Jens Middelbo Outzen, CEO of Innovative Business Software, discusses how his company’s integrated security task and resource management software can help streamline airport security.
How can integrated security task and resource management solutions improve airport security?
Jens Middelbo Outzen: The challenge for many airports is that they may be operating multiple disparate systems. For instance, they may have separate systems for managing fire alarms, video surveillance, access control, perimeter inspection, personnel rosters, reports and so forth. With this kind of set-up, it is up to the operator of each system to try to gain the full picture. Each operator, however, may interpret a given situation differently. In addition, many procedures may be manual or even paper-based, thus introducing the risk of overlooking critical information.
Having these disparate systems integrated in the Innovative Security Manager™ (ISM) not only provides the full operational picture in real-time for all operators, but also streamlines and simplifies reporting procedures, while at the same time improving the quality and validity of the data.
What makes Innovative’s software solutions unique and how does it set the company apart?
Since 1982, Innovative has been developing software solutions for managing all kinds of incidents. Today, we are the leading provider of physical security information management solutions within the private security and public safety sectors in Scandinavia. Our long experience with alarm centres and integrating a wide range of different systems has enabled usto unify all the solutions into a single platform – starting from the core and then connecting to each disparate system.
Others are now trying to move into the same area. However, as they usually have experience in delivering peripheral systems this is typically done by trying to connect each disparate system together and then create a core – only to then discover the immense complexity of this task. Working from the core, ISM offers a fully integrated solution in which our long experience facilitates integration of new systems as they become available.
How do integrated solutions enable airports to optimise functionality in case of a security violation?
Let’s say that you have a video analytics system that detects a piece of unaccompanied luggage. In that case, the ISM would automatically dispatch a guard to the location. This reduces operator involvement and response times, increases security and makes reporting much easier as everything is logged in the same system. Traditionally, this would require multiple operators using separate systems.
In addition, our platform offers advanced features for carrying out instructions in case of an incident. This enables our system to automatically dispatch the ‘most suitable’ security guard based on different parameters, ranging from the nearest to only those on a specific workshift.
What are the merits of automated data reporting?
A major benefit is that security personnel do not have to sit down and write a report once their shift is over. This not only saves time but also significantly reduces the risk of introducing errors. All events are logged and stored in a central database. This way, you can extract data automatically, generate the necessary reports and forward these to the relevant authorities. The data can also be analysed internally to continuously improve efficiency and quality.
How do you make your solutions as cohesive and user-friendly as possible while maintaining quality?
We have many years of experience in integrating disparate systems into a single platform. All information is presented in the same user interface in ISM, providing the operators with a great deal of familiarity. Our company is based on agility and customer-driven innovation. These are important, and we work closely with our customers to make sure they implement the best solution possible. One of our core values is that we want to maintain a long, fruitful working relationships with our customers.
What’s next at Innovative and for the future of airport security software in general?
We see a number of emerging security systems, such as face recognition and biometric scanners, among others, that we expect to see extended in the coming years. These are only examples of new technologies focusing on detecting anomalies and reacting to disruptions. All these systems will add to the full picture of the security situation, and we expect a need to continuously being able to integrate to all these new technologies. Development of video technology is part of this, and we continuously add new video interfaces to our solution. Overall, we expect a growing need for the integration of new technologies.
Big data is also becoming very interesting to us as it requires a digital approach to establish useful patterns. Many airports still use analogue or even paper-based systems, so the transition from an analogue to a digital environment is a key selling point for ISM.
Leveraging our experience from the public safety sector, ISM can also provide a common operational picture across multiple platforms and devices in real time. This essentially synchronises the interactive map across the control room, smartphones and tablets for emergency communication and coordination, enabling operators in the control room and on-site personnel to coordinate multiple incidents simultaneously by sharing messages, images and drawing incident areas such as contaminations zones, and much more, on the fly.