3.0 Process Evaluation
3.1 Study Objective
The objective of this study is to assess the process or approach used by the eight demonstration sites to achieve a design of a TMCC for their region. The intention is to document the experience of the demonstration sites so that the lessons they learn can be shared with other communities who are interested in developing a TMCC.
While it is likely that the study will find that no one-size-fits-all, it will identify common activities as well as unique approaches that may help, or hinder, design development. The evaluation will look across all the demonstration sites to identify significant similarities or differences as well as causative factors. For example, site characteristics such as population size and level of existing coordination may affect the design process. Furthermore, each site will envision a design process they plan to use at the outset, but they may find that they may need to respond to situational changes or unanticipated problems and make some modifications to their plans. The evaluation will seek to capture such changes and the reasons they were made. In the end, potential archetypes of the process may emerge that can serve as models for other communities looking to develop TMCCs in the future.
The timeframe for the evaluation will encompass the period from project kickoff to delivery of a final detailed design to the U.S. DOT, expected to last about 15 months. The evaluation will document and analyze the process of each site over this time.
The evaluation will be conducted in the following three stages:
- Baseline Analysis. The objective of the baseline analysis is to document the process that each site expects to use to develop their TMCC design. This stage occurs as soon as possible following the start of the project.
- Mid-Way Analysis. Approximately 6 months into the design process, an assessment of each site will be made to gauge their progress and examine the success and challenges of dealing with process issues so far. This stage will occur around the time that the sites produce their concept of operations, a deliverable to U.S. DOT.
- Finish-Line Analysis. Approximately 12-14 months from the kickoff meeting, an analysis of each site’s experience across the entire project will be conducted. A final report on the TMCC design process will be prepared synthesizing the findings from all three stages and identifying lessons learned.
3.2 Methodology of the Baseline Analysis
Telephone interviews were the primary method for collecting the baseline process information. To gain different perspectives on the design at each site, individuals representing the following roles were sought:
- Project manager
- Transportation representative
- Human services representative
- ITS/technology leader
- User representative, either a user or someone who works directly with users of transportation services.
The site’s project manager was contacted and asked to identify persons for these roles, and often the project manager could additionally serve as the transportation or human service representative. Due to evaluation resource limitations either the site’s user representative or the ITS/technology leader, but not both, was interviewed. Table 1 summarizes the representatives by role at each site. The names of individuals interviewed are listed in Appendix A.
Role Interviewed |
Demonstration Sites |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aiken |
Atlanta |
Camden Co. |
Fitchburg |
Kent |
Louisville |
Orlando |
Paducah |
|
Project Manager |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Transportation Representative |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Human Services Representative |
X |
X |
|
X |
|
X |
X |
X |
ITS/Technology Leader |
|
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
X |
User/User Group Representative |
X |
|
|
|
|
X |
X |
|
The study team contacted each representative to schedule a telephone interview. A list of questions to be asked was prepared and sent to the interviewees prior to the telephone call. Telephone interviews averaged 30 to 45 minutes in length. Notes from each interview were prepared and sent to the interviewee for comment. Many but not all the interviewees provided additions or corrections to the notes.
An interview guide was prepared for each role. The guide consisted of open-ended questions that were meant to elicit discussion with the site representative. The questions covered topics such as partners, stakeholders, coordination activities, project management, required skills, staff size, technology, user needs, and expected challenges. While the questions were geared to a particular role, similar questions were sometimes used for different roles to provide an opportunity to assess different perspectives on the design process. Appendix B contains all the interview guides that were used.