Assisting the IT-initiative 

By Lise-M. Vikse Kallåk

Published in Sjøfartstidene, no. 1, 2014

Ole Mannes and Arne Myskja from Omega IT-Management have been present in the Sjøfartsbygget building since March. – We will be helping Østensjø Rederi to develop an IT strategy which will be firmly rooted in the company management, and among the employees, says Myskja. 

 The two IT-consultants are clear that Østensjø Rederi has already done a great deal on the IT front, but that it is important to get an overview from time to time to ensure that they are prioritising the right things.

 – This is particularly important during a period of growth, explains Myskja. He points out that Østensjø Rederi is faced with a different set of challenges now compared to those of 5 years ago.

IMPROVED WORKFLOW: Ole Mannes (Left) and Arne Myskja from Omega IT-Management will be giving the employees at Østensjø Rederi the necessary tools to help improve their workflow. Photo: Øyvind Sætre

 – The demand for quality and documentation in the offshore industry and shipping in general has been greatly increased. Østensjø Rederi has grown from being a moderately sized organisation, where everyone knew each other and knew what was going on within the company, to a large company with many departments. The company has become so large that clearly defined routines and improved systems for the use and storage of documents have become necessary. Too much time is used to locate information with the current system. We therefore need to implement a system and a set of routines that are more user-friendly in order to establish a standard method of working with a variety of different documents, says Myskja. 

Identifying Uses and Demands 

The visiting consultants make it clear that IT has become an evermore important strategic measure with which to tackle these challenges. Myskja and Mannes have therefore involved the various sections of the company to ensure that the new IT strategy is built upon the actual needs and requirements in the different departments.

 – We feel it is important that this strategy is not just a piece of paper tucked away in a folder to gather dust. Technology in itself is simply a tool, and will rarely provide any form of gain alone. It is only when it is used in combination with changes in working methods that the effect can really be seen, Mannes explains. Mangor Nilsen from Omega has been given the task of ensuring that the correct choices are made. As part of this subproject, it has been his task to interview 20 individuals from a variety of departments within Østensjø Rederi and to document his findings in a report which identifies the current working practices and the future needs

. – It has been important for us to include everyone that works with documents, whether they work in one of the company’s many offices or onboard one of their vessels, says Myskja. 

Enthusiastic Response

 – How have the employees responded to this? 

– With an overall sense of positivity and enthusiasm. We have noticed that there is a culture within the company to make a concerted effort and to pull out all the stops when faced with a challenge. This is an excellent characteristic for a company to possess and we believe it will come in useful when the new IT system is implemented. We are also aware that there is an increasing need for the vessels and local offices to work closer with the head office. A better and more effective collaboration will naturally lead to improved levels of both quality and enthusiasm, Myskja believes. Østensjø Rederi has established a reference group made up of key personnel from the different departments within the company to assist the IT consultants in their work. Myskja would also like to point out that they would be happy to hear from other members of staff who may have suggestions for helping create the best possible IT-strategy. 

– We can be contacted in person at the head office or by telephone, Mannes adds. They plan to announce the new IT-Strategy at the end of August and will also present their recommendations for the choice of a document control system. Their next task will be to assist in the implementation of these plans. – We think these will be welcomed with a great deal of enthusiasm, says Myskja.