Past Exam Paper Flashcards
How is the use of digital technologies driven effectively within asset rich organisations? (5)
- Standard company procedures established by senior management through strategies and policies
- Client driven digital technology requirements might be requested through contracts or frameworks
- Technology can aid the digital technology platform for data collection and dissemination
- Culture changes through training should be realised
- Organisational roles should be created and aligned with digital technologies
How is the use of digital technologies driven effectively when working on collaborative infrastructure projects? (5)
- Each organisation to ensure matched technologies and capabilities in delivering digitally
- Governance to be accountable for use and distribution of digital technology
- Culture change for people seconded for longer term frameworks outside of their parent organisation
- Intellectual property to be considered for long-term digital ownership
- Contract applications to be considered for all supply chains for all organisations
Sketch the term ‘constant improvement’ across a project lifecycle
Drawing to include:
- Sphere with four quadrants
- Plan, do, check, act
- Arrow moving clockwise around the perimeter
Explain the term ‘constant improvement’ across a project lifecycle (2)
- A learning process allowing organisations to measure what has been done against a baseline plan, and identify room for improvement in processes.
- It should be undertaken across the whole of the project lifecycle and into operation and maintenance.
How can digital technologies help ‘constant improvement’? (5)
- Should inform other projects or programmes
- Information can be shared across frameworks
- Should involve all supply chain personnel
- Should involve better efficiencies and reduced waste
- Reference to lean
Why is continuous feedback important in infrastructure asset organisations? (5)
- Monitors changing stakeholder requirements
- Monitors capacity vs demand
- Looks at best practice in industry
- Identifies legislative changes
- Identifies any new technologies
The term ‘Whole life-cycle’ has sometimes been referred to as ‘cradle-to-grave’. Explain this analogy. (3)
‘Cradle’ refers to the start of the asset life, not from operation but from a response to a clients brief.
‘Grave’ refers to the end of the asset, this may be termination or demolition, but it refers to the point at which an asset no longer holds value to the user.
The asset is ‘disposed’ of, and will then be removed from the operational assets that the company manages.
Identify and discuss three key considerations for an organisation, in relation to ‘Customers’. (4)
- Value of the asset for the stakeholder
- Demand for use of the asset from the stakeholder
- Current culture for use (i.e. public transport might be used more due to congestion)
- Preferred technology use (e.g. pay by phone for parking instead of pay and display)
Identify and discuss three key considerations for an organisation, in relation to ‘Legislation’. (5)
- Changes to current legislation (e.g. carbon tax)
- Any key judgements likely to impact design and operation of asset
- Contract application (terms and conditions)
- Understanding how to protect assets during the whole life-cycle
- Investment to upgrade assets to meet changing legislation
Identify and discuss three key considerations for an organisation, in relation to ‘Investors’. (5)
- Mix of project funding (short-term or long-term)
- Expected return on investments (during operation or later)
- Use of investors as sponsors to the project
- Percentage against tax payers’ money
- Governance (accountability)
Identify and discuss three key considerations for an organisation, in relation to ‘Commercial Environment’. (5)
- Political influences on the project
- Strength of currency in international market
- Mix of capital investment vs funders by organisation
- Inflation figures
- International currencies where collaborative projects are taking place
Why is it important to communicate with stakeholders when considering how to best optimise the service life of an asset? (6)
- Stakeholders (end users) will be able to inform asset owners how they want to use the asset, or how they are already using it.
- The organisation can make decisions based on proposed/existing use and spare capacity.
- Asset owners should tell users what they are doing to the network, this can help with a culture change in asset use.
- A good example is smart meters in homes, which benefits the user as they can manage their energy, equally the organisation can get more reliable information and reduce the amount of home visits they need to make.
Name three systems for maintenance that can be used for infrastructure asset organisations. (3)
- Risk-based maintenance
- Reliability centred maintenance
- Remote condition monitoring
List six advantages of using a risk management technique for infrastructure asset organisations
Any 6 from the below:
-Safety
-Performance
-Cost effectiveness
-Quality
-Life-cycle cost
-Equipment Life
-Maintenance Data
-Motivation
-Teamwork
Explain and provide examples of ‘Safety’ as an advantage of the risk management technique for use in infrastructure asset organisations.
Greater safety and environmental protection due to:
- Improved maintenance of protective devices
- Systematic review of safety implications in failures
- Application of clear strategies for preventing failure modes
- Fewer failures caused by unnecessary maintenance
