Allan Webb’s Platform Transition Tool Provides Real-time Transition Oversight

Taking an MoD platform or system from the design stage to in-service is an undeniably lengthy process. Designs can change due to build specifications (the ‘gold standard’ wish list) and acquisition requirements, which may pare down the build to maintain affordability.

Without early dialogue between these teams and the end-user, there can be significant discrepancies in expectations and in-service readiness.

Challenges

There have, in the past, been occasions when vessels have entered into service with unexpected equipment configurations or technical documentation that is inaccessible to the in-service teams as it conforms to a different ISO standard or is not in the correct format. Early dialogue between stakeholders ensures that design or build changes are not a surprise to the end-users and provides them with the opportunity to influence and prepare for changes.

Innovation

Allan Webb has developed the Platform Transition Tool (PTT), which aims to manage expectations from an early stage in the project by ensuring regular dialogue and agreement between the teams involved in the project, with a clear audit trail of the decisions made along the way. That, in turn, ensures that the in-service team have all the resources they need, in terms of people, training and equipment, to manage and run the platform from the date it is received.

Running alongside the PTT is Allan Webb’s experienced team, providing their expertise on a consultancy basis to ensure the perfect questions are asked in the right way to answer all concerns. Our expertise in Integrated Logistics Support, Engineering, Programming, Data Analytics, Project Management and Obsolescence Management all help ensure that we find those questions. Our subject matter experts phrase them in the right way to ensure the buy-in of all stakeholders.

Benefits

The PTT ensures the realisation of the following benefits: 

• Single point of truth. The tool gives a central point for storing information and collates progress data. It gives customers the ability to manage and brief a large cross-section of stakeholders across different organisational boundaries and layers. 
• Live reporting on the current state of transition progress. The tool records all aspects of the transition progress and provides information and reports on demand. 
• Auditable and measurable. The tool records and tracks progress up to and including sign-off against each identified requirement. This includes a full audit trail of dates, signatures, comments and actions. It also measures the effectiveness of key project activities and milestones. 
• User-friendly. The layout is intuitive and easy to use across different business areas. 
• Accountability. The tool has a clear audit trail back to the decisions made with the relevant authority. 
• Tailorable to customer needs. Questions, Defence Standards, National Audit Office, milestones, Key Performance Indicators and goals. 
• Accessibility. The tool is a secure web portal complying with the latest cyber security standards.

Within the MoD, the Allan Webb team has done a lot of work to tailor the PTT for the major acquisition programmes, including some stakeholder management and liaison between Industry partners and the MoD, to ensure full collaboration with both Industry Partners and MoD. Once shown the benefits of an ordered transition and how they could influence the tool in a timely and measured way, the Industry partners overcame their initial scepticism and became advocates for the PTT, highlighting the benefits to other parts of their business!

The Platform Transition Tool would be beneficial for any complex equipment or infrastructure programme, providing oversight, in real-time, of the transition of large platforms.

For more information on how the Platform Transition Tool could benefit your project or a free demonstration, call +44 (0) 1453 824 581 or email sales@allanwebb.co.uk.