IBC Control Room Conference - CCD

8/3/2019 IBC Control Room Conference - CCD

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The Effects of Cost Reduction inControl Room Design

IBC Control Room Conference | September 2011

David Watts| Managing Director


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Themes of the Presentation

How the economic environment isdriving cost reduction

Benefits and risks of consolidation of control rooms

Extending the life of control rooms

Improving efficiency withoutcompromising safety


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The Economic Drivers

Budget cuts Land & property

Assets

Maintenance & support costs

Operational costs Costs of materials & services

Technology change

...but expectations on service quality

higher


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The impact

Leaner operations more with less

Consolidation

Merger

Technology investment e.g.systems integration

Life stretch


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Streamlining Operations

Analysis where are the opportunities Likely to be unpopular

Changes in roles

Redundancies

Are there positives for staff?

Can service quality be retained?

Can workload be managed? Automation of systems might help


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Case Study

Analysis of informationflows in emergencyconditions

Showed the reality

Highlights opportunities forimprovement

Facilitated FCC and NRfinding the solutions

Communication analysisfor Network Rail andFirst Capital Connect


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Consolidation, Co-location & Mergers

Consolidation reorganise number of small controls into aone or more larger controls usually performing same function E.g Network Rail closing signal boxes and creating large regional

centres

Co-location accommodating related control functions in thesame physical location E.g. BAA looking at co-location of various Heathrow controls in one

central location

Mergers co-location or more integrated re-organisation of control functions or associated organisations E.g. Tri-services controls in Emergency Services


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Benefits

Close, sell, dispose of property & other assets Reduction in staff costs

Fewer systems; less support costs

Opportunity for organisational change get the leanoperations too


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The pitfalls

Understanding the operations How do we function now? How might we function differently in the

future?

Can they be brought together?

Integration of cultures Change management

Staff resistance

How to keep the good stuff

Perceptions of different functional groups Design for those at the coal face

User engagement


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Case Study

Multiple groups to get tocommon operational model

Diverse regional variation

Massive HR impact

Buildings before systemsand before operations

Systems design in youfirst

COTS systems with nointegration

FiReControl


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Technology Change

Short term investment for long term gain User led deliver tasks

Avoid unnecessary functions & features

Video walls, 3D mapping, etc

Part of long term strategy Automation

Keep operator in the loop

Automate the right stuff

What are people bad at?

Open architecture - expandable


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Case Study

Rationalise systems Deal with obsolescence

Better way of working

Integrate stand-alonesystems

Designed around userneeds, information flow &decision making

Automation to improveperformance & increasecapacity

Transport for LondonRoad Tunnel Control


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Life Stretch

Small changes to extend life of existing Systems struggle with parts

Improve working environment

Prioritise spend max impact


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Summary

Economy is catalyst for change Many options often with real benefits

Clear pitfalls with short term & financial motive

Risk of failure of operational performance & safety

Must involve users in process

Organisational & technological change needs management

Prioritise intervention with max long term benefit


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CCD Design & Ergonomics Ltd95 Southwark Street | London | SE1 0HX

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7593 2900

www.ccd.org.uk

Documents

IBC Control Room Conference - CCD