Systems integration and organisational choice

The purpose of the paper is to describe an integrated systems approach to computer aided planning of duties and rosters for onboard personnel in railways. An integrated approach means a client server system with a common database covering a functional domain including: I. Long-term planning of duties and rosters for onboard personnel (drivers and guards) 2. Medium and shortterm planning 3. Operative personnel allocation 4. Recording and reporting of actual performance. Timetable data is transferred by an interface from a separate timetable system. Relevant rolling stock data will also be handled by an interface and the system provides input data to a separate personnel system as basis for calculation of allowances. The paper is based on experiences from a system development and implementation project in the Norwegian State Railways, NSB. Request for tenders was issued by NSB in December 1996 with reference to a required integrated computer system for crew scheduling. The project is now in the design stage. This paper is based on evaluation of tenders received and on the general experiences from the project so far.