Network Rail

Our mission is to invest and support the initiatives that deliver the best value for our passengers and freight users. For doing so, we needed to increase our visibility of what was being delivered, and a better way of tracking and realising their value. We delivered a minimum viable product internally that was very successful, and we decided to professionalise it and extend its utilisation to get better insights and collaboration bringing along all of these people that were already using Microsoft Project.

Marta Berryman

Head of Change Management Office for Western region at Network Rail

Working with Network Rail, we aimed to create a solution that not only meets their immediate needs but also supports long-term growth and efficiency. The integration of Project for the web has provided a robust framework that enhances visibility and decision-making across their projects.

Jamie Johnston

MWM Consultant at CPS

Network Rail’s Wales and Western region, the owner and infrastructure manager of part of the rail network in England, and Wales, embarked on a transformative journey to improve its business change management processes. Their aim was to enhance benefits tracking, minimise reporting, and quicker decision-making by adopting a new project management tool. Network Rail and CPS worked together to develop a solution to manage non-infrastructure business changes, resulting in enhanced decision-making and increased collaboration.

The Solution

Network Rail's Change Management Office initially used SharePoint lists and a custom Power Platform canvas app to track projects, which used Power BI for reporting. As the system grew to nearly 300 users managing 400 projects, limitations became apparent. They required a more robust tool that could scale and integrate with Microsoft Project, providing a unified platform for all users.

After evaluating three suppliers, Network Rail chose CPS for their approachability, value, and fixed-price contract. CPS’ solution offered an easy-to-use interface with the necessary functionality for all types of users, making it a versatile choice.

CPS' support was instrumental to the development, rollout and future-proofing of the solution. Utilising a collaborative approach, CPS and Network Rail identified the best way of working together was through rapid, sprint-based development ultimately leading to the well-received toolset that is in place today.

Results Improvements

The system has received positive responses from leaders and users. The visibility of initiatives has increased by 130% providing a clear link to strategic objectives. The potential for streamlined reporting and decision-making is clear, alongside increased collaboration inside and outside the organisation.

Network Rail can now manage business changes with the same rigor as infrastructure projects. The unified platform provides real-time insights and has facilitated improved decision-making.

Efficiency Gains: Reporting time reduced allowing teams to focus on tasks.
Enhanced Data Visibility: Visibility increased by 130% with real-time insights into project statuses, improving responsiveness.
Better benefits tracking and realisation: Number of benefits being tracked monthly with clear baselines and targets increased by 240%.
User Adoption: Positive feedback from team members highlighted ease of use and its impact on productivity, proven by the increase in initiatives being tracked by users, from 79 to 179 in three months.

The centralised platform has revolutionised our reporting process, giving us visibility and enabling us to make informed decisions faster. - Marta Berryman, Network Rail

Future Plans

Network Rail plans to expand the use of the tool across other regions throughout the organisation. They aim to fully leverage its capabilities to ensure all business change projects, are managed efficiently and effectively. Continuous updates and enhancements will be made to meet the evolving needs of the organisation.

Charles Heseltine, Transformation Programme Manager: We foresee this solution being a cornerstone of our project management strategy, driving efficiency and collaboration across the entire organisation.

Disclaimer: This case study is a factual representation of SIP2.0 implementation and its results as of May 2024. Network Rail do not warranty the quality of CPS and/or their services.

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