RIA launches innovation Self-Assessment Tool to support businesses to get new products into rail

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has today launched a new Self-Assessment Tool to help assess rail supply businesses' 'innovation readiness' levels.

The Self-Assessment Tool provides users the ability to evaluate their 'innovation readiness' level by asking them a series of questions regarding how ready to innovate they currently are, and where they need to be to get their product or service to market. Each user is then given a unique spider-diagram allowing them to see where further work is required, with information about how they can improve their score.

Milda Manomaityte, Innovation Director at the Railway Industry Association, said: "RIA's new innovation Self-Assessment Tool helps railway individuals and organisations assess how ready they are to innovate, and what areas they need to work on to support getting their product or service into the rail industry.

"Getting new ideas from conception to deployment in rail is not easy, with challenges along the way. We hope this new tool provides a valuable resource to the rail supply community, allowing users to identify and prepare for any obstacles and ultimately enabling them to overcome them. By doing so, rail businesses will be more able to support a better service for passengers, thereby boosting the economy and helping achieve the goals of decarbonising, digitalising and growing the UK's railway network in the months and years ahead."

The Self-Assessment Tool is the first part of Innovation Navigator to go live, a new online guide to help businesses navigate the world of rail innovation. Part Two and Three of Innovation Navigator include 'The Innovation Landscape' and 'How to Build an Innovation Strategy', and will be launched later this year.