Delivery

The complete product or solution is delivered to you at this point. Often, this is the time where you make the final payment. Therefore it is important that you have specified the FAT and SAT tests thoroughly and gone through the test process, so you know how to decide if the system works to your satisfaction.

Installation

The installation is typically handled by you as purchaser or by a workshop. Depending on chosen hardware, the installation demands 1,5-3,5h per vehicle. The system supplier often supports the chosen installer during the first installation (Bus Maintenance Installer Course). You also get an installation manual with all the necessary information. If needed, it will be adjusted to cover your specific situation.

Installation verification

The installations are verified and calibrated at this stage. In most cases this is done by you as purchaser or a workshop. Ideally, the installations should be completed before this phase starts. In some cases, installations for ecodriving are calibrated individually for fuel consumption, but it can also be made later in the project.

Receiving the project

Now it is time for you to have an organization in place which can receive the project and go through with educations and follow-ups. You should also have verified if you can coordinate this project with other educations, for example within eco-driving. You should by now have a clear view of how you are going to go through with educating personnel. Especially the drivers.

Creating  a statistical base (Eco driving)

In the case that the project includes Eco driving, what happens before actually educating the drivers, is the collection of a statistical reference against which you can measure the success of the eco-driving. The idea with this phase is to complement the statistic base you already have, and to get a clearer view of the actual facts. During this period you collect data of how the drivers behave, when unaware of that they are being measured.

Educating coaches (Eco driving)

Next step in implementing an Eco driving system is to educate your internal coaches, who will in turn educate the drivers. This step is very important. If your coaches are motivated and knowledgeable about the process, the education of the drivers will be so much easier. If the drivers trust the coaches and management, they will trust the new system as well. This is extra important when it comes to eco driving, which depends on the cooperation of the drivers, to be successful. The coaches are often educated by the system supplier.

Educating drivers (Eco driving)

The driver education is performed by the coaches. This is an important step to build trust and motivation. The biggest effect, however, you will probably see when the drivers start sharing information amongst each other, how to reach the goals you have set up.

Setting up goals (Eco driving)

Based on the statistical base and the supplier’s experience from earlier projects, goals are set, to give the drivers the right incentives to improve their driving. Often, some sort of bonus connected to the result is used.

Transfer of project (Closing)

This is the sign off delivery, where the project transfers over to Operations. Some deliveries can take place after this point, if beforehand agreed upon. For example additional education.

Present total target and outcome (Eco driving)

Evaluation of the driver’s results is done by the system supplier in close cooperation with the purchaser. It is also beneficial to add a questionnaire among the drivers to help the evaluation. The results should be open for the drivers as well as the union, provided they are involved.

Create lessons learned

This stage is done together with the system deliverer, sub-suppliers and any other parties of the project. The lessons learned is an opportunity to bring the experience with you to the next project, both pros and cons, and to avoid running into the same brick wall more than once. This step is especially important on account that there might be new people, maybe even a new project leader,  involved in the next project, who don’t share the experience from this project. It’s easy to neglect this stage, since you are eager to move along to the next project, but don’t. In the big scope of things it doesn’t take that long, and almost guaranteed, you will benefit from the work you put in now, in upcoming projects or if you for some reason need to revisit this project.

Wrap up & save documentation and eliminate accounts and project code

These are the very final step of the project, and it is absolutely hopeless to do this at a later stage when you have forgot all about the project. Which documents were the final ones? Where did we put that vital documentation? What are all these old accounts and project codes? Should we just scrap them all, or are we going to regret it if we do? This nightmarish but too familiar situation, you can avoid by doing that last cleaning step of the project before closing it down. Then nothing else remains but to enjoy the feeling of completing a successful project. Good Luck!

Disclaimer: The content of this blog post is the author’s opinion and doesn’t reflect the opinion of any other person or organisation.