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21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies
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Improving Business Processes for More Effective Transportation Systems Management and Operations

Chapter 8. Checklist for Getting Started

This chapter provides some guidance to begin evaluating business processes and developing action plans to address business process improvements.

8.1 Assemble Available and Relevant Documents

  • Planning documents—strategic plans, long-range plans, Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) plans, congestion management processes, transportation improvement plans, capital improvement plans, state transportation improvement plans (and the organizational entities responsible for managing those processes), and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) architecture
  • Internal organization—organizational chart, lines of communications, levels of authority
  • Agency mission statement, goals, and outcome objectives
  • Performance measures and data—trends, outputs, outcome measures
  • Agreements, policies, and guidelines
  • Project development resources—manuals, review processes, standards
  • Any past reviews
  • Available sources of funds (existing and future)
  • Expenditures and available financial reports (relevant to TSMO program elements)

8.2 Identify Stakeholders—Who Needs to Be at the Table?

  • Identification of a champion and core team of partners
  • Availability of key stakeholders
  • Level of authority of key stakeholders to influence process change
  • Champions at management level for implementing process changes
  • Appropriate external partners (for example, law enforcement, local transportation agencies, MPOs, key contractors and consultants)

8.3 Facilitate Forum for Examining Business Processes

  • Workshop or series of working sessions
  • Timing aligned with important agency processes, such as strategic plan update, major project planning, or other appropriate activity
  • Structured discussion using appropriate capability maturity model framework

8.4 Develop Action and Strategy Plans for Improving or Enhancing Business Processes

  • Key actions (for example, 'low-hanging fruit', outreach, additional research)
  • Timeline for identified accomplishments
  • Partners and resources needed to accomplish the tasks
  • Strategy for assessing effectiveness of business process change
  • Methods to monitor and track TSMO activities
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