Westinghouse Rail has adopted a service management approach that has promoted trust between IT and the business, and increased the technology department’s input in decision-making.

By applying the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) framework, the company – ­ which designs and manufactures railway signalling and control technology ­ – has ensured the business understands IT’s remit.

IT director Rob McGeechan says that for Westinghouse Rail to be comfortable with allowing IT to contribute at a strategic level, it has to know that IT is properly completing day-to-day operations.

“IT services had not reduced in quality, but in relevance to the business, which resulted in a lessening of trust. And when trust starts to go the business won’t involve IT. There was confusion over what IT should be doing for the business,” says McGeechan.

An audit exposed the confusion and looked at improving three areas ­ – how the IT team was structured and focused, how the firm used legacy applications, and how the business and IT team interfaced.

The audit prompted the deployment of web-based tool Service-now.com, with support from IT services and support provider a&o ­ – a process that is allowing IT to define and catalogue what services are provided to the business using the ITIL framework.

“Without a framework to describe what IT is doing, expectations of IT spring up; the business can judge IT as failing to deliver services that it never said it should provide. ITIL counteracts that by allowing IT to hold up tangible evidence and prove it is doing a good job,” says McGeechan.

“Most tools are difficult to configure, but Service-now.com was easy to deploy. And we liked the fact it was a software as a service, as it is hosted and backed up. It is also easy to get to grips with.

“However, with the ITIL framework you never reach a stage where you have finished; you are constantly revisiting and improving the service offering.”

Version three of ITIL launched last year, and McGeechan says the company will potentially add some of the standard’s new components, such as supporting supply management.

Most significantly, IT roles have now been aligned with business requirements. As a result, IT executives are meeting with the business more regularly to find out what is needed and to tweak services accordingly. The result is that IT’s reputation has been boosted.

“Previously, there was the feeling that IT should be driving the business forward, but there was no strategy outlining how to do this,” says McGeechan.

“Now we have the basics in order and the wallpaper looks right, the business is much more willing to engage properly with IT.”

Increased confidence in IT is demonstrated by the company’s willingness to trust IT’s judgement about changing legacy applications.

“The business is more ready to commit time to talking about requirements for future systems,” says McGeechan.

“IT is no longer about a bunch of guys in the background shifting boxes. I am now invited to executive meetings and, because we can demonstrate we are doing the basics properly, IT can begin to add value to the business and is part of the organisation at a strategic level.”