We’re living in a moment where access to information isn’t the problem – there’s more of it than ever. The challenge is finding insight that’s reliable, contextual and grounded in real-world experience, particularly when questions are still forming, and direction isn’t yet clear.

At the same time, expertise shouldn’t be opaque. As infrastructure challenges grow more complex, the role of a professional services firm like STV isn’t just to deliver projects – it’s to help clarify the decisions behind them and make its thinking more accessible to the people navigating those choices.

Clients, partners and communities are navigating infrastructure decisions that span funding, planning, delivery and long‑term performance. Too often, the knowledge needed to inform those decisions is fragmented – spread across projects, disciplines or institutions – rather than easy to explore and apply. That fragmentation matters most early, when direction is still being set, tradeoffs are hardest to see and when understanding context matters more than having definitive answers.

With the launch of STVie™, STV’s new intelligent search assistant, STV is taking a step toward changing how our institutional knowledge and expertise are accessed. We spoke with Mark Ginocchio, head of content at STV, about the challenge STVie is designed to address, how it differs from traditional search and the kinds of questions that best reflect how STV approaches infrastructure.

1. From your perspective, what challenge is STV trying to overcome with STVie?

At its core, this is about access to STV’s experience and thought leadership – and making that expertise easier to explore when questions are forming and direction is still fluid. STV has more than 100 years of experience across infrastructure planning, design, delivery and advisory services, but that expertise doesn’t always reside in a single, visible place or in a way that reflects how people naturally explore complex topics.

We want to make it easier for people to explore what we know and how we think about infrastructure challenges, drawing from our projects and published thought leadership. STVie improves on a static, keyword-based search and reflects how people actually ask questions – especially the kinds of questions that emerge before a project is fully defined. It is also designed to help people find relevant project examples, thought leadership and context faster, without needing to know the “right” search terms to begin with or piece information together on their own.

2. How is this different from a traditional website search or a general AI tool?

Traditional search works best when you already know what you’re looking for. It’s less effective when questions are incomplete, evolving or span multiple disciplines – which is often the case with infrastructure planning and early-stage exploration.

STVie is grounded in STV’s projects, news and thought leadership on our website – not the open internet. That distinction matters because it keeps responses anchored in STV’s real experience and published work. Unlike traditional site search, STVie is designed to respond to questions in a more direct, context-driven way that reflects how planning, funding and delivery considerations are often discussed together, and it supports continued exploration as questions evolve, including the ability to ask follow-ups to go deeper. The goal isn’t just speed; it’s relevance, context and credibility.

3. If someone is encountering STVie for the first time, what questions are worth asking?

If someone is using STVie to explore STV’s perspective and experience, I’d encourage them to start with questions that reflect how infrastructure decisions are actually made – especially where tradeoffs and long-term impacts come into play.

Some good places to start include:

• How are infrastructure investments prioritized, and what factors influence those decisions?
• How do planning and funding choices shape project outcomes over time?
• What tradeoffs affect cost certainty, schedule and long‑term performance?
• How do delivery strategies influence risk, accountability and public trust?

These aren’t questions with simple answers, but they reflect how we think about infrastructure – as a system of interconnected decisions rather than isolated projects. They also reflect the kinds of conversations our project teams have with clients and communities early on, before scope, budget or delivery models are locked in and when understanding options and implications is most valuable.

4. How does improving access to reliable information change infrastructure decision‑making?

Better access doesn’t automatically lead to better decisions, but it creates the conditions for them. When people can explore precedents, understand context and see how decisions in one phase affect outcomes in another, they’re better equipped to engage in thoughtful, informed conversations and ask more meaningful questions.

From a community perspective, that can mean projects more closely aligned with long‑term needs. From a client perspective, it can mean clearer expectations and fewer surprises. In both cases, it supports shared accountability and more transparent conversations about tradeoffs. STVie supports that process by making relevant experience and context easier to access early – when questions are still being shaped – rather than buried across dozens of pages.

5. What does STVie say about how STV sees its role as an infrastructure firm today?

STVie reflects how STV is thinking differently about access to expertise. As infrastructure challenges grow more complex, our role isn’t just to deliver projects – it’s to help clarify the decisions behind them, share our thinking more openly and deliver the confidence our clients need.

STVie is one way we’re extending that role. It’s not about replacing professional judgment or simplifying complexity away. It’s about making knowledge more accessible, so better questions can be asked earlier and better conversations can follow – by clients, communities and those interested in how STV approaches complex challenges.

Interested in exploring these questions further? Use STVie to dive deeper – or ask a question of your own.