The VIKTOR App Builder: Putting Automation into Every Engineer's Hands

Engineering automation has moved from side scripts to everyday workflow. Teams want fewer handoffs and a way to turn hard-won know-how into tools they can share.To see what’s practical, aec+tech spoke with VIKTOR’s CPO, Stijn Jansen, about the new App Builder—an AI-assisted environment for generating browser-based apps with optional low/full-code edits. Built on VIKTOR’s platform with versioning and private distribution, it aims to turn calculators, checks, and post-processing into governed, reusable apps. In this interview, Jansen explains why they built it, what sets it apart, and how engineers can get started.
Stijn Jansen, CPO at VIKTOR
Stijn Jansen, CPO at VIKTOR
1) So, what exactly is the App Builder?
 
The App Builder is an assistant that helps engineers rapidly create their own apps. From quick calculators to complex workflows. No coding required. Apps are easy to build, share, and integrate into existing projects.
 
2) What challenges inspired the creation of the App Builder?
 
Engineers across industries still spend too much time on manual tasks: copy-pasting data, repeating calculations, and handling disconnected models. Instead of solving real problems, their time is consumed by manual work. When they want to improve their way of working, they often depend on scarce developers or IT teams, creating bottlenecks that slow innovation.
 
3) Why rethink how engineers work?
 
Until now, automation and app-building have been limited to people with programming skills. But most engineers are no coding experts. Nevertheless, they know their own problems best and should be able to create the automation tools they need, when they need them. Empowering them to build their own apps makes automation and innovation part of everyday engineering.
 
4) What gap does the App Builder fill?
 
Coding environments are too technical for most domain experts, low-code platforms often produce “toy apps,” and standalone AI assistants lack governance and integration. The App Builder combines no-code, low-code, and full-code options in one secure, transparent, and enterprise-ready environment built for engineering.
 
5) How does it empower engineers?
 
The App Builder gives geotechnical, structural, mechanical, and environmental engineers a no-code environment to automate tasks, set up configurators, and link software. Direct integrations with tools like Revit, PLAXIS, Rhino, SCIA, ETABS, SAP2000, Grasshopper, Excel, and CAD platforms eliminate manual file handling and streamline workflows.
 
6) What makes the App Builder unique?
  • The VIKTOR platform is built by engineers, for engineers. 
  • Direct integrations with the tools you actually use (Revit, PLAXIS, Rhino, SCIA, etc.). 
  • Versioning, testing, and audit trails built in. 
  • Security and compliance from day one.
Unlike other no-code tools, the App Builder combines speed with enterprise-level quality assurance and governance.
 
7) What kinds of problems can engineers solve with the App Builder?

Short answer: anything from quick calculators to governed, shareable workflows—without waiting on scarce developer time.

Typical use cases

  • Structural: build load/sizing calculators; rapid code checks.

  • Geotechnical: automate design checks and reporting (e.g., PLAXIS post-processing).

  • Mechanical: create product/configuration tools and parametric selectors.

  • Environmental: run scenario analyses and generate standardized reports.

Concrete example—turn analysis into a web app

Turn a recurring data-analysis task into a browser app: upload measurement or simulation data (e.g., an Excel file), run calculations, and instantly produce plots and a PDF report for teammates. For instance, to read acceleration data from Excel, you’d specify the expected column names once; the App Builder handles parsing, validation, and output each time.

Prompt example (engineering check)

Prompt example (engineering check)
Fig. 1) Prompt example (engineering check)

Fig. 2) Video demo (post-processing example)

Previously these tasks required weeks of IT support. Now they can be done in hours or days. 

Want to see more real-world examples and join a live Q&A? Sign up for our launch event on October 28th

8) Can you share a real-world use case of the App Builder?

For example, at KBR, engineers have created everything from simple unit converters to advanced apps automating complex processes. These apps eliminate repetitive, error-prone tasks and make sophisticated workflows accessible to entire teams. KBR even runs workshops to spread the App Builder across their organization.

9) How does this fit into VIKTOR’s vision of AI in engineering?

Our vision is simple: app-building should be part of every engineer’s work. AI should help them move faster in a transparent, secure, and compliant way. The App Builder is the foundation of this vision: a place where engineers use their domain knowledge to create solutions, supported by AI and governed by enterprise standards.

10) What’s next?

We’re making app-building even faster with deeper AI assistance. Not just generating code but also testing and validating apps. More integrations are coming, and AI will increasingly become a transparent, reliable partner in everyday engineering practice.

11) How can engineers get started?

The easiest way is to experiment directly on the VIKTOR platform and just try to build a small app first. At the end of October, we’re also hosting a live webinar where engineers can see the App Builder in action, explore real-world applications, and even try building themselves.

App-building is no longer limited to IT or coders. Every engineer can now create, share, and improve their own workflows with the freedom to innovate, and the enterprise-level control to ensure security and quality!

Ready to give it a try yourself? Start building with the App Builder right now!

 

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