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Regional ITS Architecture Assessment Checklist - Version 3.0 (5/07)

Architecture Name:

Type of Architecture (e.g. Regional, Statewide, etc):

Date Architecture Developed or Last Updated (mm/yyyy):

Reviewer:

Review Date:

This checklist represents elements of a regional ITS architecture, and includes the requirements of the FHWA Rule and FTA Policy on ITS Architecture and Standards Conformity. The checklist is a tool for assessing the completeness of and identifying improvements to the regional ITS architecture. The questions are listed by main topic area with an area for a reviewer to make an assessment. The "Comments" column allows a reviewer to document any suggestions, notes, strengths, or shortcomings. The "Regional ITS Architecture Guidance" Document, version 2.0 contains information on all the elements shown below, and should be used as a reference document for this checklist. (FHWA-HOP-06-112; EDL #14317, https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/regitsarchguide/index.htm)

1. Architecture Scope and Region Description
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1. Is the region defined geographically?  Have boundaries been established such as counties, municipal boundaries, metropolitan areas, statewide, etc.?
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  1. Has a timeframe for the architecture been defined?  (For example, 5 or 10 years into the future, or the TIP/STIP or other Capital Plan planning period)?
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  1. Has the range of services included in the regional architecture been defined?  Does it seem appropriate given the circumstances?
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  1. Are adjacent/overlapping ITS architectures identified?
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2. Stakeholder Identification
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1. Are the stakeholders identified in sufficient detail to understand who the players are including agency/department name and jurisdiction?
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  1. Is the range of stakeholders commensurate with the defined scope of the regional architecture?
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  1. Were the key stakeholders involved in the architecture development process?
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  1. Was a champion established, either individual or group, to lead the development of the architecture?
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3. System Inventory
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1. Has a system inventory been defined that includes a list of applicable regional system elements along with descriptions and assigned stakeholders?
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  1. Have the National ITS Architecture subsystems and terminators been correctly linked to regional elements?
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  1. Does the inventory take into account adjacent regional ITS architectures such as neighboring districts or states.
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  1. (Optional) Does the inventory appropriately map regionally unique elements to user-defined entities that are described in sufficient detail to understand their function?
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4. Needs and Services
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1. Are transportation needs for the region defined and described?  (This could be by reference to another document, e.g. Strategic Plan.)
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  1. Are transportation services, derived from the needs, defined and described?
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  1. Are the services adequately represented in the regional architecture?  (i.e. Are services(market packages) identified and linked to inventory elements?)
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5. Operational Concept
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1. Has an architecture operational concept been described in sufficient detail to understand the roles and responsibilities of the primary stakeholders in the region in the delivery of ITS services?
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  1.  Are the roles and responsibilities of the operational concept appropriately reflected in the architecture?
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6. Functional Requirements
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1.  Have high-level functions  been defined for each regionally significant element in the architecture?
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  1. Are the requirements unambiguously stated in terms of shall statements or similar language such that the required functions of each system can be easily understood?
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7. Interfaces/Information Flows
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1. Are information flows defined between elements with descriptions of the information exchanged and their deployment status (existing, planned, etc.)?
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  1. Does the architecture include appropriate linkages to elements outside the region or to elements from overlapping or adjacent regional architectures?
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  1. Does the architecture address the significant integration opportunities implied by the inventory, needs/services, and the operational concept?
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  1.  (Optional) Does the architecture consider regionally unique interfaces (defined via user-defined flows) and are they described in sufficient detail to understand their purpose?
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8. Project Sequencing
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1.  Have projects been defined to include the agencies involved, timeframe, and how each is tied to the regional architecture?
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  1.  Have the relationships to the regional architecture and the interdependencies between projects been defined?
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  1. Has an initial sequencing of currently defined projects been established?
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  1. (Optional) Have opportunities to coordinate implementation schedules with other transportation improvements been investigated?
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9. Agreements
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1. Have existing interagency agreements in the region been identified/considered by the regional architecture?
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  1. Have future agreements been identified to implement the regional architecture and support project interoperability?
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10. Standards Identification
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1. Has a plan been documented for how ITS standards will be considered, selected, and/or applied across the region?
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  1.  Has a listing of ITS standards been generated and tailored that are applicable to the region and projects coming out of the regional ITS architecture?
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  1. Are these standards associated with specific interfaces (information flows or interconnects)?
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  1. Do the important/relevant ITS standards appear to be identified?
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11. Using the Regional ITS Architecture
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1. Is the architecture output presented in a way that is understandable to a variety of audiences, including the public and decision-makers?
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  1. Is there a detailed description for incorporating and using the regional ITS architecture in the regional and/or statewide planning process?
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  1. Has a regional stakeholder organization or committee been identified to monitor and manage the use of the architecture in the planning process?
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  1. Is the relationship between the regional ITS architecture and the project implementation process well defined?
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12. Maintenance Plan
Criteria/Question Yes/No/Partly Comments
  1.  Is there a specific documented plan for maintaining the architecture, including how changes are evaluated, who is involved, what configuration control processes are in place, and when/how often updates are made?
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  1.  Have the various reasons for updating the architecture been addressed (project updates, new requirements or initiatives, etc.)?
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  1.  Is there a plan for communicating changes in the architecture to stakeholders?
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  1. Have the responsibilities of the various stakeholders or groups been well defined with respect to architecture maintenance?
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  1. Is configuration control being used for the architecture outputs (e.g. version numbering schemes, naming conventions, date/time stamps, etc.)?
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