The very first step when starting a design project is to identify each stakeholder vision. Specifications can only speak physical items and the project strategy is to be agreed within the first few weeks.
Usually there are three major conceptual teams working together (Government and NOBOs; Project Owner; and OEMs) with secondary teams such as Finance, System Integrators and Contractors. They all share the objective to reach the best possible outcome.
Each stakeholder holds some weight in the decision making process, basically driven by cost, time and quality, as the broadest strategic pillars and filters. Obviously the project owner is the spiritual leader in the project, but rolling stock projects are very complex and the metaphysical content has to land into the final product according to its relevance.
So, to identify and build value are critical for the project success.
Fernando Tellechea, Railway Industry Coordinator, EDAG Engineering Spain S.L.