When our in-house sign-making department invested in new printing equipment from Tennants in 2023, it came bundled with advanced temporary road sign design software. Recognising its potential as a platform that combined all the tools needed to produce compliant signage in one place, we partnered closely with Tennants UK to understand how the software would perform in real operational conditions. What followed was not a reinvention, but an evolution: a process of stretching, testing and refining that helped mature the software into what has become “Baseline.”
“The concept of Baseline was initially brought to me by Grant Russell, Tennants UK Sales Director,” explains Jay Taylor, National Sign Compliance Manager at HW Martin (Traffic Management). “It arrived as a foundation; something with potential. Our role was simply to put it through the realities of what happens day-to-day in a national cut/print environment.”
From Bundled Software to Viable Product
The initial advanced software already contained valuable functionality to help users create compliant black and yellow special signage; from its ability to run transport fonts, symbols and road speed x-heights, through to margins, characters and time period guidance. It was an online piece of software that was simple to use and one that promoted design legislation, combined with compatible plotters and certified vinyl.
However, the platform had never been truly tested in a live, high-volume operation with dispersed depots, varying competency levels and the pressure of right-first-time delivery. HW Martin (Traffic Management) depots became the first environment able to show Tennants UK how the system behaved under genuine operational demand.
“Together, we deconstructed the platform,” explains Jay. “We identified gaps, friction points and opportunities in the marketplace needing refinement and helped shape the features needed to make Baseline a scalable piece of online software.”
Crucially, many elements that provided valuable features, including permission controls and compliance prompts, were already part of Tennant UK’s base-level model.
Through this collaborative work, several enhancements emerged:
- A structure enabling devolved design with retained national oversight.
- Improved responsiveness and workflow visibility.
- Clear permission levels supporting control, safety and autonomy.
- More intuitive compliance prompts
- File ready to cut with weed boxes for easy weeding application.
These refinements didn’t alter Tennants UK’s direction, ownership or the software’s roots, they simply helped it mature to meet the demands of a live, complex environment.
“We didn’t take over development”, Jay continues. “We showed Tennants UK how the software reacted under pressure. They took that insight and started turning it into something ready for the real world. To their credit, they weren’t trying to protect the software from change; they wanted it to grow. It made us leaner and more confident. When everything’s in one place – design, compliance logic, approval guidance – the whole process flows better.”
With built-in clear prompts and newly embedded video guidance, users are guided towards compliant outcomes as they work. This has strengthened organisation-wide consistency and reduced risk.
Building Confidence, Skills and Social Value
Baselines guardrails, safe experimentation and clear feedback have made it a valuable learning tool, particularly for new starters or those unfamiliar with temporary road sign design.
This is especially important because our sign shop often provides an entry point into the traffic management industry. The platform now offers learners a structured, supportive environment that builds foundational understanding from day one.
“People aren’t afraid to try,” Jay says. “The system supports compliance and streamlines the head office sign-off process, making it hard to create a non-compliant sign. That’s incredibly empowering.”
The software is built on 3 levels of user access rights allowing management to regulate who is responsible for designing signs and setting out work schedules:
- ‘Plot’ – user can only open pre-designed files to cut
- ‘Design & Plot’ – ability to create designs but management to convert to cut file
- ‘Full Design & Plot’ – total design and plot access from start to finish
One of the most valuable outcomes is the balance Baseline creates between autonomy and control. Depots now have the freedom to produce signage independently, while national oversight maintains consistency and safety.
A Platform Ready for Its Next Step
Baseline now stands as a platform with clear potential for wider industry use. The evolved product, developed by Tennants UK, demonstrates how traffic management suppliers can shape the base model to suit their operational needs whilst giving head office full oversight day to day of what’s been designed across the depot network.
“We helped shape Baseline in its infancy, but Tennants built it and the evolution will continue,” Jay summarises. “It’s now on a path that reflects the real needs of the industry.”
The journey from advanced sign shop bundled software, to an emerging industry-ready platform has been grounded in collaboration. Tennants UK provided the foundation; real-world operational use provided the refinement. Together, the result is a tool that improves efficiency, strengthens compliance, builds capability and reduces risk, all while fitting within the practical constraints of the sign-making industry.
More information about Baseline can be found here: Baseline Software – Tennants UK.