How to have Successful Transit ITS Implementations: Lessons Learned from the Field Santosh Mishra Senior Transportation Planner March 19, 2013 Presentation Overview Key Implementation Challenges Lessons learned Implementation Strategy- ensure system is successfully implemented Learning Adaptability- ensure system adapts to agency environment Scalability- ensure system remains relevant with agency growth Staffing- ensure required resources are always available Performance measurement- measure what you do 2 Key Implementation Challenges Observation of Issues by Level of Techology and Implmentation Stage 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 P T V Design A P T V Installation A P T V A Factory Test Advanced P T V A Mini-fleet Test Mid-Level P T V A System Test P T Training Beginner Notes: 1. Based on 29 implementations, of different scopes, overseen by TranSystems 2. Challenges referred by the following categories: P= Project Management Process & Resources, T=Technical, V=Vendor Staffing, A= Agency Staffing 3. Beginner, Mid-level and Advanced, indicate the level of sophistication of technologies. 3 V A P T V System Utilization A Key Implementation Challenges (continued) Process/tools Lack of effective tools Readiness assessment Handling of payment milestones Data integrity Collection Quality validation Fragmentation Third party interface/integration Technical challenges Latent cost 4 Source: TCRP Report 84-volume 8 Key Implementation Challenges (concluded) Technical Lack of due-diligence at design Installation issues Underdeveloped products Handling of staffing changes Vendor Agency Inter-departmental issues System ownership Infrastructure support 5 Impacts of not using change management in implementation Source: TCRP report 84-volume 8 Implementation Strategy Life Cycle Preliminary Engineering and Design SE Process for New System Planning Operations Implementation System Operation & Maintenance Needs Assessment Specifications & RFP Key Agency Activities: ~RFP Issuance ~Vendor Selection ~Monitor design Design Review Verification Acceptance Tests Training & Documents Verification In-house Tests Vendor Customizations 6 Final Acceptance Verification Deployment Plan Replace Key Agency Activities: ~Monitor progress ~Review documents ~Witness testing & provide acceptance Implementation Strategy (continued) Project management should include: Action items list, system implementation plan, communication plan, change management plan, risk management plan, quality assurance plan, milestone approval Requirements assessment and technical design Compliance/requirements matrix Acceptance testing Test results documents Readiness assessment tool System Acceptance Punchlist, acceptance assessment Source: FHWA Systems Engineering 7 Learning Adaptability Feedback loop Data validation System optimization “Problem traps” and resolutions Crawler tools for generating alerts Develop and use scenario databases User customization User-defined variables and functions (e.g., add-on or plug-in) User defined interfaces (e.g., layout customization, reports customization) 8 Source: NTI Systems Engineering Learning Adaptability (continued) Operational Modes Reduced/extended service Emergency service Premium service Extended testing Ad-hoc testing Rigorous testing Enhancing software use Parameter adjustment Real-life scenarios for training database Hands-on training, focused on gaps 9 Scalability Interoperability Internal systems Regional systems Reliable life cycle Software/hardware compatibility Warranty/support Technical Capability Hardware (e.g., server performance, storage capacity) Software (e.g., system limitations) Source: National ITS Architecture 10 Scalability (continued) Agency Growth Service area Service modes Business processes Flexible design Open architecture Modular structure Transit Enterprise Architecture Business, information, application, technology 11 Source: WMATA Staffing Pool of resources Governing document Single point of contact ITS versus IT skills: implementation, data quality, system administration, Infrastructure support Standby resources Agency-wide Communication Escalation protocol Enterprise training portals Auditing 12 Staffing (continued) Training plan Timing of training Hands-on training In-house/continuous training Use-studies Training environment (e.g., training database, test/training bench) 13 Performance Measurement Develop measures of effectiveness Focus on goals and objectives Measure both user productivity and system performance Identify Gaps Data Technical Resources Training Organizational/procedural 14 Source: NTI Systems Engineering Performance Measurement Action Plan Ongoing collaboration Site visits Periodic evaluations Internal/external/vendor Return on investments Document lessons learned 15 4.50 4.00 Average Number of Minutes Late SOP adjustments Staffing/training Enhancements Peer-2-Peer Learning ? 3.50 3.00 2.50 1 9 2.00 10 41 1.50 42 1.00 0.50 0.00 Schedule Period Thank You Contact: Santosh Mishra 38 Chauncy St, Suite 200 Boston, MA 02111 Tel: 857-453-5466 Email: skmishra@transystems.com