ServiceNow makes CKW's work easier: Efficient management of grid and infrastructure projects
CKW has also been relying on the ServiceNow platform for project management for grid and infrastructure projects since July 2022 and has drawn a positive balance.
Company & Challenge
CKW is a key player in the electricity supply sector in the canton of Lucerne, ensuring a reliable supply of electricity to around 180,000 end customers in 75 municipalities.With a network spanning around 7,600 kilometers, consisting of just under 24 percent overhead lines and a good 76 percent underground cables, CKW's task is anything but easy. In order to continue to guarantee a smooth electricity supply in the future, CKW has decided to implement a new application called “Project Editor.” This solution was developed in collaboration with implementation partner Arctive AG on the ServiceNow platform and offers numerous advantages. It was built on the “Project Portfolio Management” (PPM) module of the ServiceNow platform and specifically expanded with the necessary functionalities.
Solution
The aim of the project was to manage network and infrastructure projects such as the construction of power lines, transformer stations, and facilities of all voltage levels in the ServiceNow platform already established at CKW. The focus was on project and portfolio management as well as other supporting processes, such as the creation of easement agreements and the approval of plan templates. Thanks to automated workflows for the individual project steps, users are guided through the individual project phases. This has a direct positive impact on reliability, quality, and efficiency in the context of project management.
With the “project editor”, it is now possible to plan, control, and execute all network and infrastructure projects using a single solution on the ServiceNow platform. Users have access to all relevant information, such as task, schedule, resource, cost, and contract management, in accordance with their roles and access permissions. Various dashboards for different target groups enable optimized project management and forward-looking resource planning. Even strategic projects that will be implemented up to five years in the future can be managed and administered in the system.
However, the “project editor” offers numerous other functions that make the work of CKW employees easier. These include cost planning on a fiscal year basis and seamless integration with SAP enterprise software for triggering internal and maintenance orders and retrieving actual costs. The latter ensures consistent target/actual comparisons and enables various dashboards and reports for cost overviews at project, department, and portfolio level. Contract management and the administration of property owners, including the generation of easement agreements and related documents, are also integrated into the “Project Editor.” Resource planning, the preparation of templates for submission to the Swiss Federal Inspectorate for Heavy Current Installations (ESTI), and integration with a document management system for creating files and automatically filing approvals and contract documents using workflow-supported automation are further functions that facilitate CKW's work.
In addition, stakeholder management is also an indispensable element for successful projects. With the PPM functionality for project templates, cost planning, and status reports already integrated into ServiceNow, projects can be planned and managed effectively. The handling of small and customer projects has been simplified, and multi-level dynamic approvals are possible depending on the type and size of the project. This ensures that the right people are involved in the decision-making process.
The project editor automatically generates the documents required for easement agreements (powers of attorney, etc.) based on templates that can be managed by the administrators themselves.
The contract data from the final contracts is transferred to the network information system (NIS) and the d.3 document management system, which are also connected to the ServiceNow platform. This gives the parties involved an overview of all important information and allows them to access it quickly and easily. Improved user guidance through targeted hints and status messages makes work even easier and more efficient.
The collaboration with Arctive was extremely goal- and customer-oriented, and the development quality was high, so that very little effort was required for testing and corrections.
Markus Huwiler & Patrick Wicki / CKW
The solution makes work easier for employees and ensures that the power supply in the canton of Lucerne will continue to be secure in the future. Since it went live, over 1,800 infrastructure projects have already been successfully managed and processed in the system.
Markus Huwiler & Patrick Wicki / CKW
Together with the Arctive development team, we were able to develop a solution that was very well received by experts in the field within a short period of time. The new, tailor-made solution has significantly increased efficiency in the project workflow for planning and constructing network infrastructure. Specific approvals for authorities have been optimally integrated into the tool, ensuring smooth processing.
Markus Huwiler & Patrick Wicki / CKW
Conclusion
Overall, the “Project Editor” is a compelling solution for CKW, facilitating the work of employees in the context of their project portfolio management and, in a broader sense, ensuring the security of the electricity supply in the canton of Lucerne in the future.
Since the solution was put into operation, 1,800 projects have been successfully processed and managed in the system. The Project Editor has now established itself as an indispensable tool for CKW employees. Over 2,100 contract documents have been generated to date, 900 ESTI templates created, and around 750 property owners added. The indispensable use of the “Project Editor” is also reflected in other figures: Over 1,000 approvals have been issued to date and over 500 line and transformer station objects have been successfully processed in the “project editor.”
Thanks to the experience and industry expertise of Arctive AG and the established cooperation with the specialists at CKW, the project was implemented quickly and successfully.
We are proud that we were able to implement the project editor together with CKW and that we have created a sustainable business solution that makes working within the framework of project portfolio management for network and infrastructure projects even more efficient.
Philemon Antony // Arctive AG