Collaborative Decision Making Improving Air Traffic Management Together…

Collaborative Decision Making Module 1 “The Culture of Collaboration”

A Global ATFM System The world’s ATC system is a complex collection of subsystems (ANSPs) that are integrated to provide global ATC services. These complex subsystems need to be highly integrated to accomplish the overall, interrelated goals of a safe and efficient system of travel. What is a System A group of interacting, interdependent people and component technologies forming a unified whole that are organized and operate to perform one or more vital functions that serve to accomplish a common goal. There are numerous types of systems. For example, there are biological systems (for example, the heart), mechanical systems (for example, a thermostat), human/mechanical systems (for example, riding a bicycle), ecological systems (for example, predator/prey) and social systems. The people within the system must identify themselves as members of the entire industry, rather than as members of “their” component part. Only then will they begin to see their success in terms of the entire system’s results, rather than simply focusing on local results.   The world’s ATC system is a complex collection of subsystems (ANSPs) that are integrated to provide global ATC services. These complex subsystems need to be highly integrated to accomplish the overall, interrelated goals of a safe and efficient system of travel. 3

Each subsystem (ANSP) has its own processes to accomplish those goals.

A High-Performance System Exchanges feedback among its various parts Focuses on achieving the goal of the system Makes necessary adjustments to achieve its goals

Collaborative Decision Making FAA and Industry initiative aimed at improving Traffic Flow Management through increased information exchange and improved collaboration. In the U.S. and throughout segments of the world, a collaborative culture is evolving. They take on different shapes, methodologies, use different words to describe their joint efforts. When we collectively begin to share the same vision, whether friend or foe, service provider or customer, and we reach the point where information sharing is conducted openly and honestly, for the betterment of the greater whole, and we package it so it meets our complex, ever changing, environment that we call traffic flow management, we call this “CDM”…. In an industry as complex as air travel, it is no easy matter to bring all parties to the table and encourage them to share information. Nevertheless, great strides have been made in this regard, in the US at least, thanks to the benefits that collaborative decision making (CDM) can offer to all users of the National Airspace System (NAS), including airlines, airports, regulators and, ultimately, passengers. CDM is a clear example of how relationships within the industry have changed positively and dramatically to improve the safety and efficiency of the system.

CDM Objectives To establish a goal-oriented forum between government and industry for the development of solutions to problems within Air Traffic Management (ATM) To facilitate increased information exchange between all ATM stakeholders for more effective decision making To establish an effective communications path among all ATM stakeholders for increased system safety and efficiency Improve communication and coordination between NAS users and the FAA

Why CDM? More effective communications Increased information exchange More effective decision making Better solutions to ATM problems So what do we gain from this effort? To establish an effective communications path among all ATM stakeholders for increased system safety and efficiency (tactical planning on a real time basis) To facilitate increased information exchange between all ATM stakeholders for more effective decision making (?) Airlines now share schedule information with the FAA’s Command Center- including flight delays, cancellations and newly created flights. To establish a goal-oriented forum between government and industry for the development of solutions to problems within Air Traffic Management (ATM) (?) The Command Center uses this information to monitor airport arrival demand and take steps to reduce delays caused by heavy traffic and severe weather. Telecoms are held every two hours throughout the day between FAA air traffic managers and representatives from the aviation community, including the airlines and general aviation, to discuss problems affecting capacity in the system and decide the most efficient way to handle them.

CDM is built on commitment and a willingness to cooperate for the greater good of the system.

Collaborative Decision Making Moves away from centralized control Moves towards distributed ATM And it enabled us to move away … There was a time when the FAA would be more directive in terms of how users operated in the NAS. We told them what routes they could fly, but now we want to get everyone to see the same picture to make the best system decisions. The Air Traffic Community no longer views the airlines as a force to be overcome in order to do their jobs. The once adversarial relationship is becoming extinct. Too often in the past airlines, FAA and others approached the problem from their narrow viewpoint and did not involve the line pilots, controllers, dispatchers, and others who have to work the system every day. The CDM effort is a success because it has the support of people in FAA and industry management who are willing to think outside the box, and empower operational personnel (ATCS/Dispatchers) together to solve ATM problems with the support of academia. Empower customers an move away from command and control.

The Culture of Collaboration “Collaborative Advantage” Why Collaborate? Why share info? What does it mean to possess a “Collaborative Advantage”? Is "collaboration" just the another buzzword in management, or could it be that there are actually benefits to be gained. Why should we spend time going to meetings, developing plans, and expending valuable resources when we struggle to do our jobs as best we can with what we have? Won't they be expected to give up autonomy and resources to help others get what they want? What's in it for us ? I would like to have an open discussion regarding a fundamental paradigm shift that is moving people, businesses, and economies towards a new frontier of negotiation. I propose that this will be the new frontier of the future. The norm rather than the exception. Resources are becoming more scarce, budgets are being trimmed, our talent pool is under going a transformation, and we are being ask to do more with less. As the world becomes more nominal in size, the competitive advantage begins to decrease and the competition increases. So these forces will drive us to seek a new way of doing business more openly while still maintaining the advantage. So what are the advantages of working together? Meaning is all we want. Choices are all we make. Relationships are all we have. How can we create greater shared meaning and sense of purpose, make more effective choices, and enhance interorganizational relationships? How can we work together more effectively, involve the full diversity of players, and still get things done? Collaboration is often viewed as a one-time or project-oriented activity. An increasing challenge is to help organizations incorporate collaborative values and practices in their everyday ways of working.

Collaboration … A process through which parties who see different aspects of a problem can constructively explore their difference and search for solutions.

Collaboration Requires Shared responsibility Shared resources Shared accountability Mutual goals Mutual trust Here are some key elements to consider! Collaboration depends on shared responsibility for participation and decision making (i.e., decisions are made with everyone's input and everyone is expected to support the decisions that are made). Collaboration means shared resources (i.e., parties are expected to readily share information and resources with one another for the betterment of the project or the system/environment we are operating in). Collaboration requires shared accountability (i.e., roles are responsibilities are equally divided amongst members of the group along with established expectations and timelines). Collaboration is based on mutual goals (i.e., members establish common goals upfront that benefit all parties involved). Collaboration relies on mutual trust (i.e., members need to be able to rely on each other and continually communicate in an open and honest fashion). These key elements are what essentially distinguish collaboration as the highly interdependent and engaging process that it is; a process that requires an upfront commitment and participation from all entities before going forward. If you are not willing to travel this path you will limit you success in today’s environment.

Why Develop a Collaborative Decision Making Process? Improves communication Gathers critical data Offers predictability Improves outcomes What will I benefit from including you in my decision making process How will I profit? What will I gain? And how quickly will I see realize a benefit? We do things because we can realize a direct benefit from these efforts; such as ……(go through bullet items)… and improved outcomes! We want to enhance the way we interact with another Critical information Exchange for us to make timely & effective decisions Which provides us with more insight to what the future might look like This provides us our opportunity for successful outcomes So ask yourself; What would this process look like? What will this require of me?

Involvement by all parties Shared Gain Shared Effort Involvement by all parties Shared Gain Improved efficiency and flexibility CDM is an example of how an individual shared effort results in a shared gain to the system. To work, CDM requires effort by all parties involved in the flow of air traffic, but the incentive is that all can benefit from the improved efficiency and flexibility it can offer. WORKSHEET Question # 1

Why CDM? More effective communications Increased information exchange More effective decision making Better solutions to ATM problems So what do we gain from this effort? To establish an effective communications path among all ATM stakeholders for increased system safety and efficiency (tactical planning on a real time basis) To facilitate increased information exchange between all ATM stakeholders for more effective decision making (?) Airlines now share schedule information with the FAA’s Command Center- including flight delays, cancellations and newly created flights. To establish a goal-oriented forum between government and industry for the development of solutions to problems within Air Traffic Management (ATM) (?) The Command Center uses this information to monitor airport arrival demand and take steps to reduce delays caused by heavy traffic and severe weather. Telecoms are held every two hours throughout the day between FAA air traffic managers and representatives from the aviation community, including the airlines and general aviation, to discuss problems affecting capacity in the system and decide the most efficient way to handle them.

CDM improves Air Traffic Management Procedural improvements Tool development Common situational awareness Other CDM benefits include … Development of new workable & sensible procedural enhancements Tool development that will interface with pre-existing technologies Allow all of us to operate from the same baseline

CDM Enables More flexible and dynamic planning More complete picture of the NAS Aircraft operators to respond more effectively It also allows us to do this … Planning is the key to efficiency, and CDM enables that planning to be more flexible and dynamic. It gives a more complete picture of NAS demand as well as its constraints, which allows aircraft operators to respond more quickly and more effectively. Depending upon how you (the customer) want to allocate and distribute your resources, you can model different scenarios and see the consequences of these decisions, which empowers you to make the decision in respect to your specific business model. This modeling process also allows them to predict fuel requirements for each flight. If, for instance, a destination airport is at full capacity a user can assess the predicted delay and allocate extra fuel for flights that might be delayed in the air.

Working together to create value … Collaborative Decision Making Some believe that partnering is collaboration. However, partnerships do not necessarily create value. Partnering can be a prelude to collaboration, but collaboration takes partnering to a new level. The primary reason we collaborate is to create value. Collaboration without creating value is like driving without reaching a destination.