Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Building a systems engineering capability

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Eight key steps Clarifying the need Knowing where you are starting from Building the right foundations Developing a balanced capability Focussing on the people Deciding where to get the people Getting the right people Managing the transformation

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Clarifying the need SE is not a silver bullet It needs to be tailored to your situation What specific problems do you face? What specific opportunities do you wish to exploit? If you focus on the wrong issues – you will get the wrong SE

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Clarifying the need What are you doing already? Better to build on existing practice than introducing something totally new Be honest – the process may be written down – but is it followed?

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Building the right foundations (1) Implementing SE requires an organisation wide transformation programme Build the programme on solid foundations –Compelling need –Senior buy-in Incremental approach Clear vision

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Building the right foundations (2) A clear vision that explains –Why you need SE? –Why you dont have it already? –What you are going to do? –How you are going to do it? –Who is going to be involved? –When is it going to happen Communicate, communicate and communicate

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Developing a balanced capability You need to balance processes, people and tools It may be tempting to buy an expensive tool … … or write a perfect process But without the right people, processes and tools are useless

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Focussing on the people (1) SE is a basic skill for all – and a specialism for a few You need knowledge, skills and attributes Specific experts? Systems engineering manager? Systems engineering champion?

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Focussing on the people (2) Systems thinking is key Critical thinking Seeing things from multiple perspectives Seeing the links between issues Knowing how all systems behave

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems In house or consultants No option is perfect Do you need an SE capability in the long term? Can you recruit and retain employees with the right competencies? Do you want to tie your supply chain into your SE effort?

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Getting the right people Define what you want the SE to do – use a competence framework Test the candidates with realistic exercises Check their ability to build rapport and work in a team A little more effort up front will pay dividends

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Managing the transformation (1) Introducing SE is a journey A large number of small steps is better than a few large leaps Trying to jump a maturity level is highly risky Start at the bottom – but plan to move quickly

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Managing the transformation (2) Senior management role is to set the vision; live the values; and remove obstacles Monitor progress and intervene to set things back on track Think about your behaviour – people will do what you do – not what you say

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Managing the transformation (3)

Intelligent Transit and Transport Systems Intelligent Transportation and Transit Systems – applying Systems Engineering to Transport domains