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In light of the implementation of new urban transportation (tram, metro etc.), the management of the project requires a combined observation of the numerous implementation constraints imposed by the terrain and its development, by the service goals and the functional expectations (passenger regularity, information on travellers and on the driver…), as well as by the regulatory and normative frameworks that must be observed. All these constraints represent the project requirements (see the box) that govern the project planning and management from its design to the implementation of the service.

Managing complexity on "mega" construction sites

In the context of "mega projects", such as the Grand Paris Express, the mission of the project manager is particularly complex due to the diversity of actors involved: in addition to the coordination between different teams, he/ she must also propose all the intermediary solutions during works (interruption and temporary deviations of traffic, emergency access, information of the users).  He/ she is responsible for the administrative procedures with public authorities and coordinates all the tasks and the actors involved in the project, irrespective their technological sector. The overall requirements of the project must therefore be divided among and specified to each actor so that the project manager can follow how they are observed and whether any deviations occur.

Exegis, a first common research project

The List Institute from CEA Tech, the CEA technological research department, and Egis, an international consulting group for engineering and for project management and operation, developed the tool "Exegis" with the purpose of managing the entirety of a project's requirements as it unfolds and of ensuring the continuity of information between its different stages.

Beyond guaranteeing a proper consideration of the requirements and ensuring the setting up of verification means for their design and implementation, Exegis is truly a reporting and synthesis tool, which will facilitate the identification of problems, as well as the decision making. By allowing the formalisation and systematic management of requirements, it will facilitate the identification of inconsistencies and redundancies.

An innovative tool due to its interoperability

Egis will innovate through interoperability: Exegis allows its communication and integration with all the other software used frequently by the different companies involved in the project: BIM digital models, models for vehicle transportation systems... By offering this integration, the tool provides access to a "digital avatar" of the project and consolidates the methods for collaborative work, as well as the interaction between the different trades and companies involved.

Exegis is based on the software Papyrus developed by the List Institute. Its operational deployment to Egis is planned for the end of the first quarter of 2018.

This first collaboration project is part of the partnership agreement between Egis and CEA Tech with the purpose of developing innovative methodological and technological solutions in the engineering sector of urban and rail public transportation.