Effective assurance of rail projects without using the word assurance

Assurance, as a broad term in the context of rail projects, is a means for gaining confidence in project delivery against one or more objectives. However, it is also a term which is used by a wide range of people to mean different things, and therefore a source of considerable confusion. This paper aims to clarify assurance concepts by identifying different dimensions of assurance in the context of rail projects. The paper considers what the goals or claims should be for each dimension and demonstrates a close relationship with project systems engineering activities. The paper concludes with some considerations for planning effective assurance activities, based on the concepts and goals discussed and the close relationship with systems engineering principles.