Life Cycle: Implementation

Project implementation includes all of the aspects of a major project most closely associated with established models of project management. The success of a major project implementation needs to focus both on the what is being delivered and how it is being delivered. Consequently it depends on how well the project has been initiated and how the context of the project changes through time as well as the capability of the organizations involved and the appropriateness of their chosen delivery model.

3rd October 2020

Knowledge Type

Case Study

Organisation

Crossrail Ltd

Major Project

Crossrail

Author

Bernard Fanning MAPM
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Digitisation of Signalling and Train Test Log Observations

Summary

At the beginning of the Testing and Commissioning phase Crossrail anticipated 6 months of Dynamic Testing, 5 days a week, and required quick insights to testing observations on site. Existing processes were archaic and it wasn’t easy to get visibility of testing observations from site to management in a timely manner. The solution developed and implemented was an app for testers to log observations live from site on their mobile or tablets which worked offline and fed the data, once connected to an internet source, into an online visualisation tool. It was known as the Testing Information Management System (TIMS).

Both the app and dashboards could be configured to meet the end user requirements. The implementation of the TIMS took 4 weeks to implement and enabled

  • More efficient test logging which was less costly as engineers were reviewing logs not processing data
  • Improved quality and integrity of information
  • Identification of headlines suitable for management attention
  • Timely management intervention

Subsequently other Crossrail teams noted the benefits of the app and dashboards and adopted it in their areas. These included off-site testing and testing logistics and management.

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30th September 2020

Knowledge Type

Case Study

Organisation

Crossrail Ltd

Major Project

Crossrail
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Crossrail Integration Facility and Test Automation

Summary

Systems integration has gained a higher level of importance as complex railway projects operate under tighter schedules than ever before and with limited access to tracks to run tests. This paper demonstrates how a fully automated off-site testing facility is extremely valuable to increase efficiency, cost-effectiveness and resilience of systems throughout a railway project life-cycle. The Crossrail Integration Facility (CIF) is a great example of this practice.

Systems integration facilities, such as Crossrail’s, provide a means to perform thorough off-site interface, integration, timetable and transition testing, as well as simulation of faults to understand the system’s behaviour under degraded and emergency situations. It is a cost and time-effective approach to de-risk the later stages of the project, which brings real benefits to the delivery of railway signalling systems.

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12th July 2020

Knowledge Type

Guidance/Good practice

Organisation

Construction Leadership Council
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Construction Leadership Council’s guidance on future-proofing contracts

Summary

The Disputes and Collaboration group for the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) COVID-19 Task Force has published guidance on futureproofing contract amendments in the light of COVID-19.

Building upon the Contractual Best Practice Guidance published by the group earlier in the year, it includes options for amending many of the JCT and NEC contracts to cater for impacts of the pandemic on delivery of the works/services.

The output cannot tell parties what to do, but can help them identify the issues and distil their negotiated position into the drafting of the contract. It is intended that this advice will provide a starting point for all parties involved as to how they will deal with the COVID-19 pandemic going forward.

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