T3 Webinar:

Incorporating Systems Engineering into your Business Plan

August 2, 2007

Text version of Webinar presentation:

"Approaches for Integrating Systems Engineering into Your Agency's Business Practices" (Virginia DOT)"

Description of image or images on a slide contained in brackets.

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Approaches for Integrating Systems Engineering into Your Agency's Business Practices" (Virginia DOT)s

Presented by:
Amy Tang McElwain

Talking Technology & Transportation (T3) Webinar
August 2, 2007

Slide 1: System Operations in VDOT

Program established in 2004

Mission...

"Actively manage the transportation system to maximize safety, security, mobility..."

Slide 2: VDOT Operations Regions

Slide 3:

[Slide displays VDOT Northern Region Operations (NRO) Org Chart. At the top of the org chart is the NRO Operations Director. Under that position, on the same level: the ATMS Replacement Project Manager and the Executive Assistant. Under the NRO (bypassing the ATMS Replacement Project Manager and the Executive Assistant are the following department heads: Ops Administration, Ops Planning and Programming, Systems Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Traffic Ops, Maintenance, and Ops Inspection and Construction. ]

Slide 5: Origin of VDOT NRO ITS Projects

Developed by VDOT NRO
Roadway Construction Projects
Local ITS Projects
Partnership Projects
Metropolitan Washington D.C. Regional Projects
Statewide Projects
CMP-Induced Projects
NVTA-Generated Projects

Slide 6: NRO's Planning/Programming Process. Ensures Consistency and Traceability

Slide 7:

[Slide displays NRO's Planning/Programming Process. Step 1 Strategic Planning/Operating Concept/Regional Architecture; Step 2 Establish Annual Strategic Focus; Step 3 Project Development (concept exploration and feasibility review); Step 4 Project Prioritization; Step 5 Prepare Funding Package; Step 6 Request Funding; Step 7 Receive Funding (per SYIP, SSYP, grants, and other funding sources); Step 8 Finalize FY Investment Plan; Step 10 Maintain/Update/Develop System Documents, Processes & Reports (i.e. System Architecture, ConOps, Year End Report, etc.).]

Slide 8:

[This slide shows the V Model. The V Model resembles the letter "V" with the addition of two wings extending from the top left and right of the V. The V is divided into 14 steps, beginning on the top left wing and ending at the right wing. The steps are in sequence and extend down the left side of the V, to the bottom of the V, and up the right side of the V. The steps, from left to right are:

Regional Architecture(s) (the lone step on the left wing)
Feasibility Study/Concept of Exploration
Concept of Operations
System Requirements
High-level Design
Detailed Design
Software/Hardware Development and Field Testing (the step at the bottom of the V)
Unit/Device Testing
Subsystem Verification
System Verification & Deployment
System Validation
Operations and Maintenance
Changes and Upgrades (the first step on the right wing) and Requirements/Replacement (the last step on the right wing and last step on the V Model).

Opposite the steps running down left side of the V is an arrow "Decomposition and Definition." Along the bottom of the V is an arrow "Timeline." Running up, along the right side of the V, is an arrow "Integration and Recomposition." Finally, arrows within the V connect steps on the left and right sides of the V, indicating a validation process of a left side step that take place in a right side step. From top to bottom:

Concept of Operations (step) opposite System Validation/Initial Deployment, where the link is the Systems Validation Strategy/Plan
System Requirements (step) opposite System Verification/Systems Integration, where the link is the Subsystem Verification Plan (Systems Acceptance)
High-Level Design/Subsystem Requirements opposite Subsystem Verification /Subsystem Integration, where the link is the Subsystem Verification Plan
Detailed Design (step) opposite Unit Testing (step), where the link is the Unit Test Plan

]

Slide 9:

[Slide shows how VDOT NRO Organization is mapped to V-Diagram. Regional Architecture step on the V is mapped to Ops Administration and Ops Planning and Programming; Feasibility Study and Concept Exploration mapped to Systems Engineering and Ops; Ops and Maintenance mapped to Ops and Maintenance; Changes and Upgrades mapped to NRO sections; Retirement/Replacement mapped to CCB.]

Slide 10:

[Slide shows how VDOT NRO Business Process is mapped to V-Diagram. Strategic Plan/Operating Concept/Regional Architecture (Step 1 of Business Process) and Establish Annual Strategic Focus (Step 2 of Business Process) is mapped to the Regional Architecture phase on the V-Diagram. Maintain/Update/Develop System Documents, Processes & Reports (i.e. System Architecture, ConOps, Year End Report, etc.) (Step 10 of Business Process) is mapped to the Retirement/Replacement phase on the V-Diagram. ]

Slide 11:

[Slide shows an image of the V-Diagram with the Regional Architecture and Retirement/Replacement phases highlighted. Next to the V-Diagram, three boxes appear, each with a VDOT/NRO business process (refer back to Slide 7). These processes map to the highlighted phases on the V-Diagram. The three processes are Strategic Plan/Operating Concept/Regional Architecture (#1 on Slide 7); Establish Annual Strategic Focus (#2 on Slide 7); Maintain/Update/Develop System Documents, Processes & Reports (i.e., System Architecture, ConOps, Year End Reports, etc.) (#10 on Slide 7).

The slide list tools available to facilitate these processes for the NRO Section Manager: FY Strategic Focus; Incident Mgmt Plan Emergency Transportation Plan; Telecomm. Plan, and; Configuration Change Boards. ]

Slide 12:

[Slide shows an image of the V-Diagram with the Feasibility Study and Concept Exploration phase highlighted. Two VDOT/NRO business processes (refer back to Slide 7) are highlighted, indicating that they map to the highlighted phase on the V-Diagram. The two processes are Project Development (concept exploration and feasibility review) and Project Prioritization. ]

Slide 13:

[Slide shows an image of the V-Diagram with the Feasibility Study and Concept Exploration phase highlighted. Next to the V-Diagram, two boxes appear, each with a VDOT/NRO business process (refer back to Slide 7). These processes map to the highlighted phase on the V-Diagram. The two processes are Project Development (concept exploration and feasibility review) (#3 on Slide 7) and Project Prioritization (#4 on Slide 7).

The slide list tools available to facilitate these processes for NRO Section Managers: Project Proposal Template; Technology Evaluation Process; SE Source for ITS Tech. System (SESITS library), and; Prioritization Model. ]

Slide 14:

[Slide shows an image of the V-Diagram with the project implementation phases highlighted. One VDOT/NRO business process (refer back to Slide 7) is highlighted, indicating that it maps to the highlighted phases on the V-Diagram. The process is Project Implementation. ]

Slide 15:

[Slide shows an image of the Rule 940 checklist - Section 5 Concept of Operations from the VDOT NRO Concept of Operations Outline. This checklist ensures and documents that the 940 process has been followed. ]

Slides 16, 17 and 18: VDOT Rule 940 Checklist Ensures and Documents That the Process Has Been Followed

Section 1: Project Introduction
Section 2: Needs Assessment
Section 3: Regional Architecture Assessment and Concept Exploration
Section 4: Alternative Analysis
Section 5: Concept of Operations
Section 6: Requirements Definition
Section 7: Detailed Design
Section 8: Implementation
Section 9: Integration and Test
Section 10: System Verification and Acceptance
Section 11: Operations and Maintenance

Section 1: Project Introduction
Section 2: Needs Assessment
Section 3: Regional Architecture Assessment and Concept Exploration
Section 4: Alternative Analysis
Section 5: Concept of Operations
Section 6: Requirements Definition
Section 7: Detailed Design
Section 8: Implementation
Section 9: Integration and Test
Section 10: System Verification and Acceptance
Section 11: Operations and Maintenance

Slide 19: Origin of VDOT NRO ITS Projects

Developed by VDOT NRO
Roadway Construction Projects
Local ITS Projects
Partnership Projects
Metropolitan Washington, DC Regional Projects
Statewide Projects
CMP-Induced Projects
NVTA-Generated Projects

Slide 20: Operations SE Process "Shoehorned" into Traditional Roadway Project Development

Assess need for and feasibility of Operations elements (ITS Market Packages) in initial project planning (PE Phase).
Assess funding need based upon Step 1 and include Statewide Transportation Plan (SYIP in Virginia).
For projects included in Statewide Plan, conduct more detailed analysis and feasibility study to determine specific Operations applications. (In Virginia, pre-Scoping with Location & Design during PE Phase.)
For projects in Scoping phase, include requirement for consultant to develop Concept of Operations based upon Steps 1-3 as part of bid package.
Upon project design award, design of Operations elements enters V Diagram process described previously.

It is important to consider both temporary Operations elements during construction phase and permanent elements for Management & Operations phase.

Slide 21:

Slide 22:

[This slide shows the phases in the Systems Engineering process overlaid on top of a flow chart the shows the phases/steps in the traditional roadway project development process. The text in the flow chart is not intended to be readable; rather the slide in meant to show how the SE phases and processes can be made to run concurrently with the traditional roadway project development process. ]

Slide 23: In Conclusion

Integrated strategic planning, budgeting, progressing, and tracking of Operations projects adds efficiency and effectiveness to an agency's Operations practice.
Integrating the Planning and Programming processes, and mapping organizational structure to the Systems Engineering process, have been keys for VDOT NRO in becoming a "strategic" organization.
Clear, simple tools can help Project Managers to navigate the integrated process.
Planning for Operations needs to extend beyond the Operations business units and be incorporated into traditional roadway project development from the outset.

Slide 23: In Conclusion

Integrated strategic planning, budgeting, progressing, and tracking of Operations projects adds efficiency and effectiveness to an agency's Operations practice.
Integrating the Planning and Programming processes, and mapping organizational structure to the Systems Engineering process, have been keys for VDOT NRO in becoming a "strategic" organization.
Clear, simple tools can help Project Managers to navigate the integrated process.
Planning for Operations needs to extend beyond the Operations business units and be incorporated into traditional roadway project development from the outset.

Slide 24: Contact Information

Amy Tang McElwain
VDOT Northern Region Operations.Planning and Programming Manager
amytang.mcelwain@vdot.virginia.gov

http://www.vdot-itsarch.com/Default.htm

Access T3 Archives at: http://www.pcb.its.dot.gov/res_t3_archive.asp