Taxonomy of Institutional Issues that Act as Barriers to the Implementation of Pavement Management Systems, 1994

The benefits of pavement management system when fully implemented are well known and the history of successful implementation is rich. Implementation occurs, for purposes of this paper, when the pavement management system is the critical component for making pavement decisions. This paper addresses the issues that act as barriers to full implementation of pavement management systems. Institutional barriers, not technical and financial barriers, are more commonly responsible for a pavement management systems falling short of full implementation. The paper groups these institutional issues into a general taxonomy. In general, more effort needs to be put forth by highway agencies to overcome institutional issues. Most agencies approach pavement management as a technical process, but more commonly, institutional issues become more problematic and thus require more attention paid to institutional issues. The paper concludes by summarizing the implementation process being taken by the Iowa Department of Transportation. The process was designed to overcome institutional barriers and facilitate the complete and full implementation of their pavement management system.

Iowa DOT Project Management Peer Exchange, 2016

This project supported the planning and conduct of a two-day Iowa Department of Transportation–hosted peer exchange for state agencies that have implemented some or all of the suggested strategies outlined in the Second Strategic Highway Research Program–sponsored project R10, Project Management Strategies for Complex Projects. Presentations were made by participating states, and several opportunities were provided for directed discussion. General themes emerging from the presentations and discussions were identified as follows: To implement improvements in project management processes, agency leadership needs to decide that a new approach to project management is worth pursuing and then dedicate resources to developing a project management plan. The change to formalized project management and five-dimensional project management (5DPM) requires a culture shift in agencies from segmented “silo” processes to collaborative, cooperative processes that make communication and collaboration high priorities. Agencies need trained project managers who are empowered to execute the project management plan, as well as properly trained functional staff. Project management can be centralized or decentralized with equal effect. After an agency’s project management plan and structure are developed, software tools and other resources should be implemented to support the plan and structure. All projects will benefit from enhanced project management, but the project management plan should specify appropriate approaches for several project levels as defined by factors in addition to dollar value. Project management should be included in an agency’s project development manual.

Draft Project Management Update to the Iowa DOT Project Development Manual, 2016

This work supported drafting project management guidance for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). The goal is to incorporate a greater focus on project management in their project development process. A technical advisory committee (TAC) was assembled to accomplish this effort. The TAC took into consideration the current status of project management with the Iowa DOT, their experience during the demonstration workshop held in Iowa as part of the implementation assistance they received, the project management peer exchange hosted by the Iowa DOT, and additional examples of project management that were presented. With this basis, the TAC participated in a number of discussions to develop draft guidance for the foundation of a Project Management Office (PMO) within the Iowa DOT. The final report describes the process that was used in establishing this guidance. The report details the decisions and decision process that the TAC employed in this endeavor and provides additional thoughts and insight into the draft guidance. Appendix A includes the draft guidance in the form of PMO function details and detailed lists of project management roles and responsibilities. Appendix B includes a starter list of project management resources for the PMO.