IT on Wheels (cont.)

Well-run systems keep technology on track at Hong Kong's MTR

Right from the start

MTR's IT initiatives are scrutinized for effectiveness and financial benefit. "First, we must do the right projects," Lai says. "Secondly, we must do the projects right to ensure that our investments are well spent." A project must support MTR's strategic objectives: increasing revenue, improving customer service, and reducing costs. A project must also support the stated goals of a company division. (For example, MTR's engineering department recently expressed a desire to make better use of the 2,000 engineers who maintain its HK$100 billion [about US$13 billion] in assets. In response, the company's human resources management system was updated to include competency and skills information for each employee.) Third, a project must prove ROI or other benefits.

Once a project is underway, Lai's group monitors its progress both at project and program levels. A review, typically conducted six months after project completion, determines whether it delivered its intended benefits. The information is fed back into future developments, so the process constantly improves.

Supporting growth

The creation of MTR's Engineering Works and Traffic Information Management System (ETMS) in 2005 shows this process at its best. In cooperation with City University of Hong Kong, MTR developers created an artificial intelligence system that helps MTR's maintenance engineers work more efficiently. ETMS assigns resources and personnel with special skills to the highest-value tasks, provides real-time progress reports, and ensures compliance with government and safety rules-all jobs previously done manually. The system will pay for itself (in personnel savings and improved uptime) in three years, and MTR hopes to license the ETMS to other transit agencies worldwide, making it a potential revenue source.

Some of MTR's IT needs don't fit into a tidy project structure. Systems of small size and low importance can grow in both dimensions. Take email. Not long ago MTR employees could tolerate it going down for a few hours; now, email is business-critical and must be available always. Simultaneously, the amount of data the email system handles has grown 27 percent annually, mainly due to the ease with which documents and multimedia can be attached. Veritas NetBackup Enterprise Server, with a database agent for Microsoft Exchange Server, and Veritas Cluster Server help to meet this growth.

"In just three years' time, the data has almost doubled," Lai says. "It's a challenge to handle the volume and the mission-critical nature of the email system. Other security products include Symantec Brightmail AntiSpam, Symantec AntiVirus Enterprise Edition 10, and Symantec Network Security 7120 and 7160 intrusion protection appliances."

MTR's security and technology practices will get more exercise soon. MTR is building two rail lines in mainland China, and Lai's group will help create and manage the IT systems. It's a challenge Lai will meet head on-a fact noted by ZDNet Asia when it awarded Lai its 2006 CIO of the Year award. In bestowing the award, ZDNet Asia proclaimed, "Lai has done a great job ensuring that IT continues to support the business as MTR grows and expands beyond Hong Kong."

Online Extra

Take the IT quiz that MTR gives to its employees each year.

Fred Sandsmark also writes for Silicon Valley TechWeek and Sunset.