With a presence in 15 countries and on 5 continents, RATP Group is the world’s third-largest urban transport operator and has been a historic operator in the Parisian transportation sector for over 70 years.
If you’ve ever ridden the famous red double-decker buses in London, commuted in Paris by subway, or toured Tuscany by railway, then you’re already familiar with some of their work.
But building and maintaining a global portfolio of projects means that the RATP Group’s Operations and Maintenance team of experts (ADO-IE) is always on the go. In between international flights and new client meetings, managers required an accessible solution to scheduling.
Find out how the team has taken on the challenge of meeting the demands of modern infrastructure and transportation systems with Ganttic’s resource planner.
Engineering On-the-Go
RATP Group is France’s state-owned enterprise that operates the country’s public transport systems. But for expert engineering consulting and support outside of France, look to ADO-IE, RATP Group’s Office for Operations and Maintenance.
Working closely with RATP Group specialists, the ADO-IE team is deployed regularly to design projects, consult on bids, and train specialists in more than a dozen countries. Providing technical assistance and maintenance engineering for railways, metro lines, and bus networks.
While each tender expanded the organization’s portfolio, with this growth came unforeseen challenges.
As Fred Lavenaire, the Head of Bus and Light railway at RATP Group’s Development agency told us on our visit to their Paris HQ:
“Before using Ganttic, we were using RATP homemade planning software (it does the job when you work 100% in France, but doesn’t fit our team’s needs) or sharing an Excel sheet.”
Identifying the Need for Change
Coordinating team members embarking on these international projects was a complex job that required accessibility and live updates. And although they had company software as well as office staples like Excel and PowerPoint, these options were not viable when checking in from a hotel or airport lounge.
Fred explained the solution they were looking for:
“We were looking for a “light” software, easy to handle, allowing us to replace our old-fashioned Excel sheet. We had multiple options, including company software, but they were either outdated or too heavy (requiring company VPN to get access or not accessible online)”
Not only was accessibility important, but usability was also a necessity.
Up until 2023, work was done exclusively via Excel, for activity tracking, and PowerPoint, for reporting. As the company’s range of projects grew, so did the complexity of managing activity and workload tracking. It was important to see where people were, what they were doing, and until when.
Fred continues:
“At some point, we needed software allowing us to be more accurate, and to assign resources faster and accessible online. After some research on the web, Ganttic seemed to cover our needs.”
Making the Switch
For the team at the ADO-IE office, Ganttic provided a complementary high-level view of project resources, focusing on different time periods and perspectives. The cloud-based software also fit their specific needs, offering the simplicity, accessibility, and functionality the team was looking for.
An additional selling point was that the tool was easy to handle, without requiring extensive training. Although the Support team was there whenever they needed it.
Since the implementation, Ganttic has been used in the organization’s daily operations. Its primary function is managing resources across different projects. To do this, business managers are responsible for updating the software after coordinating with their teams. Ensuring that resource allocation is always current and accurate.
As Fred explained:
“Within our organization, the main purpose of Ganttic is to have a high-level view of who does what from a short, medium and long-term perspective.”
The team also holds bi-monthly “workload planning meetings” to review and adjust resource assignments as needed. Fred explained the purpose of these meetings:
“This allows the management team to review the assignment, to identify any gap or specific need and potentially to re-assign resources when needed. We also remind everyone to input their vacation period so we can anticipate and adjust the workload accordingly.”
Benefits and Best Features
Ganttic has proven to be an invaluable tool for the team at RATP’s ADO-IE office, transforming their project and resource management processes. Its ease of use, customization capabilities, and time-saving features have enabled their office to operate more efficiently and effectively. Namely:
Drag and Drop Scheduling
“The drag and drop is number one without a doubt.”
Fast and easy scheduling or rescheduling is a necessity for all engineering organizations. Especially since plans can change on a dime. This capability simplifies resource allocation and adjustments, saving significant time and reducing manual input.
Easy Customization
Ganttic’s multiple features and customization options enable the ADO-IE office to tailor the software to their specific needs. This flexibility is crucial for a company constantly on-the-go with diverse and dynamic project requirements. As Fred told us:
“First of all, it’s secure and easy to administrate. We are all very busy, flying away pretty often and Ganttic is a smooth software. Second, the multiple features allow us to customize it. Also, it doesn’t require any specific training for new users, very intuitive and easy to handle.”
The fact that the platform compliments the company’s internal software, means that it can provide a high-level view of resource deployment until more precise data is available from the company’s systems.
Additionally, Task utilization provides valuable insights for reporting and resource management. This is due to the nature of their business where “some people may be 100% dedicated to one project or sharing their time on different businesses.”
As we learned from Fred:
“The % of utilization in the Task window is also very appreciated. From a reporting point of view, regardless of our very specific need, this feature allows us to use the available data in almost all possible ways.”
Time Savings
Ganttic has significantly reduced the time spent on manual inputs and email communications. Fred estimates that the software saves approximately 1 hour per person per month, amounting to about 80 hours per month for their office.
Looking Ahead
The ADO-IE office has numerous upcoming projects, some of which may involve deeper integration with Ganttic. As the company continues to grow and take on new challenges, Ganttic is poised to remain a key component of their strategic toolkit, supporting their mission to deliver world-class transportation solutions globally.
Find out more about what Ganttic can do for resource planning in the engineering sector.