7.1.5.1
Overview
Transportation agencies are facing increasing pressure to make more effective use of data and information systems to support their TAM programs. Addressing this need, NCHRP Project 08-115 produced NCHRP Report 956, a Guidebook for Data and Information Systems for Transportation Asset Management. AASHTO hosts web-based versions of the guidebook and tools, where subsequent implementation guidance and DOT implementation experiences have also been shared.
Built upon a data life-cycle framework which addresses five distinct stages in the use of data for TAM, the NCHRP Report 956 and associated AASHTO TAM Data Guide provide a structured approach for transportation agencies to:
- Assess current TAM data and information system practices and establish a desired state.
- Identify and evaluate data and information system-related improvements.
- Secure agency support for improvements and plan an implementation strategy.
Figure 7.4 Stages in the Use of Data for TAM
This guidance is supplemented with valuable support materials, including:
- Practical implementation tips to support the TAM data and information system assessment, improvement selection and evaluation, and action planning processes.
- Supporting materials and templates (such as assessment scoping guidance, stakeholder engagement and facilitation materials, and assessment summary and action planning templates).
- User guidance, quick reference materials, and tutorial videos to guide tool use and application.
- Research implementation examples based on four real-world implementations of the guidance at the New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Virginia DOTs.
Other Related Methodologies
For those exclusively focused on better understanding and improving how they manage their TAM data, NCHRP Project 20-44(12) was completed in 2022, providing improved tools, supplemental guidance, materials, and detailed case studies on implementation of the NCHRP Report 814 Data Self-Assessment Guidance. The outcomes of this project included detailed agency-specific assessment experiences, including several applications of the data management maturity and data value assessment frameworks in TAM-specific contexts.