DARWIN Project – Trenord
Strategic objectives and general approach
As part of the digital evolution of rail transport in Lombardy, we have developed the DARWIN project for Trenord, focusing on Work Packages WPB2 and WPB3. The two packages are dedicated respectively to the design of the mobility data lake and the Trenord Strategic Dashboard (CST). Furthermore, the objective was to build an advanced digital platform capable of integrating heterogeneous data and enhancing business analysis capabilities. In this way, the system supports strategic planning for regional rail services and mobility in Lombardy. Consequently, the project represents a key element in the digital transformation of the entire Trenord ecosystem.
Preliminary analysis, requirements and system architecture
Activities included defining general objectives and analysing internal stakeholders, along with designing the functional and non-functional requirements of the system. In addition, we have structured a technical framework based on ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, data lake and data mart architecture, as well as modules dedicated to data analysis and visualisation. This made it possible to establish a solid and scalable technological foundation, consistent with the company’s operating standards. Subsequently, this architecture was refined to ensure a high level of interoperability.
Standardisation, data quality and governance
Standardisation, deduplication and quality control criteria have been developed, ensuring robustness, interoperability and security across the entire information ecosystem. Furthermore, these procedures have made it possible to strengthen corporate data governance and improve the reliability of the datasets used in analyses. Therefore, the infrastructure has been designed to effectively support Trenord’s future needs, both operational and strategic.
Trenord Strategic Dashboard (CST) and analytical capabilities
We designed the Trenord Strategic Dashboard as a Business Intelligence tool capable of offering interactive dashboards for multiple use cases. These include overall demand for mobility, rail service performance, reliability analysis, territorial accessibility via isochrones, sales, customer base and mobility dynamics derived from Floating Car Data. Furthermore, the system has been designed to enable multidimensional analyses, KPI benchmarking, geographical explorations and forecasting simulations designed for operational, commercial, communication and finance departments. Consequently, the CST now represents a highly valuable decision-making asset for the entire company.
Results, scalability and value for regional governance
The project resulted in the creation of a scalable and flexible infrastructure with differentiated multi-user access (Data Analyst, Data Explorer, Data Viewer). Furthermore, we ensured that the data lake and dashboard were designed to support long-term strategic planning processes, enabling Trenord to leverage its data as a digital asset. Therefore, the project contributes to strengthening regional mobility governance and making the management of the entire Lombardy railway system more efficient.
