Implementing Data Governance at Transportation Agencies: Volume 1: Implementation Guide (2024)
Chapter: Summary
Why Transportation Agencies Need Data Governance
State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies have been managing and using data for decades and have established programs for collecting, processing, storing and reporting various types of data. However, data needs and expectations have been changing. Agencies are seeking to use their existing data in new ways and are tapping into new data sources. Advancing data analysis, integration and delivery methods are being applied to:
- Target investments to improve safety, operational efficiency and asset performance;
- Deliver projects faster by pinpointing root causes of delays;
- Minimize travel delays and improve incident response time;
- Help travelers to avoid congested or unsafe conditions;
- Improve situational awareness for field crews;
- Save money by identifying ways to increase process efficiency;
- Understand and communicate equity impacts of alternative improvements; and
- Communicate agency accomplishments and performance to strengthen transparency and accountability.
Data Governance at State DOTs
As of 2023, two-thirds of the 51 state DOTs had established some form of agency-level data governance or were actively exploring setting up data governance in their agencies.
State DOTs with well-developed data governance include: Caltrans, Florida DOT, Michigan DOT, Montana DOT, Nebraska DOT, Ohio DOT and Oregon DOT.
This Guide draws upon lessons learned and successful practices of these early adopters.
However, efforts to advance use of data for these and other purposes are often stymied by poor data quality, inconsistent data, duplicative data, and data of unclear meaning or derivation. As a result, analysts spend more time on data research and cleaning than on analysis, and it takes much longer than it should to obtain useful insights from data and implement new business intelligence or reporting capabilities. Many types of critical business questions are not possible to answer due to data limitations.
Signs of Inadequate Data Governance
Duplicative data purchases
Orphaned datasets with no clear ownership
Outdated and conflicting datasets posted on agency websites
Quality assurance not occurring prior to data handoffs
Inconsistent responses to internal and external data sharing requests
No clear way to resolve data issues or get agreement on standards
With the continued digital transformation at DOTs and advances in data analytics, image processing and natural language processing (NLP), data in multiple forms are becoming more of a pervasive and essential part of DOT business processes. In addition, there is growing awareness of risks associated with data privacy and security and the need to identify and protect private and sensitive information.
While there are many useful tools and technologies supporting data management, the fundamental solution to data quality, consistency, interoperability and protection challenges is organizational rather than technological. Tackling data issues requires business process changes, staff education and capacity building, re-prioritization of staff time allocations, and coordination and collaboration across business units. It therefore makes sense to address these challenges in a systemic manner rather than on a piecemeal basis – for example, as part of an attempt to build a new dashboard or perform a trend analysis. A systemic approach to improving agency data would involve establishing leadership, oversight, standards of practice, and roles and responsibilities for data management. This is the essence of data governance. Data governance enables agencies to make data-related decisions that align with their business objectives – by
involving the right people, at the right levels, with the right skills, armed with the right information, guided by adopted principles and policies.
Contents of the Guide
This Guide was developed to help transportation agencies to implement data governance structures and practices – and advance the maturity of these practices over time. It recognizes that each agency may choose to implement data governance in a different way – based on its size, culture, priorities, external requirements, data management infrastructure and resources.
What’s in this Guide?
This Guide helps transportation agencies:
- Understand what data governance is,
- Chart a course for implementation;
- Identify the people, processes and technologies needed to operationalize data governance, and
- Overcome common challenges to maximize success.
The Guide is organized into four major sections:
I. Introduction – provides an overview of data governance and reviews the benefits of implementing data governance at a transportation agency.
II. Implementing Data Governance – presents a nine step process for initiating a data governance effort, and outlines options for establishing data governance roles and responsibilities. Provides several options for consideration based on agency size, goals and culture.
III. Data Governance in Action – presents guidance for implementing nine common data governance practices, including tips for success and references to relevant examples. Highlights seven common implementation challenges and provides ideas for tackling them.
IV. Resources – provides sources that can be consulted for further information as well as sample materials supporting data governance implementation.
Appendix A – Provides a maturity model for assessing transportation agency data governance practices and identifying actions to advance maturity to a target level. This appendix provides cross-references to guidance sections about the actions recommended in the model to advance maturity.
A companion Communications Guide is available on the National Academies Press website (nap.nationalacademies.org) by searching for NCHRP Web-Only Document 419: Implementing Data Governance at Transportation Agencies, Volume 2: Communications Guide. Its purpose is to help agencies develop and carry out a data governance communication plan, which is an essential element of data governance implementation.
Using the Guide
This Guide can be used in multiple ways:
- Develop an Agency Data Governance Strategy. Follow the guidance to create and implement a holistic strategy and action plan.
- Develop a Data Governance Strategy for Selected Functions or Programs. Follow the guidance to create and implement a strategy and action plan for one or more individual functional areas or data programs (e.g. Safety or Asset Management).
- Use As a Reference. Provide the guidance to managers to build a shared understanding of data governance principles and practices and provide reference materials for those wishing to take their existing practices to the next level.
With Limited Time …
If you only have an hour or less to review this Guide, here are some suggestions for sections to prioritize:
- Chapter 1. Read the one-page summary “What is Data Governance” to understand what is meant by data governance.
- Chapter 2. Skim the headings in this chapter to understand motivations for and benefits of implementing data governance.
- Chapter 3. Look at the data governance implementation steps displayed in Figure 1. Review the material for Step 6. Select a Governance Approach to learn about options for designing an approach that fits your agency’s culture and resource constraints.
- Chapter 4. Review the first section – Data Governance Leadership and Staffing to understand the minimum levels of resourcing needed to support data governance implementation. Review Table 3 (Data Governance Bodies – Members and Responsibilities) and Table 4 (Data Stewardship Roles) to understand typical data governance groups and roles.
- Chapter 5. Read the Overview section that identifies common data governance initiatives.
- Chapter 6. Read the Overview section to learn about the most commonly faced challenges by agencies implementing data governance. With your remaining time, read as much of this chapter as you can – it is designed to help you learn from past experiences and maximize your chances of success.
