At the beginning of October, I had the privilege of attending Network Rail’s soft launch and showcase of their new Rail Investment Benchmarking tool, Bench Smart. This innovative tool aims to foster future-focused collaboration between Network Rail and external partner organisations by simplifying benchmarking data for various works.
Development and Purpose
Since its inception in 2020, Network Rail, in collaboration with the Department for Transport (DfT), has dedicated significant time and resources to developing Bench Smart. The goal is to establish consistent, transparent data governance and assurance in cost estimating works, creating what I like to call a “single source of truth.”
The Concept
The tool’s concept is straightforward yet powerful. By utilising Oracle Data down to the task line and Primavera programming data, Bench Smart allows users to benchmark planned works against a database of similar projects. This provides an average estimate, answering the frequently asked question, “What were the costs when we delivered similar projects in the past?”
Reservations and Concerns
While the tool is being gradually rolled out across the wider network, I do have some reservations:
Data Integrity: Within Network Rail, the level of detailed information can sometimes be lacking. Given that Bench Smart relies on granular data, there’s a risk that outliers could skew the benchmarking results, potentially inflating cost estimates.
Contractor and Third-Party Integration: Due to the sensitive nature of cost data, third-party contractors have access to a slimmed-down version of the tool. This version is not as comprehensive as the full version, which could hinder seamless estimating from contractor through to delivery. A more robust version for third parties is needed to achieve seamless integration.
Ease of Use: Although Bench Smart is an insightful tool, its complexity might overwhelm some users. The depth and intricacy of the tool could deter the average Network Rail employee from fully utilising it.
Conclusion
Despite these concerns, Bench Smart has the potential to be an incredibly useful tool. The vision behind it is clear, and the phased rollout and reassessments are crucial to ensuring it becomes an integral part of the development and delivery process. With fine-tuning and proper onboarding, I believe Bench Smart can achieve its goals.
If you would like more information about Bench Smart, please feel free to reach out.
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