Background

The acumen Platform Docker is an Operational Decision Support Tool (ODST), providing operators with information, data and intelligence and supporting decisions that affect the operational railway during routine, degraded and perturbed working.

Since March 2022 the OIM team have been supporting the acumen suite on a best-efforts basis, though efforts are still made to keep this document up-to-date with the current status of the tools.

What's in a name?

The definition of acumen is the ability to make good judgements and take quick decisions.

In keeping with the definition, the primary goals of acumen are to:

• Provide all users with a common operational picture - aggregating numerous sources of Network Rail (NR) and Railway Undertaking (RU) data;
• Output an easy to understand representation of platform occupation and utilisation;
• Focus a users attention on issues and conflicts that require intervention or manipulation.

The application provides users with the tools to make quicker and better informed decisions, based on a full operational picture.

acumen complements the requirement on people to process large amounts of information prior to making decisions. The term acumen reflects the relationship between a user and the capabilities of the application.

User-led development

Development of acumen is led by the Operations Interface Management (OIM) team within System Operator, but the team have championed a user-led design ethos.

System users are encouraged to feedback suggestions, ideas and enhancements and the OIM team work with users to optimise the platform docker to fit the need of the users where possible.

As an internal system, enhancements can often be turned around quickly; in days and weeks rather than months.

The story so far

acumen was first deployed to York in July 2020, followed by Crewe, Birmingham New Street, London Euston and London Kings Cross.

The trial deployments have focused on SSMs, Signallers and station teams (station controllers, announcers).

Initial response has been positive, and the acumen team worked to have the system ready for wider uptake in August 2021.

Network Rail colleagues can read more information on the acumen Sharepoint pages.

In March 2022 we were instructed to cease planned deployment to additional routes and stations. As of January 2025 the OIM team maintain acumen Platform Docker on a best-efforts support basis while while discussions on the future of the acumen suite are underway.

This wiki is written and maintained by Network Rail Operations Interface Managers. Please send any feedback to acumenfeedback@networkrail.co.uk.