Systems Operations as a Program: The Process & Institutional Dimensions

1. Systems Operationsas a Program:The Process & Institutional Dimensions Steve Lockwood Parsons Brinckerhoff

2. “The future has already arrived. It’s just not very evenly distributed” William Gibson in Cyberpunk Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

3. What This Discussion Is Really About • Highway service deteriorating • In the next 10-15, years any widespread improvement in LOS will result from SO&M (not much new capacity) • Significant improvements in mobility, reliability, safety can be derived from maximizing the service from the existing network. • Several states have been establishing the SOP benchmarks!! • But many DOT SO&M activities appear to haves ubstantially plateaued well short of potential. SO&M potential remains largely untapped. • The problem is not lack of knowledge or technology: but lack of commitment to a systems operations mission, processes, and institutional arrangments Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

4. Learning Objectives • Reconfirming Presumed Role of systems Owner/Operators (SDOTs) regarding Mobility • Understanding of Process and Institutional Weakness as barriers/opportunities for effectiveness • Understanding of Strategies for Change (process and institutional)towards a more effective operations Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

5. Topics (Messages!!) Covered • Driving forces for Change • Current System status • The unacknowledged leverage of systems operations • Relevance of systems operations and management • The Challenge/Dimensions of Change: Processes and Institutional • Operations Capability Maturity • Future Vision: The 21st Century Transportation Agency Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

6. PROBLEMS IN MY REGIONSELF-EVALUATION • A quick self-evaluation to see if any of the agencies represented can benefit from improved process and institutional arrangments • Depending on the outcome, we may be able to adjourn by lunch!! Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

7. PROBLEMS IN MY REGION SELF-EVALUATION Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

10. What do you mean “Institutional”? • Technology commodified -- However: • Policy commitment vague • Rarely a Core Program (part of other programs) • Business processes nonstandard, undocumented • Responsibility fragmented among units • Limited central accountability for performance • Informal relationship with other players (PSAs) • Unclear budgetary & staffing priority • Loose relationships with private providers • (We call these “institutional” issues) Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

11. Is there a problem?What about Performance? • Customer Mobility (isn't that our business?) – Impact of SO&M • Performance Features • Traditional: Improved Capacity, Speed, Safety • Now: Maintenance of capacity, reliability (delay, disruption, congestion) • Continuous Improvement of Performance drives all relevant SO&M changes Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

12. The Congestion Challenge Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

13. Congestion Congestion …indicates... …indicates... Higher vehicle Higher vehicle Lower Lower speeds speeds densities densities …which leads to... …which leads to... …which leads to... …which leads to... More opportunities More opportunities Less severe Less severe For conflicts for vehicle - - vehicle crashes crashes conflicts …which causes... …which causes... • • Unexpected queues Unexpected queues • • Rubbernecking Rubbernecking • • Emergency Emergency Maneuvers vehicle maneuvers …which produce... …which produce... …increased congestion... Secondary Secondary “ “ ” ” crashes crashes Driving Forces: Causes of Performance Loss Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

14. Driving Forces: Loss of Mobility Non-recurring congestion Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

15. Driving forces: Causes for Contexts(your bosses should know this) Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

16. Impact of Best Practice Strategies -   16 Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

17. Loss of Performance:“Recapture Capacity”(your bosses should know this) Capacity Increases Systems Management Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

18. Tough Questions • Are the above indications arguable? Are they meaningful? • How well does senior SDOT management understand the causes of congestion? Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

19. Recurring Signalization Ramp metering Geometrics Freeway Operations Traveler Info Non-Recurring Incident management Road weather management Work zone traffic management Special events management Active Traffic Management Congestion Strategy Leverage Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

20. Leverage: Effective SO&M • “Effectiveness” related to measurable outcomes in terms of improvements in delay, disruption, safety • Capabilities needed go beyond knowing strategies and ITS -- to Processes and Institutional preconditions for effectiveness • How can they be put into place? Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

21. Quiz • What SO&M strategy has the greatest potential impact on reducing delay? Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

22. Leverage: Gap Between Best and Average Practice? Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

23. Competition with SO&M??? • What is the competition for improving service to system users • Will there be a major increase in rate of capacity expansion • In how many states is metro population and VMT growth exceeding new capacity • Does anyone are your DOT every talk about this? Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

24. Message C: StatusSO&M Deployment Rate 55% in 2010 50% 44% in2010 Optimistic Projection 40% Pessimistic Projection 30% 22% in ‘2000 20% Installed 16% in ‘97 10% 6% in ‘90 1995 2000 2005 2010 1990 Year Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

25. We have a general idea of state of play – state by state • Deployment • Range of strategies employed • Self-evaluation • Participation in federally supported initiatives • Level of performance measurement • General institutional arrangements • Current studies (SHRP2, NCHRP, AASHTO SO&M) Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

26. Is the Glass Half-full or Half empty?? • Several states have made significant process in developing comprehensive programs – and have some state of the practice applications • Several states are working in that directions • Several states don’t feel the need to take a comprehensive approach • We can learn from each other Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

27. Example stats Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

28. Status:State of Play in State DOTs Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

29. The right questions • How is your DOT doing? • You should know where your states stands vis a vis your peers – and the state of the practice (this is the definition of a professional) Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

30. Message D: RelevanceWe need to Tell the Story: SO&M Can Make a Real Difference What transportation agencies (should) do?: • We are a just-in-time society, accustomed to service and accountability – even in Mobility • In most urban contexts very limited improvements from capacity are being made • Congestion management – as a major program -- is therefore essential to (at least) maintain level of service • Otherwise DOTs become increasingly irrelevant Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

31. Operational Performance Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

32. Reliability Research: The Importance of Institutional Arrangements SO&M Program Performance A needs-responsive, performance-driven, comprehensive cost-effective statewide SO&M program Program A needs-responsive, performance-driven, comprehensive C/E statewide SO&M program Program A needs-responsive, performance-driven, comprehensive C/E statewide SO&M program Necessary Processes The business processes and systems required to facilitate program qualities above Processes The business processes and systems required to facilitate program qualities above Processes The business processes and systems required to facilitate program qualities above Institutions The values, capabilities and arrangements and resources required to support and sustain of the required business process Institutions The values, capabilities and arrangements and resources required to support and sustain of the required business process Supportive Institutional Arrangements The values, capabilities and arrangements and resources required to support and sustain of the required business process 32 Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

33. The Basic Elements of Improved SO&M Program A needs-responsive, performance-driven, comprehensive C/E statewide SO&M program Processes The business processes and systems required to facilitate program qualities above Institutions The values, capabilities and arrangements and resources required to support and sustain of the required business process Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

34. Introduction Performance Management of the existing highway system is central to maintaining mobility Research indicates that performance is directly related to the “maturity” of key processes and institutional arrangments Key actions are required from senior management The SHRP2 L06 project developed a stepwise model of strategies to make the essential changes 34 Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

35. Point of Departure Highway congestion is increasing but conventional capacity solutions are constrained Managing performance of the existing system to its maximum effectiveness is imperative to maintain mobility Recurring congestion is well understood, but greater commitment is needed to managing the other half of congestion related to delay/disruption from crashes and breakdowns, bad weather, & construction Managing this “non-recurring congestion” must capitalize on the full potential of NRC strategies SHRP2 research indicates the performance management requires a distinct agency commitment, organization and staffing adjustments, sustainable resources and improved partnerships This research project developed a guide for systems operations performance management 35 Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

36. Loss of Performance: Recapture Capacity” Capacity Increases Systems Management 36 Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

37. Relevance: Program/Process/Institutional • Program • We known the conventional strategies • Are there deployment warrants (problem, function, geography, network • Aggressiveness of Application (compared to S.O.P) • Comprehensive/consistent • DOTs can now focus on programs, not just projects Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

38. Relevance: Technical Process Challenge (program level) • Getting SO&M on an institutionalized sustainable path to improvement • Scope: Full range/core program • Business Processes: Effective implementation, integration, documentation • Systems and Technology: Interoperable/standardized/cost effective • Performance: Measured, utilized, reported Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

39. Relevance : Supporting Institutional Challenge (program level) • Developing arrangements that support the needed technical processes • Culture: Understanding/committing to mobility • Organization/Staffing: aligned, professionalized • Resource Allocation: criteria-based, sustainable • Partnerships: Aligned, Consolidated Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

40. Intro to Items 1-8 to follow • (We already know a lot about strategy applications) • Following slides characterize key process and institutional dimensions essential for an effective program • Then, the question is: what is the definition of improved processes? And what does it take to get there, insitutionally Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

41. Scope:(Implications of “Mainstreaming”) • More like the other programs re • Statewide & Comprehensive • Needs driven • Geography • Problems • Network • Standardized, sustainable, aligned • Effectiveness related to measurable outcomes in terms of improvements in delay, disruption, safety Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

42. So What’s Different About SO&M? • Reactive to unpredictable events 24X7 . • corridor scale or network level. • teamwork and communications-intensive. • Involving uncontrolled “outsiders” • Requires situational awareness. • Communicating with users in real time • Mix of systems headquarters, TMC, and field activities. • Dynamic high technology and systems engineering. • Effectiveness judged only through performance oucomes • Processes for low cost and short development cycles. • Many activities can be outsourced . Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

43. 2. Business Processes: What’s Different About Operations?

44. Process Preconditions to Realize SO&M Strategies Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

45. 3. Systems and Technology • Technology Selection • Qualitative/quantitative • Warranted applications consistency • Platform Standardization • Incremental Improvements (bite size) Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

46. Beyond ITS: Balancing Procedures with Systems Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

47. 4. Performance • You have heard a lot about this. • Key issues for capability maturity: • Output Measures • Implementation feasibility (data, devices) • Utilization: feedback and tailoring for continuous improvment • Reporting and Accountability Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

48. Dashboarding Systems Operations (outputs or outcomes?) Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

49. 5. Culture and Leadership • What is “culture”? (sounds like academic jargon) • Think about shared engineering culture (mission, values/presumptions, training, standards, conventions, career style, public expectations) • Who are the external stakeholders in capacity development vs. Operations? Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions

50. What are the characteristics of an operations culture? QUIZ Session VII: Systems Operations Institutional Dimensions