Network-Level Tracking
Program level asset investments and accomplishments may be quantified from project scoping documentation. Typically, this information is only useful for the primary asset in the project and provides limited activity or asset specific information. With this level of detail, project information is useful in estimating general, network-level trends and/or impacts to the TAM program.
Activity-Level Tracking
Project-level asset information is often extracted from project development documents (e.g. contract bid tab information) or project delivery systems used to track contract payments (e.g. AASHTOWare Project SiteManager). Information is often not structured in a manner that can be related to specific assets, however provides valuable insight into activity-level investments and accomplishments within the project limits.
Asset-Level Tracking
Tracking project activities against specific project line-items and including asset information (i.e. Asset ID, Location, Manufacturer, etc.) allows asset managers to understand specifically what assets were impacted or installed through a project. Developing a comprehensive work history for an asset is very valuable to support detailed TAM decision-making.
Project Data Template Creation
Developing project delivery templates that include key assets and standard asset data naming supports data extraction and integration.
Legacy Project Data Conversion
Historical projects files contain valuable asset inventory information. Programmatic conversion of these files is an effective means of asset data collection. Useful technologies include:
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools are useful for automated recognition of typed, handwritten, or printed text within imagery.
- Text Analytics and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques can be used to process text into useful data.
The following terms are used within this Section.
Specific software created for the purpose of “running” or “processing” project digital files to validate and quality assure information located within.
Digital project files (whether current or legacy) contain asset and non-asset information within.
Pre-populated project files that include asset types and standard asset information. Using these templates to begin projects enables better quality management and consistent delivery of asset information.
Standard design templates for regulatory signage can include individual cells or blocks at each sign location and modern design files are prepared utilizing real local/global coordinate systems. The combination of consistent nomenclature and geo-positional information allows for the automatic extraction of signage assets within a project file for upload to a GIS-based asset management system or asset inventory.
Project information models that include regulatory signage in a consistent format and with geospatial accuracy enable the automatic extraction of these items. Additional meta-data applied to these assets can be extracted alongside the type and location – e.g. installation date, sign dimensions, sheeting material.