AIRLINE CAPABILITY LEVEL SELF-ASSESSMENT
To assess their ability to use e-Enabled products and information, airlines need to benchmark their enterprise strategy, process, and information integration capability levels against those of industry leaders. ACL process modeling reviews, developed by Boeing, can help airlines in this assessment. The reviews encompass airport ground, schedule planning, flight operations, operations control, facilities, supply chain, logistics, maintenance, engineering, and IT.
By using the ACL self-assessment process and tool set, an airline can define goals and establish a roadmap for capability improvement, allowing it to translate IT availability and performance into competitive advantage, increased profits, and safety (see fig. 3).
Figure 3: Overview of ACL self-assessment
The ACL self-assessment can help an airline define goals and develop a roadmap for e-Enabled capability improvement.
The ACL approach uses a survey, self-administered by airline executives, and applies the results through a series of planning guide exercises to provide an understanding of current and future capability needs. The airline can use this information to begin planning to resolve gaps between its present capability level and the level it would like to achieve. The results and conclusions provide the starting point for a discussion of current capability levels across the enterprise and key airline functions.
E-ENABLED BUSINESS SYSTEMS ASSESSMENT
Boeing offers optional e-Enabled Business Systems Assessment services to prepare for the implementation of e-Enabled products and services. This e-Enabled assessment follows an airline’s participation in the ACL survey. When assessing an airline’s ability to add e-Enabled capabilities to its operations, Boeing will cooperatively examine:
- Business Enterprise Architecture: The airline’s business structure and business methods in support of using e-Enabled systems.
- Rationalization of Business Systems to Information Technology Systems: The airline’s methods and process to transform its business systems to IT systems requirements.
- Information System: The airline’s ability to provide the required information systems to achieve optimal use and performance of the e-Enabled products.
- Airline Risk: The airline’s ability to identify and prepare a plan to resolve business operational deficiencies and IT systems interruptions.
During the e-Enabled assessment, Boeing’s airline and IT subject matter experts visit airline facilities to evaluate the airline’s business methods, systems integration, technical infrastructure, and IT performance capabilities.
The goal of the assessment is for the airline to gain an understanding of its current business systems and IT systems capabilities, as well as the actions necessary to prepare for and improve e-Enabled product usage. With this knowledge, the airline can develop and implement a plan to resolve any issues in order to take full advantage of e-Enabled products and services.
SUMMARY
Boeing offers an industrywide perspective on integration of IT systems, supplemented with proven methodologies, to assist airlines with IT strategy and goals to help them take advantage of the benefits offered by e-Enabled services.
For more information, please contact Robert Rencher at robert.j.rencher@boeing.com.