Developing a Knowledge Management System for the Texas Department of Transportation

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Research Project 0-4505 Texas Transportation
Institute
Developing a Knowledge Management System
for the Texas Department of Transportation
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Information Overload
TxDOT professionals have a common dilemma

• 35 emails per day
• 15 phone calls per day
• 12 meetings per week
• Countless sheets of paper

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The Irony
With this abundance of resources comes

• Excessive amount of information available
• Manuals, books, reports
• Presentations, videos, Web sites
• Some of the most valuable information is missing
• Practical lessons learned in the field
• Motivating factors in selecting spec requirements
• Wisdom obtained from decades of experience

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Lost Corporate Knowledge
TxDOT experienced some major blows

• October 1, 1993, and September 1, 2003
• A total of nearly 2,000 employees retired on one
  of these two days
• A major segment of the agencys experience left
  with them
• Career Employees
• TxDOT loses hundreds each and every year
• Experience loss is continual in every large
  organization
• The agencys knowledge bank needs deposits, not
  withdrawals

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Our Knowledge Must Be
To remain successful in the future

• Mined
• Captured
• Evaluated
• Organized
• Managed
• USED!

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The i-Way
In 2004 TxDOT took action to enhance internal
information-sharing
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Start at the Crossroads
To access iWay
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This screen appears next
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A robust collection of resources
The i-Way

• Serves Dual Purposes
• Stores and manages TxDOTs training program
• Houses TxDOTs Knowledge Management System
• Knowledge Management System

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Screened Information
TxDOTs KMS is no Google search

• Experts sift through material to feature only
  the most pertinent information

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Rigid Flexible Pavement Forensics
Thanks to RMC 1 Construction, Pavements and
Maintenance

• The first technical information areas to be
  placed in TxDOTs KMS
• Critically important expertise
• An area of TxDOT strength
• More than 500 items have been entered
• Technical papers, newsletters, books, manuals
• Web sites, databases
• Information from expert interviews

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Example Scenario
Navigating through the TxDOT KMS

• Flexible pavement rutting
• Which pavement layer or layers are the problem?
• The following slides will demonstrate an
  information search

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Begin with a Global Search
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Enter a Keyword
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Search Results Listed
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Refined Search Results
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View Abstract
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View Abstract
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Legacy Knowledge
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(No Transcript)
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Additional Categories of Resources

• - Analysis Tools and Databases
• - Observations and New Knowledge
• - Unique Applications and Innovations
• - Top Reference Collection

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Maintaining Relevance

• Technical Content Administrators
• Responsible for keeping information up-to-date
• Information coming in
• Information to be deleted

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Teaming Center
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Teaming Center
KMS is more than stored information
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Knowledge Sharing

• TEAM ROOMS
• Work room (limited access)
• Forum
• Contents
• Discussion Boards with Moderators
• Calendar

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(No Transcript)
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TxDOT Has a Plan

• One of our goals
• Increase the value of our transportation assets

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TxDOT employees are our most valuable asset.
Ric Williamson, Chair Texas Transportation
Commission Transportation Short Course October
10, 2006
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Contact

• Ahmed Eltahan, Ph.D., P.E.

Materials and Pavements Section Construction
Division [phone] Aeltaha_at_dot.state.tx.us