Global Best Practice Surveys

• Breaking the Barriers: Research into IT Effectiveness in UK and Ireland. Chris Wills teamed up with Robin Hirsch for the 1989 research project while the latter was at A T Kearney, its sponsors, but 10 years later, CARIS carried out a global version with a section on transport, supported by MTR Corporation and the UITP.

• A study on achieving fitness for purpose in software, on behalf of the UITP. This involved a review of user requirements specification and configuration, software development and project management tools.

• A global survey for the UITP,analysing CMM and CMMI (the Carnegie-Mellon Capability Maturity Model and the CMM Integration Model) and reviewing its usefulness for railways. Its recommendation of CMM(I) as a software process improvement and supplier evaluation tool was followed shortly afterwards by MTR’sachievement of CMM Level 2.

Transport Sector

Our research and consultancy projects for transport organizations such as UITP (International Union of Public Transport) and the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR Corporation Ltd) include the following:

• A review of MTR Corporation’s millennium readiness.This included a comparison with leading companies across the world, including the financial services industries of the USA and Europe.

• An audit of MTR Corporation’s Software Assurance Framework and risk analysis procedures

• A 2008 consultancy project to assist MTR to unify the automated fare collection systems used by MTR and KCR (the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, Hong Kong’s other railway), consequent upon the merger of the two railways. Issues covered included governance procedures and the rationalization of software architecture and software test cases.

• The two UITP studies mentioned in Global Best Practice also contained sections specifically on the transport sector.

Methodologies Used in Multiple Sectors

• Profit-Driven Technology Strategy. This methodology starts with corporate strategy and an identification of profit drivers. It normally includes organisation and process re-engineering and information management. It was carried out for a large number of industries: glass-making and processing,building supplies distribution, retail and rental companies, food and drink, copper mining and electricity company.

• Soft Systems Analysis and Process Design. Where the elements of the problem situation are complex, difficult to identify and to define, a Soft Systems approach can be used to “express” and understand the problem. CARIS has used this approach in projects for clients in defence, law and order, healthcare and telecommunications.