RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION Selecting the Right Projects RESEARCH DIVISION WASHTO-X VIDEOCONFERENCE October 11, 2005 Blaine D. Leonard, P.E. Sr. Research Project Manager

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION IDENTIFYING SUCCESS INDICATORS  Review past performance –Research Staff Retreat –Reviewed dozens of past projects Successful Unsuccessful –What made these projects successful or unsuccessful?  Prioritize the key indicators of success

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION SUCCESS INDICATORS  Meeting a Need –Aligning with Strategic Direction –Timely Results –Frequent Communication  Strong Players –Champion –Principal Investigator –Technical Advisory Committee –Project Manager

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION “NON-SUCCESS” INDICATORS  The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians: –“When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount”

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION “NON-SUCCESS” INDICATORS  Instead, we sometimes: –Change riders –Appoint a committee to study the horse –Arrange to visit other countries to see how other cultures ride dead horses –Reclassify the dead horse as living-impaired –Hire outside contractors to ride the dead horse –Harness several dead horses together to increase their speed –Rewrite the performance requirements for all horses –Provide additional training in how to ride the dead horse

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION APPLYING THE RESULTS  Implement what we know about success indicators by modifying our process

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH IDENTIFICATION PROCESS  Solicit input on needs  Develop scopes to address those needs  Evaluate needs and refine scopes  Prioritize needs  Apply available funding to those needs

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH IDENTIFICATION PROCESS  Key Element in the Process: UTRAC –Utah Transportation Research Advisory Council  Used for 12 years  Made major modifications in 2005

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION UTRAC PROCESS  Identify Participants –Key UDOT Leaders and Users –FHWA Partners –Outside Partners (Academic, Consulting, Construction) –Research Staff  Cross-section of expertise and practice  Key People who are innovative and influential

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION UTRAC PROCESS  Divide Participants into Eight Practice Area Groups –Construction –Maintenance –Materials & Pavements –Hydraulics, Environmental & Roadway Design –Planning & Asset Management –ITS, Traffic & Safety –Geotechnical –Structural

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION UTRAC PROCESS  Assigned to each Practice Group: –Key UDOT Leader to Guide Buy In Filter out unsupported projects –Research Staff Contact

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION UTRAC PROCESS  Invite submittal of Problem Statements –Encouraged each group to meet and brainstorm ideas –Problem Submittal Form provided –Statements accepted from anyone –More emphasis placed on: Thorough scope Anticipated time frame Internal champion Implementation plan

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION UTRAC PROCESS  Research Staff reviewed each Statement –Literature search –Statement well crafted? –Edit Statements in cooperation with author

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION Don’t worry if you have a tough problem to deal with, But you should worry if it’s the same problem you had last year. - John Foster Dulles

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION UTRAC PROCESS  Convene UTRAC Workshop –One day event, off site –153 attendees (20% increase) –Eight Practice Area groups –Discuss, evaluate, edit, prioritize statements –Two-step voting process –Each group determines top five projects

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION UTRAC PROCESS  Research staff compiles and reviews priority statement list –Follow up with Champion to verify support –Assess Senior Leader support  Research staff creates funding list –Top priority in each group gets first priority –Second priority in each group gets next priority –Apply available funding to list –25 projects listed for funding in 2005

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITIZED PROJECTS

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION UTRAC PROCESS  Senior Leaders approve funding priority  Research staff begins to move projects forward

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION KEY 2005 UTRAC CHANGES:  Advance submission of project statements  Research review of statements  Eight breakout groups (instead of 5)  More time spent on project refinement  Implementation will have greater focus  Prioritization by secret ballot  Focus on smaller projects  Funding to adhere to group priorities

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION The great end of knowledge is not knowledge, but action. - Thomas H Huxley

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION IMPROVED IMPLEMENTATION?  The jury is still out...  General satisfaction with revised process  Smaller, more practical projects  More projects underway earlier  Action is still needed: –Better communication –Focused effort to bring results to practice –More aggressive tracking

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION 2005 AASHTO PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR RESEARCH

RESEARCH DIVISION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION QUESTIONS ?