facility, recognized for its leadership in automation, robotics,  systems integration, design, augmented and virtual reality, and user experience testing. 

As a Innovation Centre for applied research and experiential learning, Barrett CTI brings together  students, faculty, and industry partners to collaboratively solve real-world challenges. Its  interactive labs, technology zones, and maker spaces showcase state-of-the-art resources that  drive innovation and workforce development. 

To effectively manage this dynamic and high-demand ecosystem, Barrett CTI required more than a  traditional scheduling tool. The Centre needed a robust platform to streamline complex project  workflows, enable seamless collaboration, and capture meaningful data to measure institutional  impact. 

The Challenge: Managing a Living Lab  

Operating at the pace of industry involves managing a continuous flow of diverse and complex  requests. Barrett CTI offers specialized services including 3D printing, CNC machining, laser  cutting, electronics to support students, faculty and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in  prototyping and product optimization. 

Prior to implementing QReserve, managing these specialized services alongside a wide range of  engagements, from STEAM outreach workshops for school boards to intensive student capstone  and applied research projects required significant manual coordination. 

  • Barrett CTI needed a centralized “digital front door” capable of: 
  • Managing Internal Stakeholders and industry inquiries  
  • Streamlining internal faculty and staff requests  
  • Tracking utilization of specialized labs and equipment  
  • Collecting project information & requests 
  • Generating reliable data for reporting and impact measurement

The Solution: A Centralized Hub for Innovation  

The implementation of QReserve transformed Barrett CTI’s operations by enabling full project  lifecycle management beyond simple space booking. Through configurable workflows and flexible  request forms, the platform established a seamless and scalable access point for all stakeholders: 

  • Industry Access: External partners and SMEs can submit project inquiries and tour  requests through the website without requiring account creation. 
  • STEAM Outreach: QReserve supports the planning and coordination of STEAM outreach  initiatives, including tours, workshops, and experiential activities for school boards and  community groups. It enables centralized registration, scheduling, participant tracking, and  reporting, while capturing valuable engagement data. 
  • Internal Oversight: Secure, SSO-enabled forms allow faculty and staff to submit  experiential learning and applied research projects, ensuring accurate academic tracking  and metadata capture.  
  • Service-Driven Workflows: Technical service requests such as 3D printing and CNC  machining are managed end-to-end, ensuring visibility and accountability from initiation to  completion.
"QReserve has been instrumental in transforming how Barrett CTI operates. It has enabled us to streamline complex workflows, enhance collaboration across stakeholders, and, most importantly, it captures the data needed to clearly demonstrate our impact. As we continue to scale our applied research and industry partnerships, QReserve plays a critical role in supporting our ‘living lab’ model and advancing innovation at Humber Polytechnic."

— Barrett CTI Team, Humber College

The Results: Measuring Real-World Impact  

Over the past six years, QReserve has become the operational and data backbone of Barrett CTI,  transforming day-to-day activities into measurable outcomes that demonstrate real-world impact. 

The platform enables Humber Polytechnic to quantify success across key strategic pillars: 

  • Industry & Partner Engagement: Provides clear insights into collaborations with SMEs,  industry partners, and tour engagement. 
  • Student Experience & Readiness: Tracking hands-on learning hours in real-world applied  settings. Student readiness is measured through a combination of: 
    • Logged participation in applied research, capstone, and experiential learning  projects  
    • Utilization data of labs, equipment, and technical services  
    • Project engagement metrics, including duration, scope, and type of work performed 
    • Collaboration with industry partners and exposure to real-world problem-solving  environments  

These data points collectively provide meaningful insights into students’ practical skill  development, industry exposure, and overall workforce readiness. 

  • Community Outreach: Enables efficient coordination and reporting of STEAM tours and  workshops for students and educators. 
  • Operational Intelligence: Provides real-time visibility into space and service utilization,  supporting data-driven decision-making and strategic planning for future investments.

By centralizing every project, partner, and service request, QReserve empowers Humber  Polytechnic to effectively demonstrate how Barrett CTI is driving innovation, supporting industry,  and preparing the next generation of highly skilled talent.