Latest insights #1: Data-savvy organizations hold the future
Experience is important and helpful throughout the process of technology implementation, but it will not ensure the story of success on its own. What is still observed at quite some airport companies is that experience of reference airports is used for determining the ideal implementation solution, often in order to meet the same performance levels of those used as reference. The operational performance of a CT scanner and integrated lane solution is however strongly dependent on the deployment environment such as procedures, passenger profiles and other integrated technical components within the coherent security checkpoint.
Security managers often struggle when not achieving the performance levels they had in mind. From the start not assessing their own process closely enough could be one of the main causes. What Point FWD sees is that when airports indeed critically assess the airport specific situation and processes, they gain more control over (the impact of) solution design decisions when completing the puzzle towards integrated process balance. This has a direct impact on the actual performance of a security checkpoint ecosystem.
Point FWD does see a lot of airports becoming more data savvy lately with regards to security operations. Of course, primarily this is the result of advanced technologies being implemented, being capable of registering every activity such as start and end times, alarm (+ resolution) registrations and eventually various rates. As more data is available, there is a lot more to be analysed, and eventually to be optimized. For the airport the next step is to take an active approach towards data-driven optimization and to really start using available data.