Making meaningful changes to how data are managed, shared, and used within and across a DOT TAM program requires much more than procuring new tools and technologies.
Agencies must ensure that they have the necessary workforce capabilities to successfully use and integrate new technologies – and that they are able to adapt to new processes for creating and using information. Large organizations, like DOTs, will face institutional challenges to sustained improvement. Many of these challenges can be addressed through deliberate application of the identified organizational practices.
Four key types of organizational practices can be employed to support implementation of TAM data and information improvements:
- Strategic Management
- Initiative Management
- Talent Management
- Knowledge Management
Improvement of DOT data and information systems and related TAM business practices requires:
- Time and Resources for technical work and review and revision cycles;
The right kinds of Expertise needed to create workable standards and facilitate review and negotiation processes; - Coordination to get agreement among different business and IT stakeholders – and potentially with outside vendors and partner agencies; and
- Changes to data collection processes, IT systems, and business processes for collecting, entering, reporting and using data.
This section explores organizational strategies that can be used to overcome these challenges.
The case studies provide practical examples of real projects completed by state DOTs that can serve as best practice references.
These references can be used in conjunction with improvement recommendations to support projects and initiatives to enhance data management maturity in accordance with this guidebook.