What we did
The project
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has a mandate to promote safe, efficient, and orderly development of civil aviation. Traditionally protracted and complex, the process to develop a single standard across 193 countries could extend up to five years. This initiative, central to ICAO’s Digital Transformation Strategy, has a goal to accelerate this process, engaging diverse stakeholders to establish a more dynamic regulatory environment.
The evolving pace of global aviation technologies and practices highlighted the need for a more agile response mechanism in standards development. This was particularly critical in addressing emerging safety and efficiency challenges swiftly, such as the ballooning impact of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and other topics in civil aviation. Our objective was to define a transformation strategy that would work across the entire organization and recognize the cultural and operational requirements of ICAO’s core operations.
Creating an environment for collaborative transformation
To address these challenges, ICAO introduced a strategic framework that leveraged the collective expertise of its Air Navigation Bureau (ANB) and Air Transport Bureau (ATB). Each bureau brought its specialized knowledge and operational insights to the forefront of the reform process:
- ANB’s Focus: Enhancing global civil aviation safety and navigation capacities, pivotal for upgrading air navigation infrastructure and optimizing system performance.
- ATB’s Role: Concentrating on the economic development of air transport, harmonizing the air transport framework with a focus on policies supporting economic viability and market competitiveness.
The approach was rooted in co-creation, employing a series of workshops, interviews, and design sessions that engaged decision-makers across these bureaus. This approach facilitated a shared understanding of where operations could be streamlined and fostered a collaborative environment conducive to innovative solutions.
Transformation rooted in people and process
Aviation regulations rely on the knowledge of experts from around the world and international cooperation. We led a critical assessment of the existing processes, identifying choke points and opportunities to streamline the process through either re-engineering the workflow within the confines of international regulations, or finding technology solutions that would prioritize how people would collaborate together, and track changes and progress.
Because of the long lead times for amendments to regulations, we had to consider solutions that would provide a complete overview of all workstreams and efforts as well as map the impact of changes to regulations on other sections and for downstream efforts like translation and training.
Our team evaluated several enterprise solutions and how they would support ICAO teams to be more efficient and consistent.
Efficient and collaborative aviation standard setting
Our process significantly reduced the time required to develop and implement new aviation standards. By improving collaboration between the ANB and ATB, ICAO would be able to enhance its ability to respond to the industry’s needs quickly, promoting a safer and more efficient international air transport system. The initiative also set a precedent for future digital transformations within ICAO, highlighting the potential for technology to drive regulatory agility.
Our strategy was adopted in 2024 and, looking ahead, ICAO plans to expand its digital capabilities to support better service to member states when amending regulations.
