Early Stage Specification Process

Step 1: Requirements and Conditional Outputs

The first step to developing the specification is to ascertain the Conditional Railway Output and their value. This starts with developing requirements which must be evidence and their value understood to find a Value for Money solution. Not understanding the value of the requirements has the potential to waste significant amounts of time chasing solutions. Understanding the value allows for Concept Solutions to be ‘reverse engineered’ for value and hence guide the development team to viable solutions.

This should relate directly to:

  • What are you trying to achieve and what is the output change to the railway system?
  • A translation of the strategic objective and outcomes into railway outputs for passenger and freight users
  • Robust evidence such as demand modelling, market studies, local plans, government policy, revenue forecasts
  • Initial assessment of the value of the benefits to be delivered
  • Affordability criteria

It is very important to test the concept solutions against the impact of the assumptions and risks. This will:

  • Test the viability of the solution
  • The value for money of the solution and how this could change as assumptions and risks move / materialise
  • Be fundamental to the creation of the cost range
  • Test the extent of scope and impact

At this stage it should still be an aim to look at a range of options to deliver the objectives in relation to cost to give clarity on what might be achieved for different levels of expenditure. I.e. is it an option to achieve 80% of desired benefits if costs can be 50% of full scope? Costs are unlikely to be understood at this point but an understanding should be established of the appetite for trade off in costs and outcomes.

Step 2: Indicative Train Service Specification (ITSS)