Chapter 3 Findings and Results

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the research outcomes, including analysis of input received from various stakeholder outreach, interpretations of feedback received during the virtual peer exchanges and workshop, and other analyses summarized from technical memos throughout the project.

3.1 ACB Framework - Change Forces (Various)

The COP members highlighted the need for potential ACB use cases addressing key issues. Group polling indicated that legislation, funding, technology, and workforce changes have a significant impact on agency outcomes, such as safety and efficiency. A major challenge is attracting and retaining a skilled workforce while addressing gaps in technology and leadership development. Members emphasized the importance of organizational capabilities and change management, utilizing strategies such as training and professional development. A variety of communication methods received positive feedback, with an emphasis on videos and infographics, as well as a call for engaging agency leadership in future presentations.

The AASHTO Committee on Knowledge Management (KM) specifically highlighted the following critical challenges impacting agency capabilities:

• Organizational: workforce, telework, safety culture
• Social: resilience, sustainability, and mobility options
• Economic: budget and revenue evolution, income inequality, and privatization
• Technology: artificial intelligence, predictive learning, automation, and other emerging technologies

The TRB Standing Committee on Workforce Development and Organizational Excellence: identified the top trends as:

• Artificial intelligence and automation
• Funding
• Succession planning
• Retirements
• Workforce shortages
• ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) services
• Remote work
• Employee engagement and retention

Committee members also provided feedback on their agencies’ top strategies for preparing for these trends, including leadership development, training, workforce planning, employee engagement initiatives, and knowledge management strategies.

Agency interviews provided a variety of input related to change forces, with workforce and emerging technologies as the most prevalent topics.

Specific workforce challenges include:

• Generational skill set differences
• Aging workforce, retirement cliff
• Lack of leadership bench strength in newer workers
• Fewer candidates, in general
• Lack of specific skill sets
• Competition with the private sector
• Consultant contractor and employee ratios
• Staff burnout
• Social shifts due to work-from-home
• Adaptation of workforce to technology

Specific technology challenges include:

• Technologies are changing so fast policies can’t keep up
• Advancement of AI (with positive and negative impacts)
• Technology is speeding up and changing the nature of work
• Drones and automating the work
• Electrification impact on funding/revenues, infrastructure
• Cloud technologies and skills
• IT governance policies and risks

Stakeholders indicated that their current priority change forces include technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence, automation, and system updates. Workforce is also a key trend, with individuals and groups citing specific topics like succession planning in the face of a retirement cliff, the evolution of the workforce, and challenges in maintaining a leadership pipeline and adequate skill sets to meet new requirements. They validated that the easiest issues to address and opportunities to explore are those that can be solved or leveraged with additional funding. In contrast, capability gaps involving staff are the most difficult to resolve.

Virtual peer exchange participants expressed concern about the ongoing importance of keeping the portal content fresh and indicated that the framework should somehow accommodate needs related to (1) ongoing training due to turnover and increased retirements, and (2) staff engagement, in addition to attracting and retaining staff. They highlighted the need for changes in core management structures as technology evolves and requested its integration into the framework.

3.2 ACB Framework - Needs (Various)

Stakeholder outreach also included discussions of agency needs. The urgent needs expressed by the ACB COP include attracting and retaining a skilled workforce and aligning staff skills with their organizational needs. This group reflects that technology adoption and transparency are comparatively easier to solve than workforce issues. Other organizational needs include leadership development, talent retention, a healthy culture, and managing organizational change.

The AASHTO Committee on KM discussion focused on KM gaps. The committee identifies capturing and codifying knowledge as the most critical part of the KM cycle to develop over the short term, followed by collaboration and mentoring, using and applying knowledge, and learning.

Agency interviews validated the needs that were identified initially. The gaps most easily closed include those that can be addressed by money or updating agency processes, as well as those that can be addressed through reskilling for specific job categories and rehiring. Alternatively, resource gaps that are most difficult to close cannot be addressed by money, are out of the agency’s control, such as politics, and require new skills in other specific job categories, such as emerging technologies.

3.3 Overall Strategies (Various)

ACB COP members deemed workforce and organizational management critical strategies for building and enhancing capabilities. This group specifically cited training and development activities and hiring consultants to fill in the gaps as effective tactics they have used. The choice of a strategy depends on several factors, including urgency, convenience, risk tolerance, and available resources.

The AASHTO Committee on Knowledge Management provided input on activities agencies use to close resource gaps, including training, research, strategic planning, directed initiatives and pilots, policy development, governance and teams, diversification and evolution of skills, and

collaboration with partners. This group also provided input on specific KM strategies their agencies are incorporating, including:

• Existing and exit knowledge interviews
• Mentoring
• Communities of Practice
• Outsourcing
• Increasing awareness of knowledge as an asset
• Removing organizational boundaries
• Standard operating procedures and other documentation
• Central repositories
• Data management/findability initiatives
• IT platforms
• Best practice sharing
• Transition and success planning
• Extended career options for overlap and knowledge transfer
• Knowledge portals
• Knowledge capture and transfer

The KM community indicated that the most used KM strategies are knowledge capture and transfer, followed by mentoring, social and learning communities, learning organizations, knowledge audits, and expertise directories. They also identified common roadblocks to implementation, including time, generational issues, organizational silos, lack of expertise, lack of human resources, staff resistance, and perceived value. They indicated that the choice of strategy used is influenced by time, money, leadership, human resources, organizational and cultural issues, technology, and ease of use.

The TRB Standing Committee on Workforce Development and Organizational Excellence indicates that agencies use the following workforce management strategies to build capabilities:

• Developing strategic workforce plans
• Creating a new office to focus on workforce issues
• Resilience training
• Scenario planning
• Multi-discipline training
• Competency modeling
• Strong leadership support
• Having new hires in place before employees separating
• Partnering with state education planning

• Required professional development goals

The TRB Standing Committee on Workforce Development and Organizational Excellence indicates that agencies use the following organizational management strategies to build capabilities:

• Clearly defining excellence
• Risk assessment
• Reorganizations
• Business process improvement
• Prioritizing continuous improvement
• Measurable goals for personal and professional development
• Resource management focus

Committee members report that the main obstacles to implementing these strategies are a need for better decision-making, funding, and resources. Factors that influence strategies include costs, time, and the political environment.

Agency interviews provided interesting insights into how agencies decide on a strategy. For many states, political will determines the strategy, resulting in a pendulum effect over time and administrations. Other determining factors include costs and funding, agency leadership, the path of least resistance, strategic direction, cost-benefit analysis, and organizational structure. This table includes a description of each practice, related ACB framework strategy(ies) demonstrated, affected agency roles, and the situation(s) driving the practice.

3.4 Guidance (Various)

The team also received input on the Portal and Guidance. The ACB COP expressed that agencies need additional clarity on specific pilot use cases and help identifying the resources necessary to address issues. They also provided feedback on potential communication media and responded positively to various options, including videos, job aids, infographics, and micro-learning media. They stressed the importance of engaging with agency leaders to build awareness of the resource base. The TRB Standing Committee on Workforce Development and Organizational Excellence lists the media options in rank order:

• Events like peer exchanges or workshops
• Written guidance, articles, and job aids
• Written or video case studies/testimonials
• Online information like blogs or micro-learning
• Participating in pilots
• Other

Agency interviews also provided input on guidance media and content. They expressed variation in the preferred media, with the consensus that the best media are the ones that get it out quickly and concisely. Interviewees indicate that multiple, accessible formats are preferable for appealing to different learning styles and abilities. Interviewees prefer relatable, transferable examples that can be used broadly across all levels of the organization.

This feedback was taken into consideration throughout the implementation effort. The ACB COP meetings, virtual peer exchanges, workshops, and practitioner videos were designed to maximize collaboration and the sharing of information among practitioners. Several of the videos and case studies provided insights into the implementation and change management processes associated with initiatives. Micro-learning was used in the development of the video tutorials and the “What’s In It for Me?” carousel on the ACB Portal. The practitioner videos and deep dive case studies highlight results and lessons learned, and peer exchange and workshop addressed ways to adopt or adapt agency practices. Throughout the project, additional resources, tools, shared practices, and toolkits were added to the resource base for use. Finally, improvements were made to improve the navigation of the ACB resources.

3.5 Agency Practices (Various)

The outreach generated an extensive list of potential agency practices, representing various strategies and associated activities used for building agency capabilities. This list was used in identifying potential presenters for the virtual peer exchanges in Task 4.

The team also assembled a comprehensive list of stakeholders reached through the outreach effort. These represent NCHRP Project 20-44(40) panel members, ACB COP members, interviewees, and other individuals identified as agency practice owners based on the team’s knowledge of various strategies.

3.6 Data and Information Management (Virtual Peer Exchange)

The first peer exchange covered various information and data management topics, including artificial intelligence, data-driven decision-making, dashboards, emerging technologies, data literacy, and data tools. Below are links to pre-taped presentations and a summary of featured agency practices.

Melissa Thompson, California DOT. 2024 California Transportation Asset Management System (TAMS) Technology Change Management.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080225154

• Summary: Melissa Thompson presented Caltrans’ 2024 TAMS technology change management process. Technology is developing rapidly. Successful technology change balances technology, people, and processes. She emphasized beginning with a clear vision, including change management, engagement in communication channels, and trust in data and information. Change is constant, and processes need to be operationalized. Systems should be adaptive and flexible. Pilots can inform implementation, which may be done in phases.

Table 3-1. Summary of Thompson’s presentation.

Susan Thomas, Ohio DOT. Data Literacy Initiative.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080231257
• Summary: Susan Thomas presented on Ohio DOT’s data literacy initiative. Ohio DOT has defined data literacy as an individual’s ability to read, understand, leverage data, and communicate with data. They are conducting an initial assessment to measure the data literacy of employees. The evaluation addresses data-driven decisions, what platforms/data staff use, and who has access to data. The initial assessment results will be analyzed to align training with needs. Follow-up annual assessments will be done to track progress.

Table 3-2. Summary of Thomas’ presentation.

Tara Cullum, Oklahoma DOT. Digital Delivery Pursuit.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080232403
• Summary: Tara Cullum presented on Oklahoma DOT’s transition to digital delivery. She highlighted the Digital Delivery Technical Committee, which comprises representatives from various stakeholders. She emphasized an agency-wide focus, defining roles and responsibilities, and creating detailed training plans.
• Additional resources: ODOT Digital Delivery website

Table 3-3. Summary of Cullum’s presentation.

Justin Bruner, Pennsylvania DOT. Using Technology to Make Better Decisions.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080224513

• Summary: Justin Bruner presented on the development of PennDOT’s web-based AssetFox system. This tool allows the department to examine current pavement and bridge investment strategies and model future conditions to facilitate project selection, timing, and communication and ensure the lowest life cycle costs.

Table 3-4. Summary of Bruner’s presentation.

Attendees viewed the practices in advance of the event and came prepared to ask questions of the featured presenters during the exchange. Participants then engaged in small group breakouts to discuss:

• What was the most impactful practice from the practitioner videos that your agency may want to adopt or adapt?
• What practice would you most like to learn about?
• Do you have a practice you want to share?
• Is there a practice you would like to have more information about that was not mentioned? Think about sub-strategies and associated practices: IT strategic planning, governance, data integration, business intelligence, agile, cloud solutions, and project and portfolio management.

Several themes emerged around the topics of data and information management during the virtual peer exchange. These include:

• Change Management
  • Breaking down silos
  • Documenting implementation efforts
  • Right-sizing teams
  • Leadership and agency buy-in for initiatives
  • Sharing information during the change
• Assessments
  • Planning and executing assessments

• • Tiered data literacy assessments
  • Proficiency thresholds and maturity levels
• Artificial Intelligence
  • Governance
  • Roadmaps
  • State policies and risk management topics
• Data Governance
  • Interdisciplinary approaches
  • Use cases
  • Data standards and quality
• Tools and Resources
  • Support for digital project delivery
  • Portfolio management

During the discussion, participants described their own noteworthy agency practices, including:

• Wisconsin DOT: Data scavenger hunt, Knowledge Owl
• Idaho DOT: Data analytics team
• Massachusetts DOT: Strategic initiatives and teams, chatbots
• Oklahoma DOT: Collaborative AI teams
• Minnesota DOT: Technology and data management leadership group
• Texas DOT: Data management work group, staff data scientist, CIO advisory board
• New Hampshire: DOT 3D modeling for digital delivery
• New Jersey DOT: Data literacy program

3.7 Knowledge Management (Virtual Peer Exchange)

The second peer exchange covered knowledge management topics, including knowledge transfer, knowledge collection, and knowledge storage strategies. Below are links to pre-taped presentations and a summary of featured agency practices.

Monica Aleman-Smoot, Texas DOT. Risk Management Community of Practice.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080227820
• Summary: Monica Aleman-Smoot presented on Texas DOT’s Risk Management Community of Practice (COP). For most DOTs, 40% of the workforce will be eligible for retirement in the next few years which can mean a loss of institutional knowledge.

• Managing risk at the enterprise level complements strategic planning. TxDOT’s Enterprise Risk Prevention and Management Program (RPM) began in 2011. In 2023, RRM reviewed 559 laws for compliance and identified 436 risks. They monitor action plans to mitigate high risks and implement process improvements. The program initially centered on legal compliance but shifted toward prevention and process improvements.
• Additional resources:
  • NCHRP Project 23-17, “Assessing and Measuring the Business Value of Knowledge Management” (2025 - Active)
  • AASHTO Guide for Enterprise Risk Management (2016)
  • NCHRP Research Report 986: Implementation of the AASHTO Guide for Enterprise Risk Management(2022)

Table 3-5. Summary of Aleman-Smoot’s presentation.

Jay Styles, Virginia DOT. Job Books.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080223465
• Summary: Jay Styles presented on Virginia DOT’s Job Books. This online documentation bridges the gap between individual expertise and organizational knowledge, helping new employees succeed and facilitating business continuity. Job books can be used by new employees in their jobs or as a reference for anyone in the agency.

Table 3-6. Summary of Styles’ presentation.

Jarrod Stanley, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Knowledge Management Program.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080222057
• Summary: Jarrod Stanley presented on the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Highway Knowledge Portal. The KYTC realized that it was challenging to maintain all of the manuals and materials needed for employees to do their jobs. KYTC partnered with the Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky to create and house the Highway Knowledge Portal, a self-serve online library that is easily searchable.
• Additional resources: Knowledge Portal Online

Table 3-7. Summary of Stanley’s presentation.

Michele Grant and Tammie Rosenow, Wisconsin DOT. Knowledge Owl.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080226867

• Summary: Michele Grant and Tammie Rosenow presented on WisDOT’s Knowledge Owl database. Originally, the article authors created their own pages, which led to inconsistency and duplication of information. The project was able to reduce the 1500+ articles to 57. A Knowledge Owl administration team now approves articles and creates a historical record of changes.

Table 3-8. Summary of Grant and Rosenow’s presentation.

Attendees viewed the practices in advance of the event and came prepared to ask questions of the featured presenters during the exchange. Participants then engaged in small group breakouts to discuss:

• What was the most impactful practice from the practitioner videos that your agency may want to adopt or adapt?
• What practice would you most like to learn about?
• Do you have a practice you want to share?

Is there a practice you would like to have more information about that was not mentioned? Consider knowledge mapping, knowledge capture, process documentation, knowledge repositories, taxonomies and ontologies, personalized content delivery, and employee development.

Several themes emerged around the topic of knowledge management during the virtual peer exchange. These include:

• Technology Change
  • Data access
  • Data management
  • Data governance
• Information and initiatives for different audiences
• Communities
  • Communities of practice
  • Communities of learning
• Risk Management
  • Communication
  • Goal setting
  • Leadership structures and support
• Content Management
  • Duplication and consistency
  • Personalized content
  • Content prioritization

During the discussion, participants described their own noteworthy agency practices, including:

• Michigan DOT: Communities of learning and Career Fest
• Virginia DOT: Career ladders
• Utah DOT: Job description playbook
• New Jersey DOT: Break to Educate Program and retiree mentorship
• Kentucky Transportation Cabinet: Intersection of policy and knowledge management (mapping and taxonomies)
• North Carolina DOT: CLEAR Program

3.8 Workforce and Organizational Management (Virtual Peer Exchange)

The third peer exchange covered workforce and organizational management topics, including talent management, process improvement, change management, and topics related to the future of work. Below are links to pre-taped presentations and a summary of featured agency practices.

Gary Vansuch, Colorado DOT. CDOT Agency Change Agents and Innovation Challenge.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080219619
• Executive Summary: Gary Vansuch presented on Colorado DOT’s agency change agents and the Innovation Challenge. He emphasized that running and improving Colorado DOT’s business are crucial. The Colorado SMART Act created a focus on a statewide performance management system, continuous improvement, and operational excellence training. CDOT has several ways to document innovations and recognize innovators.
• Additional resources: https://operations.colorado.gov/performance-management

Table 3-9. Summary of Vansuch’s presentation.

Chris Young, Texas DOT. DOT Training Program (Unmanned Aerial Systems - UAS).

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080217570
• Executive Summary: Chris Young presented on the Texas DOT UAS training program. In 2020, TxDOT was officially charged with leading Texas’ oversight and adoption of UAS technologies. Cost, quality, and time constraints required prioritizing UAS training in a budget request. TxDOT partnered with Austin Community College, which had an approved UAS training program, which greatly assisted with developing this new organizational capability.

Table 3-10. Summary of Young’s presentation.

Tracy Osimboni, Massachusetts DOT. Workforce Tool.

• Direct link to presentation video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/11689341/video/1080233553
• Executive Summary: Tracy Osimboni presented the background on the MassDOT Workforce Tool, and Bill Roberts of Spy Pond Partners demonstrated it. Current staffing, target staffing levels, and hiring limits in any one year can be modeled for MassDOT’s 6 districts and 14 labor categories.
• Additional resources: NCHRP Research Report 923: Workforce Optimization Workbook for Transportation Construction Projects (2020)

Table 3-11. Summary of Osimboni’s presentation.

Attendees viewed the practices in advance of the event and came prepared to ask questions of the featured presenters during the exchange.

Participants then engaged in small group breakouts to discuss:

• What was the most impactful practice from the practitioner videos that your agency may want to adopt or adapt?
• What practice would you most like to learn about?
• Do you have a practice you want to share?
• Is there a practice you would like to have more information about that was not mentioned? Think about associated practices: workforce foundations, talent life cycle, talent acquisition, onboarding, engagement and retention, career learning and development, offboarding, and workforce management playbooks.

Several themes emerged around the topic of workforce and organizational management during the virtual peer exchange. These include:

• Change Management
  • Organizational structures
  • Staffing plans
  • Integration with strategic initiatives
• Culture of Learning
  • Innovations and innovators
  • Agency frameworks for supporting staff and improvement efforts
  • Empowering staff to fix their own problems
• Partnerships
  • Creative approaches
  • Community colleges, LTAP centers, prisons, high schools, and other partnerships
  • Retirees as mentors and contributors
• Workforce Evolution
  • Demographic changes
  • Retirement cliff
  • Clarity of roles
  • Talent pools
• Employee Training
  • Engagement and retention throughout the career life cycle
  • Training models
  • Delivery models

During the discussion, participants described their own noteworthy agency practices, including:

• Colorado DOT: Lean mini-boot camp, identifying innovations and innovators, “Fix Something that Bugs You.”
• Texas DOT: Partnerships with community colleges, workforce analytics
• Indiana DOT and Colorado DOT: SkillBridge Program
• Wisconsin DOT: Stay interviews for retention
• Virginia DOT: Organizational management process streamlining
• Massachusetts DOT: Integrating workforce and organizational strategies into strategic planning documents