SCADA
davidhope & associates pty ltd
Specialising in SCADA Strategy and Planning, Business Justification, determination of user needs, gaining the agreement of all parties to projects, and Implementation Strategies and Plans
Having trouble gaining approval or acceptance of your SCADA Project?
This may be because you are unable to demonstrate a satisfactory Benefit Cost Ratio. SCADA projects are often only justified if Strategic Benefits are taken into account properly. Often, operational savings (from reduced electricity costs, reduced staffing, etc) in Public Utilities only provide enough benefits to cover around 5 - 20% of the scheme costs.
Or maybe it is because your organisation is wary of implementing technology projects. Perhaps this is because.......
MANY Information Technology PROJECTS EITHER FAIL COMPLETELY, DELIVER REDUCED FUNCTIONALITY, OR FINISH WELL OVER TIME & BUDGET.
Wariness can often be overcome by preparing an overall SCADA implementation strategy which allows issues to be managed and risks reduced. The strategy should:
- Allow for all user requirements - from operations and maintenance staff, planners, through to senior managers - to be well researched and understood before technical options are considered in detail
- Provide for a range of technical options to be produced which match the user requirements
- Provide for a business case which explores the technical options, and also a range of acceptable user the requirements. The cheapest option may not produce the best value for money or business outcomes. The "do nothing" option can appear to be the easist short term option, but carries with it the loss of longer term opportunities and the associated risks.
- Set up a realistic implementation plan which covers:
o procurement of suppliers and contractors;
o the input required over the entire project from your company's own employees (this can include such things as site access, provision of functional specifications; problem solving and dispute resolution; handover and commissioning; training; and reorganising your workforce to take advantage of the new technology);
o a project plan which proactively manages quality and progress against real milestones; and
o a benefits realisation plan
Regarding implementation options, a planned approach can often save 20% or more in capital costs, and involve many fewer implementation risks, than an ad hoc, wait till we're forced to, approach.
It is ironic that many Utilities implement modern "non-core" systems (e.g. financial, email) without the need for extensive Business Cases, and are reluctant to modernise SCADA systems, which operate their core assets.
The Strategic Benefits of modern SCADA systems include:
- Improved operating and customer service capability
- Opportunities to standardise operating procedures and to better utilise staff
- Reduced costs and risks through standardisation of technology: maintaining SCADA, training operators, etc
- Reduced incident risks through the reduction in the number and severity of operational incidents and improved capability to respond once an incident has occurred (remote monitoring, remote control, and ability to control groups of assets)
- More knowledgeable and capable staff, learning through the power of the technology
- Better ability to negotiate with regulators and lawmakers
- Improved capital and maintenance planning through more integrated, useable information
- Improved ability to integrate with other company information systems such as financial, customer, maintenance management, planning, geographic, email, etc
- Improved ability to take advantage of any opportunities
- Better company image through being able to demonstrate competitiveness and competence in the market-place
- Prerequisite for leading companies
David Hope has had over 30 years experience in a Public Utility, and understands the issues and technology from the operator's perspective. David's experience spans planning, design, construction, operations and maintenance, as well as strategic planning, business planning, high level policy, and general management. In recent years David has been responsible for successful SCADA Business Cases worth around $Aus 150 million, and for the implementation, including program strategies, client representative functions, and project management.
David is now an independent consultant who would be very happy to talk to you about your project, anywhere in the world.
Services include: analysing problems; assistance with early planning via workshops or value management studies; preparing strategies for integrating SCADA with other technologies; preparing and implementing strategies for gaining acceptance among the users of the new technology in your organisation; preparing strategies for the use of the new technology by the operators and other users; preparing business cases; preparing implementation strategies and setting up programs and projects; and managing programs or projects
Read: David Hope's SCADA Justification Paper
SCADA Business
Presentations, Workshops & Training
SCADA 2003 Kuala Lumpur 25 - 26 June, 2003
SCADA - Business and Technology Training Course Dubai, 26 - 30 April, 2003
The European SCADA Conference 11, 12, 13 February, 2003. London.
The Australian SCADA Conference 29, 30, 31 July, 2002. Sydney.
For further information:
davidhope & associates
