Written by Edwin Visser
SmartRail Solutions | 5 mins read
Concept Lab
In my previous blog, I explained the importance of Innovation and Digital Transformation for business growth and how modular solutions enable business model extensions and strategic agility. In this blog I explain how Ab Ovo’s Concept Lab helps you overcome the company’s legacy by introducing modular solutions that fit within any IT structure with limited risk and short implementation times.
Ab Ovo’s Concept Lab is a dedicated prototyping and development environment focused on solving pain points in rail using modern technology and business data – without the need for prolonged software development cycles. Instead of elaborately talking or writing about problems, our team of experienced rail consultants and developers spend time on building solutions.
We believe validating business value is key to successful innovation. With Concept Lab it is possible to quickly develop prototypes for new modules, business logic, add-ons and system upgrades with short development cycles. All (web) applications are built in days instead of months. Our goal is to get feedback from the users and stakeholders early in the development cycle: get proof of the business value!
The Concept Lab framework relies on reusable web components and open access. This means that Concept Lab can be used as stand-alone application, but can also be easily plugged into the existing IT landscape. By making use of RESTful APIs, SOAP, or file based interfaces, Concept Lab applications can be connected to all domains of your IT landscape (Planning, Operations, HR, Finance).
Our Concept Lab approach has been successfully used to:
Create Mobile solutions for Rail Operators
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- Wagon shunting app
- Real time overview of track occupancy
Develop relevant Order to Cash dashboards on top of existing ERP
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- Dashboards translating order to cash processes in clear visual workflows, indicating bottlenecks in production flows and alerting managers for possible disruptions in the order to cash process
Internet of Things (IoT) monitors
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- Collecting and visualizing asset data geographically and with clear KPIs
Reduce the amount of food waste in Fast Food chains
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- Concept Lab hosted a machine learning algorithm to predict food consumption in fast food restaurants and drive thru locations. The algorithm results are presented in such a way, that restaurant managers can pro-actively act on changing demand resulting in an estimated 20% decrease in food wastage
In the following weeks, we will be posting more blogs on some of our Concept Lab innovation stories. Stay tuned.
More information
For more information, please contact Edwin Visser via edwin.visser@ab-ovo.com or request a discovery session to learn more about how to kick-start innovation in your company.
Edwin Visser is a development manager and has been working for Ab Ovo for more than 8 years. In this role he works on the day-to-day management activities of Rail software developers. Furthermore he works on engaging with customers to advise them on how technology can be of value. He participates in brainstorm sessions & workshops and drives innovation at Ab Ovo and its customers, and contributes to prototyping and product development efforts by providing advice on what technology can help the rail industry forward.
