In message , at 16:12:56 on Sat, 13 Jul
2019, michael adams remarked:

It doesn't take a genius to ask a question like "has the software needed to run the
trains been delivered yet?".

But the delivery of the software and associated equipment may have
been dependent on the completion of other parts of the project
which was in the hands of other contractors.

That's not the point. When you are checking the progress of a project
there are certain easily defined milestones. One which crops up over and
over again for new trains is "the software".

And even if all the tunnels and platforms were ready on time, without
trains it's a bit embarrassing to have an opening ceremony.

But I digress. Having established that the software hasn't even been
delivered, at a time when normally one would have expected it to be well
into the testing phase, that should *ring an alarm bell*.

Later on, suitable questions can be asked about *why* it's all gone
pear-shaped (and why the Mayor wasn't warned about this earlier).

Very occasionally the answer will come back "actually, we are confident
the software will arrive in two weeks time, and against all the odds
we'll have finished testing it in eight weeks time".

At which point the project auditing person can say "OK, let's set up a
conference call for 15 days time, and pencil one in for nine week's
time, to see if it's all still on schedule".

Actually, you wouldn't; because even if the 15day call went well, you'd
schedule another for perhaps six weeks.
--
Roland Perry