John Connolly has been in his post as information director of
Tube Lines for just a few months, after the company's board
decided they needed to bridge the gap between the business and
IT.
Although the company had reliable technology, the business was
not getting the information it needed. "Someone was needed on the
executive table to bring a fresh perspective on how to combine work
practices with technology," Connolly says.
His main role is to understand and reduce the frustration
between business and information technology, while smoothing out
problems with IT systems and looking forward to the next phase of
innovation.
Tube Lines, which manages the infrastructure of the Northern,
Piccadilly and Jubilee lines on the London Underground, has a
30-year contract running as a public-private partnership.
Connolly's challenge is the first review of this contract, due
in two years' time. The reviews are every seven years, and his aim
for the period before this first review is to create a strong IT
infrastructure that can be built on. This means ironing out issues
with the IT infrastructure. The company rolled out systems
including Oracle and Documentum 18 months ago, and Connolly says he
needs to make small improvements to IT before the first review,
rather than major IT implementations.
"It is partly training, because not everyone is using the
systems to the best of their ability," Connolly says.
"The IT world is not always about radical innovation. Sometimes
it is about getting good at what you are already doing."
After the first review, the next phase of the contract will be
more "sophisticated", with plans for development of Web 2.0, says
Connolly. Tube Lines has a workforce situated all over London, with
some working night shifts, and Connolly hopes innovative use of
Web 2.0 will ease communication with staff.
The company is also planning to introduce systems that will help
them change the way they carry out maintenance.
At the moment, Connolly says, planned maintenance means assets
are maintained whether they need it or not.
"It is organised but not very cost effective. We are looking at
changing the business of maintenance, using information on the
performance of a product. Manufacturers give you information on the
life-time of a product, and we will need systems that give
performance information in real-time," he says.
Connolly reports to the CEO, and oversees an IT department that
is heavily
outsourced to LogicaCMG and Capgemini.
He says, "If IT reports to the CEO, it means the business is
looking to create business advantage out of information, and use it
strategically.
"From our perspective, if you want to be a good asset operator
and maintainer, it is imperative you know timely and accurate
information to make good maintenance decisions."
A main challenge for information directors, he says, is to match
expectations between business and IT.
"My definition of success is that the business has expectations
founded in what is possible. There is no point any IT team saying
we will meet the business expectations if they are not realistic,"
he says.
Connolly's engineering background helps in his communications
with the business. "I can walk into a situation with an
understanding of the business issue, using their language, not
technical language. I have better empathy for the challenges that
all parties face.
"There is a degree of misunderstanding and frustration between
business and IT. If you understand both sides have frustration, it
gives you a way of engaging that is more powerful than if you do
not understand," he says.