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Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization Pilot of the Data Business Plan for State and Local Departments of Transportation: Data Business Plan

Chapter 4. Data Governance Framework

It is recommended that the region establish a data governance framework for mobility data in the region. This includes adopting core data principles, implementing a data governance model, defining roles and responsibilities for managing mobility data, and developing supporting documents such as a Data Governance Manual, Data Catalog, Business Terms Glossary, and Data Sharing Agreements.

Data Principles

All mobility data related decisionmaking should be guided by the following set of core data principles2:

Principle 1—VALUABLE: Data is an asset. Data is a core business asset that has value and is managed accordingly.

Principle 2—AVAILABLE: Data is open, accessible, transparent, and shared. Access to data is critical to performing duties and functions. Data must be open and usable for diverse applications and open to all.

Principle 3—RELIABLE: Data quality and extent is fit for a variety of applications. Data quality is acceptable and meets the needs for which it is intended.

Principle 4—AUTHORIZED: Data is secure and compliant with regulations. Data is trustworthy and is safeguarded from unauthorized access, whether malicious, fraudulent, or erroneous.

Principle 5—CLEAR: There is a common vocabulary and data definitions. Data dictionaries are developed and metadata established to maximize consistency and transparency of data across systems.

Principle 6—EFFICIENT: Data is not duplicated. Data is collected once and used many times for many purposes.

Principle 7—ACCOUNTABLE: Decisions maximize the benefit of data. Timely, relevant, high quality data are essential to maximize the utility of data for decisionmaking.

Data Governance Model

A data governance model depicts the relationship between mobility data programs, the various individuals/agencies responsible for implementing data governance, and the users/stakeholders for the data programs.

The model diagram in figure 4 proposes a formal structure for mobility data governance in the Hillsborough region. The following components are depicted in the model diagram:

  1. Regional ITS Committee.
  2. Mobility Data Task Force.
  3. Mobility Data Executive Group.
  4. Mobility Data Stewards.
  5. Mobility Data Users and Stakeholders.

It is recommended that the Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) formally designate a Regional ITS Committee (A) to coordinate the planning, programming, engineering, and implementation of intelligent transportation systems projects in the tri-county region. This regional ad hoc working group would meet quarterly or biannually as needed to discuss topics related to:

  • Information exchange between operations, planning, transit, and response service agencies across jurisdictions.
  • Assessment of network conditions across the regional network.
  • Identification of regional ITS needs and opportunities.
  • Regional performance monitoring.
  • Enhancing data exchange between Transportation Systems Management & Operations (TSM&O) and freight providers.

The Regional Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Committee would designate a Mobility Data Task Force (B) to coordinate on mobility data collection, data acquisitions, and crosscutting data management issues (e.g., data quality, standards, metadata, data privacy, and security). The Task Force would not meet separately, but conduct business during the Regional ITS Committee meetings. A regular agenda item to discuss the Data Business Plan should be added to the Regional ITS Committee meeting. The Task Force would consist of designated individuals from Regional ITS Committee member agencies and other MPO partner agencies who are responsible for the oversight of mobility data programs to support the business functions of their agencies. Potential Task Force members are shown in figure 4.

The Mobility Data Task Force should be supported by an Executive Group (C), which consists of senior level managers from member agencies. The Executive Group would not meet formally, but would provide executive level support for mobility data governance activities, including dedicating resources as needed and establishing memorandums of understanding for data sharing with other partner agencies. An example data sharing agreement is provided in appendix E.

Mobility data governance champions from within the Hillsborough MPO, Pinellas MPO, and Pasco MPO should tri-chair the Mobility Data Task Force. These individuals would also liaison with the Regional ITS Committee (A).

Mobility data stewards (D) within partner agencies would ensure mobility data that is collected, maintained, and used by their agency is managed according to policies established by the Mobility Data Task Force.

Mobility data users and stakeholders (E) would not be involved in data governance activities but would benefit from improved coordination and data management practices resulting from the governance framework.

Flow chart of data governance model.

Figure 4. Flow chart. Data governance model.
(Source: Cambridge Systematics, Inc.)

Roles and Responsibilities

The following data governance roles are defined for the region:

  • Mobility Data Task Force—the designated individuals from MPO partner agencies responsible for the oversight of mobility data programs to support the business functions of their agencies. This group dictates the policies, procedures, and business practices associated with mobility data programs.
  • Mobility Data Task Force Co-Chairs—Designated individuals from within Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco MPOs who would co-chair the Mobility Data Task Force and liaison with the Regional ITS Committee.
  • Mobility Data Executive Group—senior level managers from Task Force member agencies. The Executive Group would provide executive level support for mobility data governance, including dedicating resources as needed and establishing memorandums of understanding for data sharing with other partner agencies.
  • Mobility Data Stewards—Individuals within Task Force member agencies who ensure mobility data that is collected, maintained, and used by their agency is managed according to policies established by the Mobility Data Task Force.
  • Mobility Data Users and Stakeholders—any persons or agencies that use or interface with, access, benefit from, or are otherwise affected by mobility data.

Table 7 defines the roles and responsibilities for supporting the governance framework. These roles/responsibilities should be vetted with members of the Mobility Data Task Force. It is recognized that the organization structure of individual partner agencies are all different. The roles and responsibilities listed are job functions and not necessarily job titles.

Table 7. Data governance roles and responsibilities.3, 4
Role Description Responsibilities
  1. Regional ITS Committee
 Association of technically qualified representatives of agencies involved in the planning, programming, engineering and/or implementation of intelligent transportation systems projects in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties.
  1. Develop "rules of engagement" regarding collaboration and coordination for the Mobility Data Task Force.
  2. Establish policies and procedures for the collection and use of mobility data and information within their respective agencies.
  3. Coordinate resources and cost sharing strategies to reduce redundancy in regional data collection, integration, and data systems.
  1. Mobility Data Task Force
 Association of individuals from partner agencies who collect and provide mobility data and establish business rules and processes for the mobility data that is collected, maintained, and used by their agency. These individuals may serve as data stewards or subject matter experts for mobility data within their agency.
  1. Identify and address gaps and redundancies in regional mobility data collection activities.
  2. Identify data stewards for mobility data programs within their respective agencies.
  3. Share current activities and best practices in mobility data collection and management.
  4. Facilitate sharing of data with internal/external stakeholders.
  5. Share procurement plans and RFPs for mobility data.
  6. Review RFPs and provide recommendations based on best practices.
  7. Provide recommendations to the Regional ITS Committee regarding development of mobility data products to meet business needs.
  8. Provide recommendations to the Regional ITS Committee regarding standards and procedures for collection, maintenance, and use of data programs and products.
  9. Recommend technology tools to support mobility data management and sharing.
  1. Mobility Data Executive Group
 Senior level managers across business areas of member agencies and may include Director of IT Office or Division.
  1. Provide executive level support for mobility data governance.
  2. Dedicate resources to support data management and governance within their agency as needed.
  3. Establish data sharing agreements and memorandums of understanding with other partner agencies.
  4. Develop and approve charter for their agency’s participation in the Mobility Data Task Force.
  1. Mobility Data Stewards
 Individuals within partner agencies who are responsible for ensuring mobility data that is collected, maintained, and used by their agency is managed according to policies established by the Mobility Data Task Force.
  1. Identify and manage metadata.
  2. Identify and resolve data quality issues.
  3. Determine business and security needs of data.
  4. Communicate data quality issues to individuals that can influence change, as needed.
  5. Provide input to data analysis.
  1. Mobility Data Users and Stakeholders
 Association of people comprised of internal and external stakeholders who share a common interest as users of mobility data.
  1. Communicate their agency’s business needs supported by mobility data programs.
  2. Provide feedback on data quality and use of mobility data programs.

Rules of Engagement

The Regional ITS Committee should develop and approve a Charter related to Data Business Plan implementation to set forth the purpose, goals, membership, roles, and responsibilities and "rules of engagement" regarding collaboration and coordination for the group. Potential rules of engagement could include the following:

  • Share RFPs for current and upcoming data collection activities, data acquisitions, initiatives, activities, and projects related to mobility data.
  • Share current initiatives, activities, and best practices related to mobility data, including data strategies, policies, standards, metadata, system architecture, procedures, performance metrics, etc.
  • Identify needs and opportunities to integrate mobility data sets to support performance-based planning and asset management activities in the region.
  • Identify needs and opportunities to create links between mobility data sets and connected vehicle data sets in the future to support performance-based planning in the region.
  • Identify opportunities to coordinate resources, reduce data redundancies, and implement cost-sharing strategies for the collection, management, and maintenance of mobility data.
  • Recognize the needs and opportunities to reduce redundancy in the development and maintenance of duplicative data systems and promote efficiency in system maintenance.
  • Identify needs and opportunities to enhance data sharing and access among regional stakeholders, including the need for web portals for stakeholders to share data and information as needed.
  • Understand and promote the value of mobility data as an asset within individual stakeholder agencies and regionwide.

An example charter is provided in appendix F.

Governance Documentation

Once the Regional ITS Committee has formally approved a Charter, the group should also develop and approve the following supporting documents to define policies, standards, and procedures for data governance in the region:

  • Data Governance Manual. The manual serves as a centralized resource that formalizes data governance roles and responsibilities, data standards, policies, and procedures related to mobility data. An example Data Governance Manual is provided in appendix G.
  • Data Catalog. The data catalog documents regional mobility data systems and the offices responsible for maintaining those systems. The catalog identifies the system of record for specific mobility data sources, metadata about the data systems, and contact information for the data stewards responsible for updating and maintaining the data. The data inventory in Section 3 can be used as a starting point for developing the data catalog.
  • Business Terms Glossary. The business terms glossary defines how standard terminology for mobility data (such as location) is defined and used across the agency. The glossary assists IT professionals in defining/using the data correctly when developing or enhancing data systems. An example glossary is provided in appendix H.

2 AASHTO Subcommittee on Data, Data Subcommittee Efforts on Core Data Principles Web site, https://data.transportation.org/aashto-core-data-principles/. [ Return to Note 2 ]

3 NCHRP 666: Target-Setting Methods and Data Management to Support Performance-Based Resource Allocation by Transportation Agencies, Volume II: Guide for Target-Setting and Data Management, 2010. [ Return to Note 3 ]

4 Data Governance, Standards, and Knowledge Management, Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF), 2009, appendix B—Kansas Department of Education Roles and Responsibilities and appendix C—Data Governance Manual. [ Return to Note 4 ]

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