Synthesis of best practices for the development of an integrated data and information management approach

Abstract

State transportation agencies deal with numerous technical and organizational challenges in building integrated data and information systems to provide high-quality information for supporting analysis, control and decision making in asset management. There is a need to identify the approaches that work and to develop guidelines for agencies working to achieve data integration. This project seeks to identify relevant metrics for performance measurement and the underlying factors and best practices that contribute to successful approaches. The research was comprised of six tasks: literature review; design of data collection instruments; pilot testing of data collection instruments; collection of data - interviews; identification and analysis of key success factors, best practices, and performance measures; and preparation of the guidelines document. Comprehensive case studies on data integration issues and best practices regarding asset management and information systems development were conducted on the Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio Departments of Transportation. All data integration efforts must be business driven. Without a business imperative for investing in systems development, there is no incentive for people to learn or implement the new system. Successful development of asset management systems require constant involvement of both business and technology people and a great deal of communication with both end users and users of the business systems being integrated.