Interview with Bahn-CIO Claudia Plattner: “System integration is the most important success factor for me”

Armored division: But the opposite! Digitalization and IT play a very important role here, at least if we want to further improve the topics discussed. In order to solve the “bridge” problem, so-called building data modeling (better known as BIM) is needed today.

Regarding punctuality, I can go a long way-but let’s take some very easy-to-understand methods: if the train is late, then as a customer, I at least want reliable information about the actual train delay time. This information is generated from many different data sources, because of course many factors play a role in this kind of train travel. Then aggregate them, analyze and publish them in one place. Say it again.

Last but not least is the maintenance of the train. In order for the train to be put into operation, the train must be repaired-of course, ideally, it must be repaired before it fails unexpectedly. Modern methods rely on sensors that measure the condition of the vehicle. Then the determined data is evaluated accordingly. For example, potential sources of errors can be “tracked” at an early stage, and vehicles can be sent to the factory at an appropriate time before major damage or even breakdown occurs.

Klaus: …And this only involves a small part of the entire digital activity of the railway…

Armored division: Exactly. There are indeed a large number of digital activities, all of which contribute to three main use cases: digital railway operations-for example, this includes digital infrastructure, including the entire process from interlocking to vehicle automation. In addition: the entire field of digital maintenance and predictive maintenance, if necessary, automatically order or 3D printed components or very tangible things, such as using specific sound signals to check rolling stock while driving.

Last but not least: the digital customer experience-for example, people have always wanted to provide WiFi continuously from the beginning to the destination. Or our very popular DB Navigator application, we can only be satisfied if it can truly provide our customers with a door-to-door travel chain.

Klaus: Then there is the completely normal Deutsche Bahn with 300,000 employees. To this end, DB Systel operates digital workplace solutions throughout the group…

Armored division: …To support flexible, location-independent, and therefore hope for pleasant collaborative work. Correct. Only by systematically promoting the digitization of the database can we achieve the goals set in the “Powerful Railway” railway strategy. This is what we are going to do. We all help because we believe that the right goal is the right time. These goals include increasing DB Cargo’s transportation performance by 70% or doubling the number of long-distance passengers. Germany needs strong railways.

Klaus: Especially in terms of passenger numbers, the Covid 19 pandemic is a major setback. At the same time, however, the pandemic has also demonstrated the importance of digitization for sound business. Where is the railway IT station?

Armored division: I will answer the lawyer’s question: It depends on the situation. In certain areas of digitalization and railway IT, we are indeed far ahead. As we have now pointed out very clearly again, the scope of action taken in a crisis situation is and is essential. What happened to spring? First of all, this is to ensure that the train is running. We can and must provide this security and reliability in these difficult times. For this, what must we do in IT? Our mission is to enable thousands of employees to complete their work remotely from home in a short period of time. This means: almost everything must be remotely operable, must have the possibility of normal operation of communication, must have equipment, etc. In the past few years, we have created many good conditions so that we can quickly control serious crisis situations.

IT and our customers! Now, our customers need to be able to experience that their safety and health is our top priority. Here is a very small but practical example of how IT can help in a very specific way: once it can be foreseen that the train will bear a high load and keeping distance will become a problem, we will now apply it to our Navigator The program sends an active message to customers so that they have the opportunity to choose another train if necessary. Small but important!

I admit that we are not always able to provide such excellent support anytime, anywhere from anywhere. We still have an open construction site and many legacy applications, etc., but we have taken a very big step. By the way, on many topics, we have worked with our partners to integrate solutions and services with them-in recent months, this has produced huge changes.

Klaus: When you talk about digital integrated services, one of the main challenges for railways may be: with more than 700 subsidiaries, there are almost no doubts about various individual systems and different requirements. Then there are the mentioned partner companies.

Armored division: As long as the process can be represented by a single system, IT is always easy. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Our IT and process environment is very complex, and we must master this complexity, because no matter how we continue to simplify our work, it will not simply disappear. Therefore, integration is the most important success factor for me, and ServiceNow can actually play some of its advantages here.

Klaus: I am ready to mention some honorary awards…

Armored division: Actually, you are currently developing some problems. Let me mention two of them, and I am also involved: internally, we are currently merging our full set of services, and we will provide these services to employees of the entire IT department in a unified store based on the Now platform. . Our services range from simple ordering of computers to comprehensive consulting projects. Everything is in one structure and networked with related back-end systems.

I want to mention the second theme: we need a unified method to manage all equipment equipped with computer units. From laptops to locomotives, we need to know where it is, who is responsible, etc. The magnitude of these things in the group is already within the scope of millions of individual projects. If the “Internet of Things” really accelerates, it will rapidly add as many as hundreds of millions of devices and commodities. We need a unified solution here, and ServiceNow provides a good solution for this.

Klaus: Thank you for your flowers, Claudia. When I look at Deutsche Bahn’s digital operations field, a question arises: How has the role of CIO changed in the past few years? What I mean is that even the previously purely mechanical solutions, such as automatic couplings, can ensure that the DB Cargo business achieves a decisive increase in efficiency, and it is now digital.

Armored division: This matter is developing rapidly. From my perspective, IT has clearly evolved from a server room in a dusty basement. Today, we are business partners and enable important innovations to be realized. In addition to dealing with technical issues, this premise must also be a necessary foresight at the technical level. How do we position ourselves today so that we can continue to take action and react when necessary to prevent the world from turning unexpectedly like the Covid 19 pandemic? We can only fulfill this proposition by introducing platforms, for example, giving us great flexibility when introducing new services.

Klaus: I can only say that we are happy to help.

You can find more information about IT in the Deutsche Bahn keynote speech by DBe Systel’s CIO Claudia Plattner, BCG’s senior consultant Janina Kugel, and Germany’s Vice President and General Manager Detlef Krause: “For a World with Less Work” ServiceNow. The activity will be held during the “work now” period on October 6, and can be provided on demand.