The problem
A large Australian bulk-commodity supply chain needed to move more product across a shared rail network. The constraint was not a shortage of trains — it was how the network's operations were coordinated. Uncertainty in planning and scheduling meant services could not be relied upon, so every participant planned conservatively, and capacity was left on the table.
The approach
The goal was simple to state and hard to do: help the trains cycle faster — either to run more services where there was demand, or to move the same volume with fewer assets. Rather than a big-bang program, the work ran as a sequence of deliberate experiments.
- Framed the real problem and agreed the measures of progress before changing anything.
- Used structured approaches to complexity to design an implementation that could be tested in stages.
- Improved the coordination processes so plans became both more ambitious and more stable.
- Designed every change for adoption across a diverse group of stakeholders — not just technical correctness.
The outcome
Participants across the supply chain could plan more services, and hold more confidence in the stability of those plans — making every business that depends on the network more productive. The contribution was recognised with a state industry productivity award in 2022.