Meet the Data & Information System Interface Committee
It’s ‘the focal point for the railway industry’s data challenges’.
Sarah Shooter, Editorial Content Manager, RSSB
Acting chair: Karl Butler-Garnham, Network Rail Infrastructure Limited
Meeting since: February 2018
Sessions: Every 3–4 months
Members: The committee includes members from:
academia
passenger and freight operators
rolling stock owners
infrastructure managers
suppliers
RSSB
DfT and ORR (with observer status).
The background: Karl Butler-Garnham, the Chair, describes DI SIC as ‘the focal point for the railway industry’s data challenges.’ It was formed as a centre for the governance, management, and use of data, information, and knowledge in rail.
DI SIC has supported the work of the Rail Data Council and the Rail Data Marketplace (RDM) Programme Board. This included the development of an initial set of metadata that helped shape the governance structure of the RDM data catalogue. DI SIC also has a role in the shaping and support of the Rail Technical Strategy (RTS) ‘data driven’ activities.
The mission: DI SIC supports the industry in achieving key goals while prioritising safety, efficiency, and economy. It actively drives progress towards the goals in the industry strategies by commissioning projects and research.
The future: The committee is exploring the overlaps between the RTS and other data strategies being published or developed within industry. That includes those of Network Rail, Great British Railways, and the DfT. This is done with a view to strengthening collaboration and engagement.
Among the major research projects DI SIC has recently overseen the project ‘Identifying metadata to support confident use of data in a data-driven railway’ (T1297). This project’s developed a framework for describing data sources, which will benefit all those collecting and using data in the industry. DI SIC will be supporting the next steps for the development and delivery of this work.
DI SIC will continue in its essential work to support the rail industry in managing data and information systems.
Visit the home of the Data & Information System Interface Committee.
View page
Read more about project T1297.
Read the report
