Trans-Pacific computer network links allow texas to leverage Australian GIT Know-How
Therefore, TXU US sought the help of TXU AUS to establish a project and provide
resources to update the landbase information in DIS.
The focus of this project was to explore and capitalise upon the opportunities that
technology and regional diversity offer TXU’s global energy delivery businesses. As
we start to leverage this new era of technology, the vast improvements in global
connectivity pose an increasingly viable international resource utilisation opportunity.
This project therefore aims to capitalize on new Internet technologies and the
availability of skilled TXU Australian resources to assist with the backlog of TXU US
engineering workload.
The project will explore the opportunities that Internet technology in TXU US may
provide, and also take advantage of the currency exchange rate, as the difference in
labor rates present an economically viable solution to the backlog of landbase
entry/update work that currently exists. This project also offers a unique opportunity
to explore and realise how the Internet represents a whole new paradigm for achieving
business synergies and savings for both TXU Australia and TXU US.
The planned method for establishing connectivity is solely through the use of the
Internet. After logging on to a specified Citrix portal website, the client enters their
profile information and once that has been verified by the Citrix server in the US, the
client has direct access to the DIS database where they can perform the necessary
updates and new entries. The client will be able to access the Distribution Information
System (DIS) database via the Internet, using the Citrix thin-client technology as the
key medium. No software is required for the client’s PC, provided they have Internet
access.
See diagram 1 below for the high level technical solution
Diagram 1 - High Level Technical Solution
Timeframes
It was agreed that resources in Australia would start 2 hours early, and training staff in
Texas would work two hours later each day during the 2 week training period.
Resources in Australia also agreed to change their work week to Tuesday to Saturday,
to suit the time differences. This also avoided the DIS backup period required and
scheduled each evening in Texas
Training room Equipment
A conference room was set up in Australia as the Training venue for the six new
resources to be trained simultaneously. Each trainee had his own workstation,
connected via Internet to the DIS training alternative, shadowed by the trainers in
Texas. There was a seventh workstation and DIS session connected to a data projector
on the wall of the conference room in Australia, which was controlled by the trainer in
Dallas for all trainees to view at the same time. There was also a phone with a
loudspeaker used as a conference phone for the duration of the training session.
Training was conducted for four hours each day, with demonstrations by the trainer
viewed on the wall of the conference room, followed by practice by the trainees on
their individual workstations. The trainers in Texas shadowed each trainee’s
workstation, and answered queries on any feature or process for individual trainees. If
a trainee got into difficulties, then the trainer could take over the trainee’s
workstations and get it back “on track” before handing control back to the trainee.
Procedures and Data capture guidelines
TXU US produced a Procedures Manual, and Video “Support Tutorial for DIS Users”
for all prospective and current users of DIS. These help, and tutorial tools were
supplemented by the ongoing development of a quality controlled “landbase data
capture guideline” document where all questions and answers were recorded, FAQs
recorded, and any interpretations and guidelines documented, after agreement.
Together these formed the basis for quality auditing, testing, recording of errors, to
ensure that error rates were reduced to acceptable levels asap. Note that the quality
standards used in this project, and which continue to be used in ongoing quality
assessments, are the Australian quality standards of error rate < 2.5%.
Training Summary
The training was received and conducted very successfully with excellent feedback by
all participants, trainees and trainers. The focus of training was to establish a solid
base for all trainees to meet the quality standards asap. Based on previous training
experience and monitoring in Texas, it was anticipated that a newly trained user
would meet the required quality standards and the required production rates within 8–
10 weeks. It actually took 12 weeks for the new users to consistently meet the relevant
quality standards and production rates, see Diagram 2 PTT landbase Project
December 2002 Monthly report.
Support
TXU US staff provided technical IT support, DIS application support, and Business
process support, for four hours per day during the training period. The requirement for
this level of support diminished rapidly after the training period was completed, and
was directly related to the reduction in the number of IT & application issues, and as
the DIS Landbase capture guidelines was developed, and as the users’ competence
levels increased.
Ongoing support is provided through email questions and answers to TXU US staff,
with referrals to particular features or Plats, and through interpretation of the DIS
Video tutorial, and the DIS landbase data capture guidelines. The turnaround time for
most queries is overnight, and work is managed so that productivity is not impacted.
