TH Ingolstadt plans IT system for the world's largest surf park

With the double project SURFWRLD/SCNCWAVE, the largest surf park and the largest hydrodynamic facility in the world will be built in Werne in Westphalia in the coming years. This not only sets sporting and scientific standards, the project also breaks new ground in the implementation of the accompanying business processes. In cooperation with Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI), a team of students is implementing core processes such as the booking of surfing times as part of their semester project using an innovative procedure that is taught exclusively at the THI both theoretically in the Bachelor's degree programme in Business Information Systems and practically in the new Master's degree programme in Business Information Systems Engineering.

This procedure, the "process-driven approach", was developed by Prof. Stiehl (THI). It differs fundamentally from conventional methods for implementing business processes, as processes are no longer programmed but modelled and also executed on the basis of these models, as Prof. Dr. Volker Stiehl explains. In addition to a significantly reduced implementation time of processes, the approach guarantees high-quality software with full transparency during execution at the same time: "Like in a control centre in complex production plants, the operator receives a kind of dashboard on which he can track the states of the processes in real time. This complete transparency in real time is unique in enterprise application development and will change software development permanently."

Processes are needed that cannot be bought off the shelf

The fact that TH Ingolstadt and SURFWRLD/SCNCWAVE are working together is due to a happy coincidence: Prof. Dr. Volker Stiehl's parents live in Werne. That's how he came into contact with the double project. Prof. Stiehl: "I read about SURFWRLD in the local press and it was immediately clear to me that this project requires processes that cannot simply be bought off the shelf. The requirements are simply too specific. So the project team has to think about individual solutions and this is where the process-driven approach fits like the famous lid on the pot."

The project developer and operating company SW was immediately enthusiastic. Managing Director Dr Michael Detering: "The process-driven approach helps us enormously in both areas. We have direct access to the IT landscape, are very flexible and independent of suppliers in the long term. This does not mean that SW, as the building owner and operator, will have to manage all processes itself in the future. But we will remain much more flexible when working with partners, service providers and IT companies."

The structures affect sport, leisure and science

The first processes that the THI students and SW are initially considering concern both project areas. On the one hand, a networked system for surfing and distribution is being set up. On the other hand, the structures are also intended for planning and administration in the research area. For example, pool utilisation and the utilisation-dependent deployment of staff must be planned in advance, as must water management. These examples illustrate one thing very well, says Stiehl: "The enormous need for processes that are strongly intertwined and cannot be found in this form in any standard software. This is exactly where the process-driven approach plays to its strengths and opens up the flexibility and efficiency SW needs to operate this ambitious project."

Extension to energy management possible

Beyond the existing structures, there is another area of interest for the process-controlled approach in the dual project. The plant will not only be built with sustainable building materials, but will also be operated with renewable energies. SW is planning generation capacities for this with photovoltaics and its own new hydropower plant in the neighbouring Lippe river. Over the course of the year, more electrical energy is generated and fed into the grid than the double project itself requires. However, generation and demand are not uniform, but fluctuate. In addition, there are e-charging stations for visitors and employees. These are also integrated into the energy management and are to be billed. As a result, a large number of accompanying, highly individual processes have to be implemented, for which the process-driven approach is predestined. But not only that: the process-driven approach also contributes to sustainability in software development and thus supports the ambitious sustainability goals of the entire project. Says Detering: "Based on our experience so far, I would prefer that we implement this via a process-driven approach as well."

About the THI:

The focus of Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI) lies in the fields of technology and business. In addition to practice-oriented teaching, the THI is characterised by its research strength. Linked to the regional economic structure, the THI positions itself as one of the leading mobility universities in Germany. More than 6,500 students are enrolled at the THI, and around 800 employees work in teaching, research and the science-supporting areas.

About SW:

SW GmbH & Co. KG is planning the world's largest surf park and accompanying facilities on a former coal mine site in Werne, Westphalia, between Dortmund and Münster, near the A1 motorway. During the cold season, the main facility will be used as a large-scale hydraulic engineering research facility, enabling investigations on scales that have not been possible in science until now. For this purpose, two huge water basins of 240 x 100 metres and 180 x 100 metres respectively are being built, in which surfable waves up to two metres high are generated for sports. In research mode, waves with a height of more than three metres are also possible. In addition, a "standing wave" will be built and operated all year round.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)